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A survey was conducted by Paycor. Paycor surveyed nearly 600 leaders of small and medium-sized businesses about their plans for 2020. Key findings of the survey are mentioned in the table below.

How would you describe the impact of COVID-19 on your business?	Moved from office to remote work (47%)	Temporarily closed (6%)	We always worked remotely 1%	We are essential business, so we stayed open (38%)	Other (9%)
Is your business split between people who work from home (WFH) vs. people who physically work from the office or factory floor?	Yes, split (54%)	NO, we work from home (11%)	NO, we come into the office (35%)
Do you think WFH for your business is here to stay?	YES, WFH is the new norm (3%)	NO, we will return to the office (40%)	There will be a mix of both (48%)	Not sure yet (9%)
In what ways have you adjusted your workforce in the last 3 months?	Reduced benefits (6%)	Leave without pay (30%)	Laid employees off (27%)	Reduced salary (20%)	Other (32%)
What are you doing to improve team morale?	More frequent communication (45%)	More transparent communication (35%)	Financial incentives for performance (10%)	Non-financial rewards (7%)
Are you planning to hire in 2020?	YES, full-time (54%)	YES, part-time (11%)	Yes, both (35%)	No (35%)

Due to Covid19 pandemic, the entire structure of organization and working process has been affected. It is expected that the HR trends will also change during 2021 and onwards. Thus, your expert opinion is required on the matters below.

1. Due to Covid-19, 47% business moved towards remote work i.e. work from home (WFH). While 6% businesses are temporarily closed. How is it affecting the management of human resource and related activities?
2. In the last three months, small and medium business did some workforce related adjustments (As mentioned in the table). Top five initiatives are mentioned;
   1. Reduced benefits: if you will have to reduce benefits of your employees, which benefit will you reduce and why?
   2. Leave without Pay: Do you think that during such incidents, leave without pay or forced leave is a viable option? Is it legally justified? What impact will it have on the moral of employees?
   3. Laid off employees: In the uncertainty, this option of firing employees is obvious. However, there is problem of whom to retain and whom to layoff. What will be your strategy in this regard?
   4. Reduce salary: during pandemic, 20% of the business opted for salary cuts. What are the benefits and issues associated with salary cut? Please explain from the context of employees as well as from the organizational perspective.
3. What is the role of HR in Workplace health and safety? Please mention the interventions and also the actions.
4. As mentioned in the survey results, 54% of the organizations are planning to hire full time employees. Keeping in view the changes in the nature of work during pandemic and increase in the remote working i.e. WFH, what will you propose to change in;
   1. Hiring process
   2. Skill set demand.