Lack of relationship-building opportunities biggest obstacle: Survey
Nearly nine in 10 (89 per cent) HR professionals in the U.S. say they have not reduced or eliminated benefits for employees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is a silver lining in a time that has brought on changes and challenges to the work lives of HR professionals and employees in general, according to a report from MindEdge and the HR Certification Institute (HRCI).
“As HR professionals continue to navigate this new remote or hybrid work environment, these survey results show that they continue to face a host of challenges. Concerns about remote recruiting and onboarding, as well as rising levels of employee burnout and a lack of training for remote workers, are HR challenges that may persist for years to come.”
Remote challenges
A substantial number of HR professionals have reservations about remote recruitment:
- 35 per cent say that remote recruiting is harder than in-person recruiting, and only 18 per cent say that it is easier.
- 25 per cent say that remote interviews are less productive than in-person interviews, and only 14 per cent say that they are more productive.
Thirty-eight per cent of respondents also indicate that remote onboarding has been harder than in-person onboarding. The top reasons? The lack of relationship-building opportunities (52 per cent), it has been harder to ensure that new employees understand company culture (20 per cent) and technology issues (20 per cent).
Video interview usage has gone up 159 per cent since the start of a pandemic, according to a separate survey.
Mental health
Three-quarters (75 per cent) of respondents to the MindEdge/HRCI survey report an increase in employees’ burnout due to stress from COVID-19, and 39 per cent say their company has introduced workplace benefits specifically designed to combat stress.
However, 47 per cent said they have not introduced stress-reducing benefits, nor do they plan to do so, while 14 per cent say their company has not yet introduced stress-reducing benefits but plans to do so.
Despite the rise of stress and burnout, 42 per cent of HR professionals say their company culture remains the same while 25 per cent indicate it has grown weaker and 23 per cent stronger, finds the survey of 757 HR professionals.
A separate survey from the U.K. found that 32 per cent of workers felt that the lockdown had put them closer to burnout.
