International HR Day 2021: Celebrating the heroes who work behind the scenes

International HR Day is here, and we at Zoho People wanted to take a moment to appreciate HR professionals and teams as they go above and beyond to help their employees during the pandemic.

The work world has undergone a huge transition since the pandemic began over a year ago. Remote work became the new standard at many organizations, job interviews and training programs went digital, and water cooler conversations were replaced by virtual happy hours. All the while, HR professionals around the globe worked tirelessly to ensure that these changes were as seamless as possible for their employees. They assumed the role of crisis managers, supporting their employees with everything they needed to keep the business running smoothly.

As employees started working remotely, these "new normal" conditions put a strain on their work-life balance and mental health. HR professionals were quick to adopt a people-centric management approach that emphasized compassion and empathy. They did everything in their means to introduce new policies and guidelines that prioritized employee well-being and safety. Some of them brought mental health counselors on board to help employees overcome the trauma, anxiety, and stress caused by the pandemic. Others introduced flexible workplace practices that put quality over quantity, which helped give employees breathing room to find a workable balance between their professional and personal lives. With teams dispersed, many HR managers also strengthened team-building activities to help employees take a break from work while still staying connected to their peers.

The support HR professionals provided to keep business operations going strong was outstanding. Many were involved in the decisions to invest in technology tools that would help employees complete their work remotely. New organizational policies were drafted and existing ones were adjusted to give teams clarity on what was expected from them while working from home. Performance metrics also had to be reevaluated as HR professionals took a more comprehensive and intuitive approach to measuring employee success. Some took it upon themselves to amp up their internal communication processes to break down silos and bring employees together even while apart. And lastly, they were at the forefront of organizing employee training and development initiatives that built a culture of mentorship, support, compassion, and care amongst their workforce.

Most of these efforts have gone on completely behind the scenes by amazing individuals who, despite facing all of the same anxiety and stress the pandemic caused everyone else, put their hearts into supporting employees through this challenging time. Many of these HR initiatives have opened people's eyes to entirely new ways of working—ways that truly put the humanity back into human resources. There is no doubt that some of these new methods and outlooks will persist long after the pandemic comes to an end.

To all HR professionals, thank you for helping us navigate through this last year. Thank you for prioritizing our health and safety over anything else. Thank you for helping us connect with our peers and stay motivated. Thank you for focusing on employee experience even while navigating all the difficulties of the pandemic yourselves. You truly have made such a difference. Everyone at Zoho People is wishing you an amazing HR Day, and here's to many more to come!