The expensive consequences of post-Pandemic work

Auteur: Personio

Throughout 2020, companies tended to have one thing on their agenda: putting out fires. In this role, HR excelled and became adept at handling these complex and ever-changing challenges. That said, a consequence was that strategy often fell by the wayside – and now we are seeing it takes its toll. Companies are facing higher turnover and declining productivity en masse.

In Personio’s most recent study, they asked HR decision-makers and employees in seven European countries about their assessments and experiences during the course of the pandemic year. Here is a small extract of the key findings we uncovered for the Netherlands. Excited and interested about all findings? You can download the full extend of the Dutch HR Study here.

Differing Perceptions: Comparing HR & Employees 

The pandemic not only changed how companies operate, but where they operate. Half of Dutch employees surveyed worked from home at some point in 2020. But, how employees felt about the support they received from their employer differed significantly. This is true both of how employees experienced it, and how HR perceived that same experience.

How well did employers assist with the following?

HR managers, those who are often very close to employees, are surprisingly misaligned in their collective view of the situation. In this sense, it would seem that important topics are at risk of slipping through the cracks at many companies – with very real consequences…

Renewed Areas of Focus: 3 Strategies for HR 

A lack of motivation, a feeling that they are neither valued enough nor getting ahead; Reasons like these are fueling employees’ willingness to change jobs in the post-pandemic world, threatening company productivity and coffers alike. What’s more, a battered corporate culture is having a negative impact on employee productivity, overall. And, if that wasn’t enough, too many solutions add to the problem by slowing down work and harming productivity even further.

That said, it’s not all doom and gloom: HR departments can address these three key issues to counteract rising turnover and plummeting productivity:

• Set a clear focus on employees, culture, and HR strategy.
• Free up time to address strategic issues, for example, by automating processes.
• Design internal processes to avoid distractions, as is the case with a software landscape that is seamlessly aligned.

In short, Personio’s latest HR study made one thing clear. After months of simply trying to keep our HR’s head above water, it’s time to adjust course and focus on your company’s most valuable resource: Your employees.

Personio is partner van HR Live en geeft tijdens dit event op 14 oktober een workshop over Hybride werken. Klik hier voor meer informatie en tickets.