WHEN THE HR ADMIN TEAM SUDDENLY BECOMES A BIG PLAYER – HOW CORONA IS CHANGING OUR BUSINESSES AND HOW LEADERS SHOULD RESPOND
What images do you see as soon as you think of a classic company? Probably the first thing that pops into your mind’s eye are large production halls, a sales fleet with branded company vehicles at a customer meeting, or a management meeting in which sales are discussed and new strategies are decided.
Normally, it is precisely these teams from production, sales or the core business that act as the engine of a company. In the age of Corona, however, departments are suddenly coming to the fore that are otherwise more likely to be second-stringers, if not sometimes even on the sidelines, keeping the latter running: the HR admin teams.
Although production may be at a standstill in some places, the HR admin team is running at full speed. While some employees may be at home on short-time work, the admin team is in the (home) office and busier than ever.
In this time of uncertainty, it is the first point of contact for management and also for the workforce. It answers open questions and quickly and reliably handles issues such as short-time working.
Currently, the HR Admin teams are the star players on the field.
An appreciation that is long overdue? We think: yes!
Creating and amending contracts, preparing hearings for the works council, issuing certificates, documenting BEM discussions, preparing references, handling payroll processes. But that is by no means all.
On top of this already broad range of work, the HR Admin teams are currently handling a wide variety of additional tasks: in a very short time, they are drawing up home office agreements for the entire workforce, applying for short-time work from the German Labor Agency, calculating short-time work allowance and arranging for it to be paid out, or creating crisis communication templates for the management.
All of this only runs thanks to HR Admin and all of this must run better and faster today than ever before. As long as it is not foreseeable how the economy will develop, it is consequently the HR Admin teams that reliably maneuver our companies through the crisis.
This deserves recognition and appreciation.
Therefore, it is imperative that managers devote their full attention and support to these employees in particular by following these 5 points:
- Ensure absolute availability and quick decisions; nothing slows down more than a manager who is not available at the moment.
- Hold regular stand-up meetings (virtually if necessary) to jointly prioritize tasks and follow up on their completion.
- Ask your team with open-ended questions: What do you need from me now? What is the biggest difficulty right now? How can I support you in the best possible way?
- Communicate honestly about possible negative consequences of Corona. But also set signs of confidence. For example, bring out a photo of past, economically successful phases or a nice memory of a team event and combine it with the message “Let’s do our best so that times like these will soon be possible again. I am looking forward to it, even if there is a more difficult road ahead of us for now. Thank you for your efforts.”
- Say thank you – but also show it! The sales team always gets a bonus when the margin is right? Then maybe you should also think about a bonus for the admin team.
These tips are helpful, but even the best HR Admin team and their leader are sometimes just maxed out – like yours is currently?
We are happy to support you with the following services, whether as short-term support during peaks or as long-term relief. How exactly do our HR Experts support the admin teams of our customers even in times of Corona? The following graphic will give you a first insight:
Two of our current customer projects at a glance:
We would also be happy to support you remotely or on site!
For queries or further information on our product portfolio, please contact us at info@hrfactory.com.