M.P.H.M Gunawardana

The Role of HRM in Addressing Global Health and Well-being Concerns.

Taking care of the health and well-being of employees has become a significant aspect of human resource management (HRM) as businesses grow more worldwide. HR departments are taking on more and more responsibility for fostering procedures that support diverse workforces' physical and emotional well-being. In this blog, focus on three key areas where HRM plays a vital role: mental health support, work-life balance and flexible work policies, and health and safety in the workplace.

1. Mental Health Support in a Global Workforce

The top priority for HRM is Mental Health, especially following the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. HRM is essential in enhancing mental health support systems such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), counseling services, and training managers to identify mental health concerns. These programs must be culturally sensitive, as mental health attitudes vary across regions. Providing accessible, anonymous mental health support helps decrease stigma and increase employee involvement. (Rajan et al., 2020).

2. Work-life Balance and Flexible Work Policies

Flexible work arrangements such as remote work and flexible hours have grown in importance, particularly during and after the pandemic. HRM must ensure that flexibility doesn’t lead to overwork or burnout, especially across different time zones. Effective HR policies promote a balance between work and personal life, encouraging employees to disconnect and take regular breaks. HRM also needs to tailor these policies to regional expectations, ensuring flexibility is both effective and culturally appropriate (McGonagle et al., 2020).

 

3. Health and Safety in the Workplace

Physical health remains a fundamental issue, especially in industries with high-risk work. HRM must make sure compliance with safety regulations and provide initiatives that promote overall employee health. This consist of offering ergonomic workspaces, health insurance, and wellness programs. In light of the pandemic. By ensuring that employees' home workspaces are conducive to their physical well-being; HRM also needs to adapt to remote work safety. To enhancing employee productivity and job satisfaction; creating a safe and supportive environment is essential. (McKinsey & Company, 2021).

 

4. Global Health Initiatives and Well-being Programs

As companies expand worldwide. HRM must introduce health and well-being initiatives that are both globally standardized and locally relevant and also convenient. This involves balancing universal health programs with tailored strategies that account for the varying needs of employees in different regions.

For instance, HRM can introduce global health programs, such as wellness challenges, mental health days, or access to telemedicine services, which can be scaled and adapted based on local regulations and cultural contexts. By offering a mix of global initiatives and region-specific programs, HR departments can ensure that all employees feel supported in their health and well-being, regardless of location.

 

Conclusion

HRM has to set in place health and well-being programs that are both locally relevant and globally standardized as businesses grow internationally. This entails striking a balance between universal health programs and customized approaches that take into consideration the various demands of workers in various geographical areas.

For example, HRM can implement global health initiatives that can be scaled and modified in accordance with regional laws and cultural norms, such as wellness challenges, mental health days, or telemedicine service accessibility. HR departments may guarantee that all workers, regardless of location, feel supported in their health and well-being by providing a combination of regionally focused programs and global efforts.

References

Hughes, J. C., & Rog, E. M. (2019). Human resource management: A contemporary approach. Pearson Education Limited.

McGonagle, A. K., Roemer, E. C., & De Lange, A. H. (2020). Flexible work arrangements and well-being: A review and future directions. International Journal of Human Resource Management.

McKinsey & Company. (2021). Global health and well-being: Building an inclusive workplace. McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/healthcare

Rajan, A., Sharma, A., & Gupta, S. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on employee mental health and well-being: A global perspective. Journal of Business Research.