What was the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on human resource management and work? An integrative literature review

Main Article Content

Michael Joseph Presti
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1205-1265
Diego Costa Mendes
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3193-7034

Abstract

Considering the pandemic's wide-ranging impacts, this study examined how the literature addressed its effects on work, human resource management (HRM), and organizations. Sixty-four articles published between January 2020 and March 2022 were systematically selected for this bibliographic review. A thematic content analysis was conducted, categorizing the most frequently discussed topics into three argumentative categories: work and workers, HRM, and organizations. These categories revealed convergences, divergences, and gaps in the literature, leading to the conclusion that values such as autonomy, flexibility, and communication were essential across all three categories. Telework emerged as the predominant work modality, requiring profound adaptations to HRM processes. Notably, geographic, socioeconomic, and demographic factors influenced teleworkers' assessments and productivity, warranting further investigation. The pandemic underscored a paradigm shift in recruitment and professional categorization, highlighting the importance of adaptable proficiencies in remote work, encompassing both technical and interpersonal skills, during and after the crisis. Lastly, organizations responded by strengthening flexible and empathetic organizational cultures capable of withstanding the biopsychosocial pressures experienced by workers during the pandemic.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

 

 

 

 

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Article Details

How to Cite
PRESTI, M. J.; MENDES, D. C. What was the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on human resource management and work? An integrative literature review. RAE - Revista de Administracao de Empresas , [S. l.], v. 63, n. 6, p. e2022–0483, 2023. DOI: 10.1590/S0034-759020230604. Disponível em: https://periodicos.fgv.br/rae/article/view/90083. Acesso em: 9 dec. 2023.
Section
Articles

References

Adam, J.-P., Khazaka, M., Charikhi, F., Clervil, M., Huot, D. D., Jebailey, J., O, P., Morin, J., & Langevin, M.-C. (2021). Management of human resources of a pharmacy department during the COVID-19 pandemic: Take-aways from the first wave. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 17(1), 1990-1996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2020.10.014

Aguinis, H., Villamor, I., & Gabriel, K. P. (2020). Understanding employee responses to COVID-19: A behavioral corporate social responsibility perspective. Management Research: Journal of the Iberoamerican Academy of Management, 18(4), 421-438. https://doi.org/10.1108/MRJIAM-06-2020-1053

Alonge, O. M. (2021). Covid-19 Pandemic and Human Resource Management in Nigeria: The Realities. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(3), Pages 319-330. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v11-i3/8948

Arunprasad, P., Dey, C., Jebli, F., Manimuthu, A., & El Hathat, Z. (2022). Exploring the remote work challenges in the era of COVID-19 pandemic: Review and application model. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 29(10), 3333–3355. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-07-2021-0421

Azizi, M. R., Atlasi, R., Ziapour, A., Abbas, J., & Naemi, R. (2021). Innovative human resource management strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic narrative review approach. Heliyon, 7(6), e07233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07233

Barbieri, B., Balia, S., Sulis, I., Cois, E., Cabras, C., Atzara, S., & Simone, S. De. (2021). Don’t call it smart: Working from home during the pandemic crisis. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 741585. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.741585

Bardin, L. (2011). Análise de conteúdo. Almedina Brasil.

Barros, P. A. M., Freitas, O. de G., Júnior, Carvalho, V. D. H. de, Braga, M. de M., & Medeiros, F. M. (2021). Impacto da pandemia de COVID-19 para as organizações empresariais brasileiras. Perspectivas em Gestão & Conhecimento, 11(3), 37-55. https://dx.doi.org/10.22478/ufpb.2236-417X.2021v11n3.59356

Bauwens, R., Batistič, S., Kilroy, S., & Nijs, S. (2022). New Kids on the Block? A bibliometric analysis of emerging COVID-19: Trends in leadership research. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 29(2), 224-232. https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051821997406

Boiral, O., Brotherton, M.-C., Rivaud, L., & Guillaumie, L. (2021). Organizations’ management of the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review of business articles. Sustainability, 13(7), 3993. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13073993

Botelho, L. L. R., Cunha, C. C. de A., & Macedo, M. (2011). O método da revisão integrativa nos estudos organizacionais. Gestão e Sociedade, 5(11), 121. https://doi.org/10.21171/ges.v5i11.1220

Butterick, M., & Charlwood, A. (2021). HRM and the COVID‐19 pandemic: How can we stop making a bad situation worse? Human Resource Management Journal, 31(4), 847-856. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12344

Caligiuri, P., Cieri, H. De, Minbaeva, D., Verbeke, A., & Zimmermann, A. (2020). International HRM insights for navigating the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for future research and practice. Journal of International Business Studies, 51(5), 697-713. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41267-020-00335-9

Carnevale, J. B., & Hatak, I. (2020). Employee adjustment and well-being in the era of COVID-19: Implications for human resource management. Journal of Business Research, 116, 183-187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.05.037

Chen, Z. (2021). Influence of working from home during the COVID-19 crisis and HR Practitioner response. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 710517. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.710517

Cooke, F. L., Dickmann, M., & Parry, E. (2022). Building sustainable societies through human-centred human resource management: Emerging issues and research opportunities. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 33(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2021.2021732

Dessouky, N. F. El, & Al-Ghareeb, A. (2020). Human resource management and organizational resilience in the Era of COVID-19: Theoretical insights, challenges and implications. 2020 Second International Sustainability and Resilience Conference: Technology and Innovation in Building Designs, (51154), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEECONF51154.2020.9319967

Dotsenko, N., Chumachenko, D., Chumachenko, I., Galkin, A., Lis, T., & Lis, M. (2021). Conceptual framework of sustainable management of the process of forming a project team with functional redundancy. Energies, 14(24), 8235. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14248235

Dutra, J. S., Dutra, T. A., & Dutra, G. A. (2017). Gestão de pessoas: Realidade atual e desafios futuros. Atlas.

Dwomoh, G., Luguterah, A. W., Duah, S. B., & Department of Management Studies, Kumasi Technical University, Ghana. (2020). Hoteliers’ human resource strategies for business sustainability during Covid-19 pandemic in Ghana. Journal of Business & Retail Management Research, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.24052/JBRMR/V14IS03/ART-04

Faramarzi, A., Javan-Noughabi, J., Tabatabaee, S. S., Najafpoor, A. A., & Rezapour, A. (2021). The lost productivity cost of absenteeism due to COVID-19 in health care workers in Iran: A case study in the hospitals of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1), 1169. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-07200-x

Felipe, I. F. R., Medeiros, V. R., Camargo, M. L., & Júnior, E. G. (2021). Impactos da pandemia de Covid-19 sobre profissionais de gestão de pessoas. Revista Psicologia e Saúde, 13(2), 211-225. https://doi.org/10.20435/pssa.v13i2.1558

Ferreira, C. A. A., & Reis, C. Á. dos. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on Brazilian women in teleworking. Revista Brasileira de Estudos de População, 38, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.20947/S0102-3098a0180

Ferreira, I. de V., Silva, C. C. R., Vasconcelos, S. M. L., Vasconcelos, R. M. de, Mourão, V. R., & Menescal, G. A. (2021). Operacionalização e logística dos processos administrativos na gestão pública para enfrentamento à pandemia da COVID-19. SANARE – Revista de Políticas Públicas, 20, 28-38. https://doi.org/10.36925/sanare.v20i0.1505

Gohoungodji, P., N’Dri, A. B., & Matos, A. L. B. (2023). What makes telework work? Evidence of success factors across two decades of empirical research: A systematic and critical review. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 34(3), 605-649. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2022.2112259

Gonçalves, S. P., Santos, J. V. dos, Silva, I. S., Veloso, A., Brandão, C., & Moura, R. (2021). COVID-19 and people management: The view of human resource managers. Administrative Sciences, 11(3), 69. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci11030069

Hilmi, I. N., & Febriansyah, H. (2021). Working from home as a human resource management strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic: Indonesian workers’ experiences. Management and Economics Review, 6(2), 205-223. https://doi.org/10.24818/mer/2021.12-05

Hosogaya, N. (2021). Development of telework and its effects on Japan’s human resource management: Artificial sociality as a focus. The Monitoring of Public Opinion Economic&social Changes, 1, 71-90. https://doi.org/10.14515/monitoring.2021.1.1840

Ilie, M., Ilie, C., & Marin, R. (2020, August). Human resources and communication management after changes due to COVID 19 pandemic. Ovidius University Annals, Economic Sciences Series, Ovidius University of Constantza, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 0(1), 665-669.

Jin, S., Li, Y., & Xiao, S. (2022). What drives employees’ innovative behaviors in emerging-market multinationals? An integrated approach. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 803681. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.803681

Kawaguchi, D., & Motegi, H. (2021). Who can work from home? The roles of job tasks and HRM practices. Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, 62, 101162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jjie.2021.101162

Kinowska, H. (2021). Core features for the design of remuneration systems for sustainable human resource management during the Covid-19 pandemic: Polish companies’ experiences. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 8(4), 389-402. https://doi.org/10.9770/jesi.2021.8.4(23)

Kutieshat, R., & Farmanesh, P. (2022). The impact of new human resource management practices on innovation performance during the COVID 19 crisis: A new perception on enhancing the educational sector. Sustainability, 14(5), 2872. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052872

Latorre, F., Pérez-Nebra, A. R., Queiroga, F., & Alcover, C.-M. (2021). How do teleworkers and organizations manage the COVID-19 crisis in Brazil? The role of flexibility i-deals and work recovery in maintaining sustainable well-being at work. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(23), 12522. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182312522

Lee, H. (2021). Changes in workplace practices during the COVID-19 pandemic: The roles of emotion, psychological safety and organisation support. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 8(1), 97-128. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOEPP-06-2020-0104

Leite, A. L. (2020). Teletrabalho durante a pandemia: A experiência do corpo técnico da universidade do estado de Santa Catarina. Revista Pensamento & Realidade, 35(3), 54-69. https://doi.org/10.23925/2237-4418.2020v35i3p.87-109

Leite, A. L., & Lemos, D. da C. (2021). Gestão de pessoas e o teletrabalho: Desafios e possibilidades. Revista do Serviço Público, 72(2), 330-359. https://doi.org/10.21874/rsp.v72.i2.4987

Liang, X., Zhang, X., Paulet, R., & Zheng, L. J. (2022). A literature review of the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on sustainable HRM. Sustainability, 14(5), 2579. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052579

Lima, A. S., & Ramos, N. P., Neto. (2020). Gestão judicial da pandemia COVID-19: O trabalho remoto como regra de funcionamento do Poder Judiciário. Revista de Política Judiciária, Gestão e Administração da Justiça, 6(2), 22. https://doi.org/10.26668/IndexLawJournals/2525-9822/2020.v6i2.6979

Maciel, F. M., Deus, G. A. R. de, & Filgueiras, K. F. (2021). As particularidades dos empreendedores diante do enfrentamento do isolamento social: Resiliência na pandemia. Cadernos de Gestão e Empreendedorismo, 9(2), 45-55. https://doi.org/10.32888/cge.v9i2.50551

Makar, S. V., Rustamova, I. T., Iamalova, E. N., Bogdanova, Y. Z., & Minakov, I. P. (2021). Changes in human resource management practices in a pandemic: Insurance companies. Webology, 18(Special Issue 4), 653-664. https://doi.org/10.14704/WEB/V18SI04/WEB18156

Oo, B. L., Lim, T. H. B., & Zhang, Y. (2021). Women workforce in construction during the COVID-19 pandemic: Challenges and strategies. Construction Economics and Building, 21(4), 38-59. https://doi.org/10.5130/AJCEB.v21i4.7643

Ortiz-Lozano, J. M., Martínez-Morán, P. C., & Nicolás, V. L. de. (2022). Teleworking in the public administration: An analysis based on Spanish civil servants’ perspectives during the pandemic. SAGE Open, 12(1), 215824402210798. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221079843

Pandini, L. S., & Pereira, E. D. S. (2021). O teletrabalho no contexto de pandemia de COVID-19: A percepção de servidores públicos do judiciário brasileiro e MPU. Caderno de Administração, 28(2), 55-81. https://doi.org/10.4025/cadm.v28i2.54747

Pereira, J. J., Barbosa, J. K. D., & Saraiva, C. M. (2021). Sobre o tempo livre na era do teletrabalho. Caderno de Administração, 29(1), 114-131. https://doi.org/10.4025/cadadm.v29i1.48804

Pereira, L. de J., Oliveira, A. C., Silva, L. P. da, & Mendonça, C. M. C. de. (2021). Teletrabalho e qualidade de vida: Estudo de caso do poder judiciário em estado do norte do Brasil. Revista Gestão e Desenvolvimento, 18(1), 222-245. https://doi.org/10.25112/rgd.v18i1.2283

Raišienė, A. G., Rapuano, V., & Varkulevičiūtė, K. (2021). Sensitive men and hardy women: How do Millennials, Xennials and Gen X manage to work from home? Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 7(2), 106. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc7020106

Rocha, A. B., Corrêa, D., Tosta, J. G., & Campos, R. P. de F. (2021). Teletrabalho, produção e gasto público: O que aprendemos com a Covid-19? Revista do Serviço Público, 72(2), 299-328. https://doi.org/10.21874/rsp.v72.i2.5215

Rojas, O., Martínez, M., & Riffo, R. (2020). Gestão diretiva e estresse laboral do profissional docente: Um olhar a partir da pandemia COVID-19. Revista On-line de Política e Gestão Educacional, 24(3) 1226-1241. https://doi.org/10.22633/rpge.v24i3.14360

Silva, C. D. dos S. da, & Moraes, A. B. G. de M. (2021). O papel estratégico do capital humano na gestão de crise: A pandemia de Covid-19. Revisão de Gestão e Projetos (GeP), 12(2), 214-232. https://doi.org/10.5585/gep.v12i2.19255

Tomčíková, Ľ., Svetozarovová, N., Cocuľová, J., Daňková, Z., & University of Presov in Presov, Faculty of Management, Department of Intercultural Communication, Presov, Slovakia. (2021). The impact of the global covid-19 pandemic on the selected practices of human resources management in the relationship to the performance of countries. GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites, 35(2), 525-530. https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.35233-680

Vilarinho, K. P. B., Paschoal, T., & Demo, G. (2021). Teletrabalho na atualidade: Quais são os impactos no desempenho profissional, bem-estar e contexto de trabalho? Revista do Serviço Público, 72(1), 133-162. https://doi.org/10.21874/art-5-2022-01-19-61e8631b4c10b

World Health Organization. (2021). WHO-convened Global Study of Origins of SARS-CoV-2: China Part. https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/who-convened-global-study-of-the-origins-of-sars-cov-2

Yuste, M. A. (2021). Leadership and emotional intelligence during a crisis. Revista de Relaciones Internacionales, Estrategia y Seguridad, 16(2), 47-60. https://doi.org/10.18359/ries.5619

Zacher, H., & Rudolph, C. W. (2022). Researching employee experiences and behavior in times of crisis: Theoretical and methodological considerations and implications for human resource management. German Journal of Human Resource Management, 36(1), 6-31. https://doi.org/10.1177/23970022211058812

Zhiqiang, M., Khan, H. S. ud din, Chughtai, M. S., & Mingxing, L. (2021). Re-engineering the human resource strategies amid and post-pandemic crisis: Probing into the moderated mediation model of the high-performance work practices and employee’s outcomes. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 710266. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.710266

Zhong, Y., Li, Y., Ding, J., & Liao, Y. (2021). Risk management: Exploring emerging human resource issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 14(5), 228. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm14050228