In this HR News roundup, we feature articles on returning to work and what the workplace will be like post pandemic, recent Coronavirus news, and a few items from the lighter side.

The new possible: How HR can help build the organization of the future
McKinsey & Company

Organizations have by and large met the challenges of this crisis moment. But as we move toward imagining a postpandemic era, a management system based on old rules—a hierarchy that solves for uniformity, bureaucracy, and control—will no longer be effective. Taking its place should be a model that is more flexible and responsive, built around four interrelated trends: more connection, unprecedented automation, lower transaction costs, and demographic shifts.

To usher in the organization of the future, chief human-resources officers (CHROs) and other leaders should do nothing less than reimagine the basic tenets of organization. Emerging models are creative, adaptable, and antifragile. 1 Corporate purpose fuels bold business moves. “Labor” becomes “talent.” Hierarchies become networks of teams. Competitors become ecosystem collaborators. And companies become more human: inspiring, collaborative, and bent on creating an employee experience that is meaningful and enjoyable.

COVID Killed the Traditional Workplace. What Should Companies Do Now?
Dina Gerdeman, Working Knowledge, Harvard Business School

So how can business leaders create a new work world that will keep employees both happy and productive post-COVID? Several HBS faculty members shared advice to help leaders prepare for the “next normal.”

Bersin: 4 ways HR can prepare now for the labor market change
Josh Bersin, Human Resources Executive

We are about to enter one of the hottest job markets in a decade. The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan will boost the economy, and even now, we are already operating with 13% more open jobs than we had a year ago. My own estimates and those from Goldman Sachs are that the unemployment rate will drop to around 4.1% by the end of 2021. However, a recent report from The Conference Board warns of an extreme shortage of “blue-collar” workers. Here’s what to expect in the months ahead.

Report: Employers foresee conflict budding between executives and employees over “return-to-work policies”
R. Dallon Adams, Tech Republic

” … the staffing company LaSalle Network published a release regarding the first installment of its Office Re-Entry Index. The index details obstacles related to bringing employees back on site, sentiments regarding vaccination mandates, potential internal conflict due to workplace policies and more.”

FMLA is Required HR Knowledge

Bridget Miller, HR Daily Advisor

This issue of complexity demonstrates why FMLA leave compliance can be tricky even for employers with the best of intentions. Surveys have found that a large percentage of managers don’t even fully understand FMLA basics—even managers who have had training on the topic. This likely means employers need to reexamine their FMLA training practices for managers. Beyond that, here are some other tips for employers.

Good to promote to your employees: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day: April 24

According to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives in 2019. The survey also showed that a majority of misused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. The DEA’s Take Back Day events provide an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths.

Reducing Workplace Violence with TeamSTEPPS

Concerned about workplace  violence in healthcare settings? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) TeamSTEPPS toolkit can improve teamwork for safe management of aggressive patients.

Coronavirus Updates

ESI EAP benefits list

HR News Quick Takes

… from the Lighter side

Is the pandemic lockdown getting to you? Is being confined with your family day-after-day making you cranky? You aren’t alone:

  • Here’s some inspiration that’s guaranteed to improve your mood if you like music. Playing For Change is a movement created to inspire and connect the world through music, born from the shared belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. Their primary focus is to record and film musicians performing in their natural environments and combine their talents and cultural power in innovative videos we call Songs Around The World. Musicians from around the world collaborate and the video songs are excellent, fun, and inspirational.
  • For more inspiration, stream hundreds of never-before-seen interviews from the American Masters 34-year archive. Find extended interviews with Maya Angelou, Patti Smith, Mel Brooks, Carol Burnett, Matthew Broderick, Carl Reiner, Joan Rivers, Audra McDonald and others are now available, with searchable transcripts.
  • Want to feel old? Then this clip of nostalgic items from the past may do the trick. (Alert: Twitter link)
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