Pandemic has introduced the concept of work from home to the world. However, it was earlier with the ideology of online platforms, learning, and distant work culture. However, during the time of the Covid-19 lockdown and challenging times, it gets popular. Still, people have a dual belief in this concept of whether the trend of work should continue or not. The survey has shown the increasing rate of employees choosing work from home over in-office work. This sort-of hybrid model splits the concept of physical and virtual work culture. Managers play a crucial role in this virtual work concept. The manager role is challenged continuously with the change and challenges of time. Human Resource Management works as the spinal cord of an organisation. It has faced many challenges and overcome them strategically over these pandemic times and tends to manage the whole process smoothly.
The management goes through many challenges during this process. This article will help you understand the importance of a strategic manager working with dual physical and virtual work concepts. The human Resource department is responsible for the following roles: recruitment, organising, training, development, strategic planning, performance-based appraisal, payment, rewarding employees, and industrial relations. In a way, we can say that human resource management manages an organisation's human capital and comes with policies for the benefit of the company and its employee. Here are some of the challenges faced by the management.
The concept/ essence of management
The term management itself explains its meaning- the handle in the right direction, control, and supervision given to an organisation/company to follow the right direction.Virtual/online working has challenged the concept of physically organising or management. This directly affects the fundamentals of the word management (Human Resource Management). The HR department updates policies based on the situation, benefiting both employees and the organisation simultaneously. We can say that HE develops situational awareness and works according to the context and situation demands. The online/virtual work culture has shaken and broadened the management concept.
Virtual/Online work and its Managers
Online working needs a new management method.
The workload and responsibilities of the managers are increased. The sense of consideration has changed drastically over a bit of time. The spontaneity has increased among the employees, and the organisation can observe the juggling effect on the work. Now unlike managing physically from the top, employees got self-driven engagements. The empowerment is now shared with the employee. This has challenged the traditional concept of manager and management. Now management can control their employees as they were doing in physical/in-office work culture. The remote work culture comes with empowerment and power-sharing among the employees.
Psychological and Social management (demand of online work culture)
In the online work concept, managers cannot force their employees to work accordingly. The employee is in his own space and may work in a different way to complete the same task. Managers no longer use hardcore administrative skills. They must understand their employees' psychological and social needs and approach them accordingly. The method of planning, evaluation and control over the employees has changed. The relation and dimension of work culture are also changed. The managers should develop a better contextual idea emphasising the employees' mental health and work pressure so they can work efficiently for the organisation. HR can take the initiative of building teamwork and strong communication practices among their employees to build strong relations.
Every coin has two sides. Likewise, every advantage comes with an unannounced disadvantage. Whereas the concept of online work has empowered employees, it has also introduced discipline and procrastination in employees' routines. Some find it a great concept of work and produce more efficiency, whereas some deal with severe anxiety problems and panic attacks. For one person, online work is defined as freedom for another person, but it generates anxiety for another.
Managers need to be more careful about the specificity of their employees over the situation. The managers need to observe the reaction/response and results of each employee to avoid such psychological traumas. It requires a more sensitive and strategic person with a flexible mindset to work in the Human Resource Department for its regular and virtual employees.
Online working is possible when a manager knows how to deal with distant employees and makes them work efficiently for the company's benefit. These post covid situations have taught me a lot to deal with various complex situations. The responsibility of the managers has increased. In a way, we can say that the Human Resource Department and Manager got a new opportunity and way to lead the organisation. This flexible mindset and new transition of post covid help managers to see and learn a new vision of management. It also plays a crucial role in helping managers to become adaptable in every complex situation and explaining the authentic meaning of managers.
By Mithila Rathod
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