Going back to work: What HR needs to know

Professionals in the employee benefits industry and HR are working to anticipate the challenges their companies face, whether large or small, as they consider returning to the workplace in some fashion. That’s why we think you’ll be interested in the perspectives offered by this podcast episode from BenefitsPRO’s sister publication, PropertyCasualty360. In it, CSAA Insurance Group chief human resources officer and executive vice president Melissa Jones shares specific details about navigating this new environment.

Before the pandemic, approximately 10% of CSAA’s workforce operated from home; however, all of that changed in March 2020, and within two weeks, the company had 98% of its employees who were remote. “It was no small feat,” she says.

Going forward, the company is asking employees about their preferences: continue to work fully remotely, combine remote work with several days in the office or return to the office full-time. There was a strong preference for more flexibility, and a large percentage of employees requested some type of hybrid arrangement. This requires some complexities as the company seeks to meet its employees’ desires against the needs of their clients.

Jones discusses how the company creates community within its various workforces, identifies how they are supporting their employees with creative solutions, offers training to help facilitate greater flexibility and even reconsiders what constitutes an average “workday” in an era of balancing homeschooling, caregiving and professional responsibilities.

For more on this conversation, listen to the podcast above or subscribe to Insurance Speak on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play or Libsyn.

Editor’s Note: This article is the first in a multi-part series for ALM’s Small Business Guidance program, providing insights and information for small and medium-sized companies.