For some it’s their sales and marketing
expertise. For others it is their
manufacturing excellence. Some rely on
their ability to be innovative in the development and delivery of cutting edge
technology. Every company has something upon which they ‘hang their hat’. What’s yours…?
In these times I wonder how many of you answered
‘…it is our delivery of HR services to our employees…’ If it is not at or near the top of your responses,
you are in deep trouble and you don’t even know it!!!
Recently I was in conversation with the CEO of a
major North American manufacturer of health and beauty products. She related to
me how her role has changed over the past several months in response to the
challenges that Covid.
The delivery of products has obvious hurdles in the
supply chain as raw materials delivery experiences disruptions. Sales struggle
with some of their retailers experiencing closures or restricted sales
hours. But these issues pale in the face
of the personnel matters that are often hidden from plain sight but which exist
nonetheless.
Here are some examples she shared.
· The
executive who joined the company pre-Covid but whose family was still living
abroad because of travel restrictions.
· The
line employees who were living with family members in senior assisted living
communities that prevented any face to face contact.
· The
middle manager who lost a partner to Covid and was left to raise three children
alone.
· Others
who had adult children returning home because jobs were lost or education was
being conducted on-line.
These are just some of the experiences that happen
behind the curtain but which have tremendous influence of the lives of your
employees. The stress starts to manifest
in mental health problems which are so difficult to diagnose unless you are
prompted to look for them.
That’s why the companies with a pro-active HR
division are the ones that are continuing to excel in these unprecedented
times. They are out front and leading
the charge to recognize that leaders must be active life coaches for those in
need.
That is not to say that the leaders should be
counselors, but they must be trained to recognize signs of trouble. Their role is to encourage those who are
suffering that help exists and that there is no shame in raising their hand to
say ‘help me’.
The professionals tell us that the next 4-6 months
will be the darkest times of the pandemic.
The light at the end of the tunnel is not the train coming at us any
longer. There is a return to a sense of
normality in our foreseeable future.
But we need to ensure that everyone make it of the
darkness. That is YOUR MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY
for the next several months. You may
have to take your eye off the P & L for a time, but it will survive as long
as your staff members do!
Invest in all things HR for now. That is your best defense against Covid. And
the best offence from your company!
