The lasting impact of COVID-19 on HR, with Rosemary Guyatt

Season 01 Episode 05
The lasting impact of COVID-19 on HR

COVID-19 has transformed how we work, and HR has been in the frontline of this metamorphosis. In this week’s episode, we chat with Rosemary Guyatt, General Manager, People & Culture at the Australian HR Institute (AHRI) about the fundamental changes that have occurred, and why some of these changes will have a positive, lasting impact on the profession.

“I’d suggest there’s been an immediate shift,” says Rosemary. “Many HR professionals were already working side by side with their CEO and very much had a seat at the table. But if there was any doubt, organisations have now recognised how impactful their HR leaders can be.”

Drawing from her own experience as a HR leader across many industries, we discuss:

• HR’s role during a crisis, including prioritising employee health & wellbeing, and making tough decisions about budgets and personnel
• The key skills that HR have demonstrated during COVID-19, including agility, adaptability, and improved decision-making
• How the “silver lining” of COVID-19 may be the improved dynamics of leadership teams across the country, thanks to better collaboration and communication