The pandemic, although a challenging time, unearthed some valuable lessons for businesses and specifically for HR leaders.
At the start of the pandemic, most businesses responded too quickly with layoffs. This led to huge levels of hiring and an intensified war for talent that followed. Most organisations, if asked to reflect, would not necessarily change the whole process but would take more time to assess before acting.
We also hear that some of the human capital magic was lost during this period. Where people felt they, or their colleagues, had been treated harshly, engagement suffered and productivity dipped. The magic ingredient that is so often a key differentiator in the success of a business was lost.
But there are positives. Most business leaders now recognise the importance of gathering employee engagement scores, and have learned the hard way there is a tightrope to be walked around rightsizing, retention and engagement.