Prepare For New Employee And Customer Expectations

HR and talent management can help rebuild the frontline workforce through effective onboarding and re-onboarding

HR practitioners, particularly those responsible for talent management, are well aware that the impacts of COVID-19 have dramatically changed how the function supports the organization.  The new reality is even more apparent for brands with a physical footprint, especially those who rely heavily on frontline employees, such as retail, foodservice and hospitality. These experience-driven brands differentiate, in large part, through the “human factor” of the customer journey, to deliver experiences that not only impact revenue in the short term, but also increase brand loyalty over the long term.

Especially now, HR leaders in organizations with a frontline workforce need to be looking at key stages of the employee journey with a revised focus on effective employee communication. One of the immediate priorities is stabilizing key segments (new, returning, and existing staff), which will help accelerate performance for a new context of heightened consumer expectations. This mandate is entirely within HR’s grasp, even in the hardest-hit industries, to take positive, meaningful steps in rebuilding a frontline that is confident and equipped for the challenges of what’s ahead.

For brands recovering from the crippling effects of social distancing measures, HR has urgent considerations in welcoming new and existing employees into the fold. The majority of their frontline workforces have been furloughed and as associates return to work, or start new roles, they will all experience a new “Day 1” with their employer. 

As has followed other economic downturns, leaders in HR, training, and talent management will also be responsible for ensuring high performance from large numbers of people who may be working in less-familiar roles. But perhaps most importantly as they move forward, HR and talent management will need to ensure that every single employee gets up to speed quickly on what’s expected of them, especially when locations may be operating with reduced resourcing in the transition to full reopening.

While employee onboarding and re-onboarding has always been a central component of how HR supports the business, it’s now a front-and-center part of brand recovery. As the frontline returns to work, they will have to quickly ramp up on new policies, procedures, and expectations. Delivering and reinforcing these measures with effective frontline communication that’s easy to consume and retain, will be a pivotal factor in the success of the brand’s reopening rollout. 

Experience-driven brands rely on face-to-face interaction to bring the human component of their brand to life. If ever there’s been a time to consider how the employees who are tasked with delivering this experience are feeling, it’s now. HR and talent management have always had oversight on the pulse of employee sentiment, but the massive impacts of COVID-19 on frontline employees have brought the issue of psychological safety squarely to the forefront. 

Faced with weeks of unprecedented uncertainty, frontline employees will be seeking stability and clarity from their employer. Knowing that the brand cares about their mental and physical well-being is not just a nice-to-have; it will be a defining factor in how successfully frontline employees are able to return to work and how quickly they can ramp-up. 

Again, a thoughtful onboarding or re-onboarding experience that incorporates empathy and clear communication will help stabilize a workforce seeking support and reassurance from their employer. HR and talent management can play a highly impactful role in ensuring a sense of psychological safety for the frontline, a defining factor in a successful re-opening strategy. 

Experience-based brands are laser-focused on coming out ahead after the pandemic recedes. Those who are emerging as leaders have always prioritized the unique needs of their frontline workforce and are employing the right tools and communication strategies best suited to help them adapt to the new market realities. The companies whose frontline workforces will effectively transition to a new world of work will be led by HR teams that are flexible and quick to adapt. They’ll also be the companies that are willing to invest in their people, to meet the new expectations of employees.