“Employers may not have any option but to invest in employee wellbeing post-COVID,” said Surani Amerasinghe – Head of Human Resources at Lion Brewery Ceylon. According to her, wellbeing is not only physical but also the mental and financial health of employees.

With projections of a post-pandemic boom, encouraging teams for optimal performance while ensuring they’re motivated is vital. Adding to this, she said: “The Human Resources (HR) function had to become flexible because the policies and procedures of the past no longer support the drastically changed present environment.”

She put forth the concept of solution-oriented HR. The HR function had to evolve from a department that was limited to administration and talent acquisition to a more approachable role – one that provides advice, solutions and in some cases, a listening ear for employees and managers to voice their frustrations 24/7.

Furthermore,  she elaborated on the value of empathy along with communication and adaptability of leaders for organisational transformation.

“Change is not easy and therefore, managers have to be self-aware to manage their own behaviours, and be able to recognise the emotions of their team,” she remarked. However, she believes that Sri Lankan businesses have a long way to go in this regard.

Meanwhile, Amerasinghe viewed working from home (WFH) as a permanent fixture in how workplaces will operate. She noted that “companies have embraced WFH due to lower costs and the need for large office spaces no longer being a necessity; and the possibility of hiring workers from around the island – and in some instances, globally.”

Despite the benefits, there are also drawbacks to the WFH trend. According to Amerasinghe, the challenges encompass self-discipline to ensure that tasks and responsibilities are met, a lack of designated workspace and poor network connectivity.

Addressing Sri Lanka’s skills gap in the context of grooming the youth for the changing job market, Amerasinghe noted: “We must start working on the attitudes of parents and educators who still work on creating generation after generation of youngsters to take up a ‘9 to 5’ public sector job with a pension.”

She highlighted the need to expose teachers and educators to the changing world, so they can counsel and guide both students and parents. “The curriculum should emphasise enhancing communication skills, building agility and provide access to technical streams,” she remarked.

In addition, Amerasinghe asserted that “last year showed us how agile we are as corporates. Change that took years to achieve was done overnight.” She also noted that this is the ideal time for organisations to maximise on opportunities, review operations and ensure supply chain resilience supported by accelerated digital adoption.

In the meantime, nurturing an assertive workforce remains at the forefront of organisational efforts in the wake of the pandemic. People have witnessed large-scale job losses and grappled with the fear of losing their jobs; and at the same time, they remain anxious over their family’s health and wellbeing.

It is at this juncture that transparency and honesty from their employers make a difference.

Amerasinghe continued: “This is the time we have had to be very honest and communicate to staff if things were getting bad [in order] to build trust.” And she highlighted the importance of discussing concerns and celebrating small successes even if it’s through a complimentary email.

She also emphasised the need for staff to communicate beyond work meetings to create a semblance of social interaction that is missing while working virtually.

Concluding her views, she said: “Appreciating the different culture each team member comes from while driving them towards the company culture is essential.” To this end, she asserted that instilling work ethics, values and respect for fellow team members is necessary.