How the COVID-19 pandemic affected the role of Human Resources
Engen, Hans (2023)
2023
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023060722477
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023060722477
Tiivistelmä
Never before has the role of Human Resources (HR) been as crucial as it is today. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a significant threat to organisations worldwide, having an unprecedented impact on their most valuable assets, their employees. This study examined how the pandemic has impacted HR in nine separate organisations, aiming to gain insights on how the role of HR has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this research was to enhance the understanding on how the pandemic brough attention to new main focus areas within the field of HR and provide valuable suggestions for HR professionals moving forward.
To give support to the empirical data, the theoretical framework provides an overview of the history and evolution of HR. The theoretical framework examines how HR has responded to similar situations in the past, and any resulting changes over the last century. It explores various HR typologies introduced from the Human Resource Management era (1980’s -) and provide theoretical findings from recent research on HR and COVID-19. The theoretical framework provided a foundation to compare the findings from the empirical research conducted in this study.
The primary data was collected using a case study, and nine semi-structured interviews were conducted. According to Ghauri & Gronhaug (2005, in Eriksson & Kovalainen 2008, 4), a qualitative research method is preferred when there are limited prior insights regarding the phenomenon. The choice of methodology enabled an in-depth analysis of the answers. The data was analysed by categorising the codes into themes that were linked to the role definition of Dave Ulrich’s Champions model. The interviews were conducted in the time frame of 5 months from December 2022 – April 2023.
The research concludes that the roles that HR needs to play in an organisation experienced varying degrees of impact. The findings show that the COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges, but also numerous opportunities for HR to gain status in organisations and to accelerate the development of their HR processes. This study provides development suggestions for navigating the post-pandemic challenges.
The recommendations include development areas related to all the four role definitions of Dave Ulrich Champions Model, and addresses opportunities within digital transformation, enhancing leadership, communication, and employee wellbeing.
To give support to the empirical data, the theoretical framework provides an overview of the history and evolution of HR. The theoretical framework examines how HR has responded to similar situations in the past, and any resulting changes over the last century. It explores various HR typologies introduced from the Human Resource Management era (1980’s -) and provide theoretical findings from recent research on HR and COVID-19. The theoretical framework provided a foundation to compare the findings from the empirical research conducted in this study.
The primary data was collected using a case study, and nine semi-structured interviews were conducted. According to Ghauri & Gronhaug (2005, in Eriksson & Kovalainen 2008, 4), a qualitative research method is preferred when there are limited prior insights regarding the phenomenon. The choice of methodology enabled an in-depth analysis of the answers. The data was analysed by categorising the codes into themes that were linked to the role definition of Dave Ulrich’s Champions model. The interviews were conducted in the time frame of 5 months from December 2022 – April 2023.
The research concludes that the roles that HR needs to play in an organisation experienced varying degrees of impact. The findings show that the COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges, but also numerous opportunities for HR to gain status in organisations and to accelerate the development of their HR processes. This study provides development suggestions for navigating the post-pandemic challenges.
The recommendations include development areas related to all the four role definitions of Dave Ulrich Champions Model, and addresses opportunities within digital transformation, enhancing leadership, communication, and employee wellbeing.