A Gartner, Inc. survey of 172 HR leaders on June 9 found that 52% reported their organisation’s business operations are continuing at a reduced level due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the same survey, 40% of 146 respondents reported optimising costs as the business priority that has changed the most since January 2020.
“Many organisations have entered the recovery phase and are focused on stabilizing the business and restarting activity,” said Mark Whittle, vice president of advisory in the Gartner HR practice. “HR leaders will play a critical role during this period. However, they continue to face uncertainty around several key issues, including equipping leaders to manage remote teams over the long haul, preserving company culture with a more remote workforce, and engaging workers in a cost-constrained environment.”
To address these issues and best support the business, HR leaders are adjusting their priorities for the remainder of 2020. In December 2019, the top five HR priorities for 2020 were: building critical skills and competencies, strengthening the current and future leadership bench, incorporating organizational design and change management, driving digital business transformation, and enhancing employee experience.
