COVID-19 HR Weekly Update #10

(Week-ending 06/13/2020 - week 15)

47% Drop in Weekly Employee Coronavirus-related Questions into HR Marks Turning Point for Employees, HR Teams and Their Organizations

There was a dramatic drop in employee coronavirus-related questions into HR last week, from 22,876 in the previous week to 12,086 last week. We believe this marks a turning point for HR teams during the pandemic, as employees have become better educated about COVID-19, due to HR teams answering their questions, and using applications like an Employee Portal to communicate coronavirus-related information to their organization's workers.

However, with large parts of the US predicting increasing rates of coronavirus infection, and the R number (the reproductive number that measures the spread of the infection) in the UK hovering around 1*, is there the possibility of a second wave of the COVID-19 virus? Would a second wave mean an increase in the number of questions into HR again?

Either way, it may be that the shape of our Volume of Employee Coronavirus-related Cases into HR chart (below) can be used to predict the quantity of employee questions an HR team may receive during a second wave, or for future pandemics or disasters.

For more insights into how HR are managing during the COVID-19 crisis, click below:

*greater than 1 means the spread of the coronavirus is increasing

(Note: Employee cases refer to employee questions, inquiries and requests that are logged as “cases” in the Dovetail HR Case Management solution).

Insight 1 - 47% Drop in Weekly Employee Coronavirus-related Questions into HR Marks Turning Point for Employees, HR Teams and Their Organizations

Insight 2 - Sharp Fall in Employee Coronavirus-related Questions into HR at the Weekend

Insight 3 - Rate of Closing Employee Coronavirus-related Questions Remains High at 84%, As HR Continue to Optimize Processes, Working Practices and Technology

Insight 4 - Employee Cases Created Via Email Increases by 87% to Become the Preferred Channel for Communicating With HR

Insight 5 - Employee Case-Type Word Cloud Depicts How COVID-19 Affects HR and Their Employees

Insight 1 - 47% Drop in Weekly Employee Coronavirus-related Questions into HR Marks Turning Point for Employees, HR Teams and Their Organizations

With employee questions dropping by almost 50% into HR last week, (from 22,876 cases in week 14 to 12,086 last week), we believe a turning point has been reached, as HR receive less and less questions (this is now the third week of this downward trend) from their employees. This is because employees have become more educated on the effects of coronavirus, therefore needing less assistance from HR.

This not only shows how effective HR have been in responding to their employees' concerns during the pandemic, but also reflects how HR teams have the right tools in place, such as Employee Portal, HR Case Management, HR Knowledge Management and HR Reporting & Analytics applications, to help them respond in a crisis.

However, with widespread reports of a potential second wave of the coronavirus, there is no room for complacency, and HR teams who continue to optimize their processes, employee communications, and HR technology, will be best able to offer an enhanced employee experience.

Insight 2 - Sharp Fall in Employee Coronavirus-related Questions into HR at the Weekend

The chart above shows the significant fall in employee coronavirus-related questions at the weekend. This is the lowest number of weekend cases for nine weeks, and again supports our view that last week marked a turning point for HR and their employees. 

However, HR teams need to remain prepared for a second wave of the coronavirus, which could mean employees need increased assistance from HR. HR teams with an HR Service Delivery Experience in place, will be better placed to maintain service levels in a future pandemic or crisis.

Insight 3 - Rate of Closing Employee Coronavirus-related Questions Remains High at 84%, As HR Continue to Optimize Processes, Working Practices and Technology

The rate at which HR teams closed employee coronavirus-related questions remains high at 84%, even if it is a slight decrease on last week’s rate of 87%.

By adopting software applications such as COVID-19 Emergency Response Tools , HR is able to increase their productivity, and respond and resolve more employee questions in less time. These solutions are far superior to outdated case management solutions, such as spreadsheet trackers and shared inboxes, which means those HR teams that implement them, perform better than those that don't.

With total accumulated coronavirus-related case volume now at 345,465, having the right technology in place is crucial if HR teams are to achieve their Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and other service quality metrics.

Insight 4 - Employee Cases Created Via Email Increases by 87% to Become the Preferred Channel for Communicating With HR

Last week saw Email channel usage increase by 87%, as employees switch from using the Phone to Email when contacting HR for assistance.

Email now accounts for 48% of cases created with HR. This is likely because it has many advantages, including its versatility. Emails can be sent and answered without the need to speak directly to HR and, with the proliferation of mobile devices, it’s now even easier for the employee to email HR anywhere, anytime. It also has the advantage of providing a written audit trail of activity, important for HR, the organization, and their employees.

The Phone now stands at 44% of all cases, which is a 64% decrease on the previous week. Together Email and Phone remain the most popular with employees, and account for the vast majority of employee communications with HR.

Regardless of which communications channel employees use to contact HR (others include Live Chat and Employee Portal), Dovetail’s HR Service Delivery Experience offers both employees and HR an enhanced workplace experience and increased productivity.

Insight 5 - Employee Case-Type Word Cloud Depicts How COVID-19 Affects HR and Their Employees

The most popular coronavirus-related case types* among Dovetail customers were COVID Response, Time and Leave: Health Epidemic, Disaster: General Questions and Coronavirus: HR Policy.

By depicting coronavirus-related case types in a Word Cloud, we hope to show what HR have been up against during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On a positive note, HR are managing well during the crisis, adopting remote work practices, working at weekends to resolve more cases and optimizing their HR Case Management technology.

*Case Types categorize employee coronavirus questions and are used in advanced HR Reporting & Analytics to help HR understand employees' needs and behaviors better, while providing additional insight into what is happening in their organization.

Conclusion 

Last week saw the number of employee cases into HR almost half, which we believe is a turning point, as HR faces less questions from employees on a weekly basis for a third week. We believe this is because employees are now better educated about how the impact of coronavirus on them in the workplace.

During the COVID-19 pandemics, our customers have used the latest in HR Service Delivery technology, such as HR Case Management, Employee Portal, HR Knowledge Management, and HR Reporting & Analytics, to continue to offer their employees the highest levels of service.

A cautionary note would be the potential for a ‘second wave’ of the coronavirus, which could lead to a surge in employee questions into HR. However, HR Managers and their teams with the right technology in place, will be best able to ensure their organizations provide an outstanding employee experience.

To stay updated on how COVID-19 is impacting HR teams, Click here to view Dovetail’s Daily Updates for HR on the coronavirus.

Please click here if you would like to find out more about how Dovetail can help you during the coronavirus pandemic.

Click here to read last weeks COVID-19 HR Weekly Update #9