HR Leaders Planned for the Worst and It Paid Off

Chicago company leaders are turning working remotely into a meaningful experience. For example, digital workflow company ServiceNow had already digitized many of their manual processes, enabling it to quickly transition to remote work, including digital hiring and onboarding. ServiceNow plans to welcome summer interns this year and will also host its annual Knowledge event in a digital format, giving viewers access to keynote content, community breakout sessions and business solution technology. Kay Hughes, senior manager and human resources business partner at ServiceNow, says, “We told our employees in India to expense MiFi devices to ensure reliable internet outside the office.” She adds, “We’re one of the few companies that will be welcoming a summer intern class this year. It will be digital. Interns will onboard and work remotely, along with the rest of our employees. But they will continue to learn and get critical experience on the job.” Hughes also explains, “Our approach for this pandemic has been people-first. Everything we’ve done starts with the impact on people: our employees and their families, our customers and partners and our communities.” Meanwhile, e-commerce business solutions company Zoro, which is considered an essential business, quickly created a virtual onboarding program and set up its customer service function to work remotely. The human resources team thought ahead and invested in the right technology and training to achieve this. Adam Henry, senior director of human resources at Zoro, says, “We’ve also thought differently about how we can leverage our communication tools as a platform for awareness and education. We launched a number of new channels designed to communicate important company messages and embrace informal social interaction. We have also provided team members with resources focused on fitness, emotional well-being, remote leadership and communication strategies.”

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