During my time working for large enterprises, my interaction with Human Resources was at very specific intervals – working alongside the organization in various roles and experiencing the programs that fell in its purview. It has always been an important functional arm of the organization to hire, train, advance, and retire employees. Add to this compliance in all its forms, compensation, assessment and recently responding to the Pandemic – it is an increasingly complex role. As companies have continued to compete for good talent, the HR function has evolved even further making considerable impact on the value proposition in the best-in-class companies.
Recently I had the opportunity to conduct in depth interviews with CHRO’s and CEO’s on the impact of COVID on their organizations. The HR executives are squarely in the middle of drastic changes from traditional to virtual hiring and on-boarding to re-thinking leadership practices, but when the fog clears, what is stronger than ever is the unique role the HR team has in positioning the company in this new world. It’s not enough to ask employees to simply adopt the company’s brand messaging. The true north is achieved by nurturing its people with practices, philosophy, and leadership that matters. My list of new HR-powered marketing assets looks like this.
The Listening Post

Nearly all the companies with which I spoke had implemented multiple feedback instruments to take a meter reading of their teams. In some cases, there was a 1:1 conversation opportunity for a several month period with HR executives fielding hundreds of calls. These were non-delegable. Each one required time and sensitivity in unchartered territory. It endeared these leaders to all levels and types in the company. They were supported directly by the executive team who opened their doors and ears through weekly open forums. The accessibility was noticed and appreciated. The listening post became a critical strategic tool to which many said, “I only wish it didn’t take a Pandemic to get here.”
The Ready Mode
Early in the Pandemic, HR took the lead to determine when to shut down the office, how to move people into a remote environment, and how to secure everyone’s “safety.” There was no time to rehearse. It took a combination of instinct, risk-taking, and collaboration to make it work. The quick pivot also brought to light many emergency preparedness tools that had never been tested – things that you don’t know about until you really need them. An HR team that is “on the ready” and ready to make tough choices is a huge asset.
Resourcing & Adopting Leading Practices
Nearly every leader with whom I spoke had been fully engaged in learning from their industry peers and thought leaders on the best approach to employee well-being throughout this period. They quickly incorporated everything from daily online interaction with subject matter experts on mental health to creatively moving social functions online, and on top of that, create a collaborative virtual work environment with all its nuances. Best practices also included using new or upgraded technology and installing the technology in employee’s homes. Employees who had long been working at home stepped up to the plate to help. Here the role of HR was to provide a vast array of resources, connect the dots, and somehow keep up a level of productivity. Most surpassed their objectives. Those who seem to be trying to hold on to old ways of doing things will truly miss out on an opportunity.
Revisiting “Perks” – Make way for real Priorities
One of the most impactful outcomes of this period is getting back to essentials of what makes a healthy work environment on several fronts, emotional, intellectual, physical, and motivational. Add to this bringing out the respect, camaraderie, and moral fiber of the organization. This period has forced the entire executive team to get back to basics. Now, more than ever, it’s not about the fancy coffee maker and the in-house gym. There is a shift to focus on how to make sure my family can get access to virus testing, staying safe with colleagues, counseling in all its forms to deal with difficult societal issues on an individual basis – dealing with elderly parents, finding new avenues for child-care, education, and recreation, and staying focused amidst uncertainty in the economic and socio-political realms.
The Voice of the Company
The most competitive companies are aware of the importance of an Employee Value Proposition. The EVP is the “internal promise” to your employees that includes essentials such as “compensation, work-life balance, stability, location, and respect,” according to Gartner. The Covid environment has stretched way beyond this – putting HR executives in the hot spot to deal with complete unknowns and testing the executive teams’ faith in this role.
Jackie is spot on about organizations’ responses to the Pandemic and all the decisions, big and small, that HR has driven and led. Its those HR leaders who have made real the Voice of the Organization and what really matters. Well said, Jackie
Alice Koehn Benson, CEO Benson Search
Though EVP was conceived as an internal communications term, the truth is that “word of mouth” is the most powerful form of marketing – especially in a “viral” marketing universe. To hear someone, say, I love working here because I believe my concerns are being heard and addressed will spread like wild-fire throughout the professional community. Letting employees tell your story of transition through the Pandemic, compassion, growth opportunities, and how you dealt with the critical issues of the time will draw Human Resources and Marketing closer together than ever before.