To say that the last few months have been a challenge and steep
learning curve for HR professionals in the Higher Education sector
would be a serious understatement.
Whilst many of you will now be enjoying a well-deserved break
for a week or two, there are a raft of further issues that will
need to be addressed with the start of the 2020/21 academic
year.
We explore some of the key HR challenges that lie ahead over the
next few months and how coronavirus (COVID-19) may have changed
some working practices in the HE sector for the foreseeable future,
or perhaps forever.
Getting the Workforce Back on Campus
The priority for most universities, following the easing of
lockdown, is getting staff back onto campus and putting in place
safe working practices for the new academic year. Although the
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has not been widely used in the
HE sector, decisions will have to be taken about whether and
when any furloughed staff should return and
