Lessons from the Pandemic: What HR Leaders Should Carry Forward in Sri Lanka

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the face of workplaces everywhere in the world, and Sri Lanka was no exception. The crisis gave HR leaders key lessons in flexibility, resilience, and engaging workers. And with such lessons, Sri Lankan HR professionals are in a better place to build adaptable and employee-centric organizations.

1. Flexible Work Policies

The pandemic forced many Sri Lankan companies to adopt remote or hybrid work models, particularly in sectors like IT, education, and professional services. Fiedler's Contingency Theory (1964) suggests that adaptability to situational factors is key to organizational success. For example, leading IT companies in Colombo implemented flexible work schedules, allowing employees to balance work and personal responsibilities more effectively. Wherever possible, HR leaders should continue to advocate for such arrangements, adding to their toolkit productivity measures that allow flexibility.

2. Prioritizing Employee Well-being

The pandemic once again taught the world the value of mental and physical health. As proposed by the Job Demands-Resources JD-R Model, Demerouti et al. (2001), high job demands should be combined with sufficient support to avoid burnout incidents. In this context, Sri Lankan companies like MAS Holdings institutionalized mental well-being programs, offering access to professional counselors and training on stress management. HR leaders must make such endeavors continue, integrating wellbeing initiatives into corporate culture

3. Accelerating Digital Transformation

Lockdowns disrupted work methods, so Sri Lankan businesses welcomed digital solutions. According to the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by Davis (1989), perceived usefulness and ease of use play a major role in technology adoption. Dialog Axiata, for example, onboarded and trained employees with the help of various digital tools. This digitization should continue: upskilling HR departments towards using digital technologies and further optimizing workflows using AI and cloud-based platforms.

4. Transparent Communication

With all the uncertainty, transparent communication became the bedrock of employee trust. The Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory by Graen & Uhl-Bien (1995) asserts that high-quality relationships between leaders and employees ensure a basis of mutual trust and working together. Sri Lankan firms such as John Keells Holdings employed virtual town halls and weekly email updates to keep their people informed, hence diffusing employee anxiety amidst turmoil.

5. Upskilling and Workforce Agility

The pandemic highlighted the need for diversification of skills. Resource-Based View-RBV, according to Barney 1991, the workforce capability is the crucial competitive advantage. Companies such as Brandix partnered with institutions of education to reskill the employees in digital and sustainable practices. It is essential for CHROs to champion continuous learning initiatives by mapping industry requirements.

Conclusion

For Sri Lankan HR leaders, the pandemic was equally an opportunity to learn and grow through tough times. Adoption of flexibility, prioritization of well-being, digital transformation, and transparency form the bedrock for resilience within organizations. These lessons are important not only for recovery but also for building workplaces that will thrive in a rapidly changing environment.

Links

• https://www.scirp.org/reference/referencespapers?referenceid=2456824

• https://www.wilmarschaufeli.nl/publications/Schaufeli/198.pdf

• https://www.jstor.org/stable/249008

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/1048984395900365

• https://josephmahoney.web.illinois.edu/BA545_Fall%202022/Barney%20(1991).pdf

References

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Barney, J. B. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120.