Every business needs its people. Without them, operations will immediately cease, making them the most valuable asset of any business and perhaps the only thing keeping it functional and profitable. This is why there’s an entire department dedicated to hiring, onboarding, and retaining talent within every company: human resources. It is perhaps the backbone of every business, as the department is responsible for ensuring every job has someone performing it, and they are happy to do so. As a result, it is given top priority in the structure of a business and fully utilized as part of back-office needs. 

Human resources is an immovable object for businesses, especially those that manage hundreds of employees. At the start of the decade, it met an unstoppable force in the remote work arrangement. Fortunately, the result of those two aspects colliding was harmonious and even allowed businesses to improve further. With remote work here to stay, companies adjust their human resources division to remain competitive. Here are a few things business owners must take note of when undergoing or planning to undergo the transition. 

As the division most responsible for people management, human resources rely primarily on a solidified structure regarding engagement, retention, and performance. As with anything that’s undergoing change, business operations will encounter initial struggles and problems, and these are a few they had to adjust to for human resources: 

Technology and Infrastructure 

Adjusting to a remote work environment meant businesses had to find ways to perform operations seamlessly online. Unfortunately, it will take months or even years of adjustment to ensure the company has the right technology and infrastructure to support the remote work setup for every employee who has already gotten so used to on-site business practices. The adjustments required include additional investments in technological equipment, updated software, and other essential work tools to ensure people can perform their tasks effectively. 

Communication Between Employees 

A crucial part of human resources is keeping in touch with employees, making communication a vital part of their day-to-day work responsibilities. Without face-to-face interaction in a remote setup, human resources personnel find it challenging to be as available as before to employee concerns and queries, leading to miscommunication, reduced productivity, and engagement and retention struggles. Adjustments will involve different strategies and setups to see what’s most effective for employees with varying levels of understanding regarding digital communication efforts. 

Logistical Challenges 

Businesses must provide employees with different equipment and tools to ensure they can perform work responsibilities according to company standards. Unfortunately, this means getting those items to the workers’ respective addresses. Moving provisions will put up logistical challenges, adding to the HR responsibilities that wouldn’t exist if on-site practices were to be followed. 

Data Privacy and Security 

Human resources must handle confidential information in the form of business data, usually involving employees’ personal records. Unfortunately, remote work setups require businesses to upload those files to online storage, exposing them to cybersecurity threats and attacks. Human resources professionals must adjust to protect those files, which means adapting to new practices with unfamiliar technology. 

Those are only a few challenges that every HR team needs to handle. Fortunately, remote work practices have since been improved and solidified, making it easier for businesses to smoothly pursue workforce solutions to transition from on-site to remote. Still, it can be challenging to build on strategies because of the wide scope of human resources as a business function. 

Simply onboarding business solutions for a remote work transition is not possible, especially in the broad scope of human resources. The process has to be tactical, ensuring that every function of human resources can transition smoothly in a remote work arrangement. Taking a look at the different HR functions will be necessary to help you develop a plan, and these are a few to prioritize: 

Recruitment 

Human resources made it easy for people to apply for jobs from home via video calls for interviews, like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. They also use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to keep track of job applications, such as Greenhouse or Lever. When someone got hired, HR ensured they had all the information needed to start working from home smoothly. 

Compensation and Benefits 

HR ensures everyone can still get paid and access things like health insurance, even if they are working from home. They explain any changes to how people got paid or what benefits they had using emails and messages. If anyone had questions about their pay or benefits, HR helped them out using tools like ADP or Gusto for payroll and benefits management. 

Performance Management 

HR uses special computer programs like BambooHR or Workday to help managers and employees set goals and see how well they do at their jobs. They also have regular video meetings using platforms such as Google Meet or Skype to discuss how everyone is doing and fix any problems. 

Training and Development 

HR moved training sessions online so employees could learn new things from home. They use tools like Udemy or LinkedIn Learning to provide courses and materials. They also gave everyone access to websites where they could learn independently. Sometimes, they had video meetings with coaches using platforms like WebEx or GoToMeeting to help people learn new skills. 

Business Compliance 

HR ensured everyone knew the rules and laws they had to follow while working from home. They used computers to track who followed the rules and helped anyone with questions. Tools like ComplianceWire or Trainual were used to conduct remote compliance training sessions and track compliance remotely. 

Workplace Safety 

HR teaches employees how to stay safe while working from home, like setting up their desks properly and taking breaks. They also check in with employees online using tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams to ensure everything is okay. If anyone needs help, HR is there to give advice. 

Employee Relations 

HR organizes fun activities online using platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams to help everyone feel like they are part of a team, even though they are working from home. They also set up ways for people to discuss problems and help fix them. If there were arguments, HR spoke to everyone involved and helped them work it out. 

Overall, HR made the necessary adjustments to transition effectively into remote work. As a result, businesses feel more confident about furthering their operations in the online landscape. Of course, the transition allows companies to explore more options that can benefit businesses, including business solutions like offshoring. 

Transitioning into a remote work setup offers many benefits for a company. While it might start with the human resources division, you might find that building around that work arrangement can further enhance business growth strategies. Since you already know how to transition to remote work, you might want to consider offshoring, allowing you to hire people from other countries. Here are a few reasons why it is a strategic move for growth: 

1. • Saving Money: Offshoring allows businesses to hire people from countries with lower labor costs, helping them save money on salaries and operational expenses. 
   • Accessing Different Skills: By hiring globally, businesses can tap into a diverse talent pool and find people with specialized skills that might be hard to find locally. 
   • Operating 24/7: Offshoring enables businesses to have employees working in different time zones, ensuring that work can continue around the clock and increasing efficiency and responsiveness. 
   • Ensuring Business Continuity: Offshoring provides businesses with a backup plan in case of local disruptions or emergencies, ensuring that operations can continue seamlessly. 
   • Flexibility in Scaling: Businesses can quickly scale their workforce up or down based on demand by leveraging offshoring, allowing for greater flexibility and cost-effectiveness. 
   • Staying Competitive: Offshoring helps businesses focus on their core activities while outsourcing non-core functions, giving them a competitive edge by maximizing resources and efficiency. 

Compared to other operational roles within a business, the human resources division offers a perfect starter when trying offshoring in a remote work setup. If the benefits are enough to warrant trying out the business solution in other departments, you can start to scale up. 

iSupport Worldwide, an offshoring solutions provider based in the Philippines, offers top-notch staffing services for businesses seeking to take remote work to its fullest potential. We provide top talent for companies that require HR professionals, especially in the following roles:

Besides getting top talent, iSupport Worldwide also offers world-class support services, including training and development programs for your employees to keep them up-to-date with the latest trends and developments your business needs from HR operations. 

If you want to incorporate remote work and build growth strategies around your human resources division, you can book a free consultation with us to discuss how we can attain your goal within 30 days!