HR Departments are facing an array of new challenges since the transition to a post-pandemic working environment. Human resources firms face the same position filling challenges as other employers: staffing turnover, employee recruiting and retention, finding skilled candidates who are the right fit and maintaining the business culture. We have about 40 regular employees in our company, and its been a 100% struggle for us, as [it has been] with what other firms are experiencing, said Tina Hamilton, CEO at myHR Partner Inc., in Bethlehem and offices nationwide. The company provides human resources services to firms that dont have their own HR departments. She said that since the pandemic, myHR Partner hires up to 100% remote employee positions. It was one of the biggest pushes to help us find people easier, Hamilton said of pivoting the companys hiring practices and flexible offerings. The biggest demand is that people want to work remote [positions]. A significant percentage [of workers] have left, or plan to leave their jobs, because they could not return to a remote or hybrid situation, she explained. According to an Entrepreneur.com report, companies that are demanding employees return to the office full time could backfire and has led to more worker power and unionization. Firms with a flexible policy appear poised to do better at attracting and retaining quality talent. Weve been fortunate not to have a lot of turnover and have not had to make an internal hire since Covid began, said Scott Fiore, president of TriStarr Staffing in Manheim Township, Lancaster County. Culture matters Creating and maintaining a family friendly, family first culture allowed Fiores team to pivot and reinvent ourselves as a remote workforce, because we had to during the pandemics beginning in 2020, he said. Listening to employees and being aware of different work arrangements is part of TriStarrs employment mission. After the shutdowns we maintained a hybrid work environment. What we have not done and what I dont intend to do is put hard restrictions on that, he said. Theres about a 50/50 split between employees working most of the time in the office and those who work remotely. We set reasonable goals, so people know what they have to do to get [their jobs] done, and we have no secrets and no surprises, Fiore said. Having technology in place prior to the coronavirus pandemic start in March 2020, allowed TriStarr to quickly shift to working remotely during government mandated shutdowns. I think part of that [success] is our [company] culture, he said. Challenging times While technology was available before the pandemic a widespread work from home mentality among business leaders and companies was not. Fiore said Covid was a tipping point for many companies to allow more hybrid and remote work options While he acknowledged firms even those with strong leadership and flexible working policies can also have employee turnover, it seems those offering flexible options tend to fare better than those with rigid in office attendance requirements. I think the 8 to 5 workday is entrenched, and there is a lot of tension there, among business leaders and managers, Fiore said. Firms that can emphasize the end results expected from employees rather than logging hours at a desk will have a better shot at recruiting and keeping quality talent. During Covid established businesses saw it [working remotely] could work. They were forced to accept that reality, he said. Automation From on boarding and paperwork completion to simple recruiting tasks technology and automation can be used to help HR firms streamline the process to fill client positions as well as make their own internal hires. Fiore expects automation of routine and repetitive tasks across more business industries and sectors will be the next big change in many workplace environments including for human resources and staffing firms. The more you can automate more simple repetitive tasks, the more you can focus your human resources on the more difficult and complex tasks in the business, he said. Candidate nurturing like using chat bots for recruiting, application, and screening tasks, as well as automated email and text messaging are all part of the future, according to Fiore. You can set up chat bots to do most of the pre and screening process for job candidates, as well as vetting them for job positions, he said. Using artificial intelligence and incorporating automation into office tasks can compress the job search from weeks down to hours, Fiore explained. And those that dont, wont be able to compete as quickly for the best talent, he said. According to Fiore, firms may be missing out on hiring the best candidates for their companies. One of the biggest challenges we see with clients is they take too long to make hiring decisions. The quicker you can come to a hiring decision, the more likely theyll get the right talent, Fiore said. Karen A. Young, founder and president of HR Resolutions, LLC, in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County said some human resources firms experience a revolving door of talent, because interviewers may be more concerned about selling the work environment and dont clearly share the jobs realities. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics there were 5.9 million separations which includes employees who quit their jobs, employee layoffs and employee discharges as of December 2022. Young said many in the human resources sector are overworked people pleasers often neglecting self-care and putting their clients needs ahead of their own, until they are nearing or facing job burnout. The rule of thumb for best management is one human resources employee for every 100 employees in a company, according to Young. Were busy taking care of other people [such as] resolving a benefits issue [for one client] or making sure another gets the leave theyre entitled to all while continuing to recruit in a bad market, she said. Nobody thinks about HR people until theyre gone, Young said. Using the case study as a starting point, conduct a mini research study in which you make use of: Information from your organisation (or one you are familiar with); or Online research; or Interviews; or Discussions with team members in your organisation; or An interview with a strategic consultant at your company. Your study should critically reflect on how a leader may employ SHRM to deal with the following in a post-pandemic corporate environment: a. Demonstrating the importance of human resource information systems by building team enthusiasm and engagement. (10 marks) b. Integrating organisational processes by leading virtual teams and contractors with a mixedmethods approach. (15 marks)