MM439 Strategic Human Resource Management Business Impact

COVID-19 has created a significant challenge to Woolworths Group since it operates in nearly every town in Australia. This led to sudden impact on the business and because of that the company led to face many challenges which includes that the consumer demands increases rapidly which creates the fear of shortages of food. The impact of the random increase in consumer demand leads to the company temporarily paused its online pickup and delivery now services due to the shortages in the number of items and their staffs allow focusing on serving the customers in-store, stock availability. Human resource management was also made more challenging as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic. The impact of this challenge on the company results in the shortage of staff in the time they need it more.

Covid Response from WoolWorths Australia

The future impacts and strategy that has been followed by the company are in terms of health and safety as the employee’s safety is the first priority of the company. Woolworths has instituted special shopping hours for the elderly and other customers who require special attention. The firm has also shortened trade hours at several of its locations in order to focus more on deliveries. For managing a rapidly changing landscape due to covid-19, the company has the Emergency Management Framework which focuses on four things which includes doing everything possible to keep our clients and staff safe, maintaining product availability, improving collaboration with our partners in government and business, agility in execution. This response involves the formation of a COVID Planning and Response Squad. To promote the well-being of our employees, customers, and communities, we have focused on five pillars as part of our COVIDSafe approach which includes PPE, Health, Hygiene, Cleaning and Social Distancing. For this, company has created a COVID Response teams for the specific issues focused COVID-19 Squads. To help minimize the transmission rate of COVID-19 between team members and consumers, clear Plexiglas separators were erected at checkouts and acrylic dividers at assisted checkouts. Face masks have been made accessible throughout the Group for team members who choose to use them or where they are required by government directive. Team members also have access to disposable gloves, as well as further instruction on how to use them safely. To provide a healthy working and shopping environment, good hygiene standards are reinforced via signs in all Group stores. We have also offered paid extraordinary leave to our most vulnerable team members in locations where the government has enforced Stage Four limitations. To better safeguard consumers and team members, contactless processes have been created throughout supplier deliveries, customer payments, customer online home deliveries, as well as Pick up and direct to boot services (Woolworths Group, 2020).