A STUDY ON HR ISSUES AND CHALLENGES DUE TO COVID-19 AND HR

STRATEGIES TO TACKLE THEM

Submitted by Group E, Section B, MBA 1st Semester

Sakar Kc
Shreejan Khatri

Prabesh Maharjan

Pratikshya Baral

Aashna Pradhan

Submitted to
Bharat Sunam
Human Resource Management
Lincoln International College
Kathmandu, Nepal

Submitted on
March 15, 2020
JOURNAL

i
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report maintains a key theme of HR issues and challenges faced by the ISP sector in
Nepal. This report is an extensive study of HR issues and challenges faced by the ISP sector
due to COVID-19 and HR strategies used by the ISP sector to resolve the issues and
challenges. COVID-19 is a global pandemic which has caused major problems for every
industry. The report is segmented into six major sections. The initial section of the report
is the introduction of the ISP sector and includes a major description of Nepal’s largest ISP
i.e. Worldlink. Following section of the report highlights the objective of the report. The
third section includes the HR issues that are faced currently by the ISPs of Nepal majorly
taking the example of Worldlink. The fourth section includes the major HR challenges of
the ISP sector due to the global pandemic. After the major challenges, the HR strategies
that are being used by Worldlink are listed and explained. The fifth section includes the
strategies that can be used by the Worldlink after the lockdown is removed. And the final
section is the summary of the report and the major findings that are found while doing the
report.

ii
 Table of Contents

JOURNAL........................................................................................................................ i
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................. ii
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................1
1.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Objective of the study ...........................................................................................3
CHAPTER 2 HR ISSUES AND CHALLENGES ...........................................................4
2.1 HR Issues...............................................................................................................4
2.2 HR Challenges.......................................................................................................7
CHAPTER 3 HR STRATEGIES .....................................................................................8
3.1 HR Strategies........................................................................................................ 8
3.2 Strategies after lockdown ................................................................................... 11
CHAPTER 4 CLOSING REMARKS ............................................................................12
5.1 Conclusion and Summary .................................................................................. 12
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................14

iii
 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction
Human Resources or HR is the department responsible for identifying, assessing, hiring
and educating work candidates as well as implementing employee-benefit programs.
When corporations reorganize to achieve a competitive advantage, HR plays a critical
role in helping businesses cope with a rapidly changing climate and the growing
demand for high-quality jobs. HR issues will slow down efficiency, decrease employee
morale and discourage the company from growing.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute

respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It was first identified in December
2019 in Wuhan, China, and has since spread globally, resulting in an ongoing pandemic.
As of 12 May 2020, more than 4.23 million cases have been reported across 187
countries and territories, resulting in more than 289,000 deaths. More than 1.48 million
people have recovered.

An ISP (Internet service provider) is a company that provides individuals and other
companies’ access to the Internet and other related services such as Web site building
and virtual hosting. An ISP has the equipment and the telecommunication line access
required to have a point-of-presence on the Internet for the geographic area served. The
larger ISPs have their own high-speed leased lines so that they are less dependent on
the telecommunication providers and can provide better service to their customers. An
ISP is also sometimes referred to as an IAP (Internet access provider). ISP is sometimes
used as an abbreviation for independent service provider to distinguish a service
provider that is an independent, separate company from a telephone company. An ISP
is also sometimes referred to as an IAP (Internet access provider). ISP is sometimes
used as an abbreviation for independent service provider to distinguish a service
provider that is an independent, separate company from a telephone company.

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In context of Nepal, World link is one of the largest Internet Service Providers,
providing its services over the past 20 years to its customers. Founded in September
1995 with the aim of providing Internet and IT services by its present Chairman and
Managing Director, Dileep Agrawal. Over the past 20 years, World Link has grown
from a small business to a strong and stable corporation with professional staff and a
strong customer base. The company has also positioned itself as a complete IT service
provider rather than just an ISP, by providing services such as data connectivity,
network integration and consulting, web hosting and development, hardware sales and
maintenance, and software development and systems integration through its partnership
with World Link Technologies Pvt Ltd. World Link has Vision as “to connect
Everyone, anywhere, all the time”. And the mission is “Enrich the lives of our
customers through world-class services”. World Link was started with a computer and
a modem. The company today has a state-of-the-art infrastructure with over 3000
employees in seven offices within the manner.

The company owes its success to its goal of customer satisfaction and retention.
Backed by highly capable manpower and a system that ensures customer satisfaction,
World Link has maintained high customer retention rates and earned the goodwill of its
customers. A strong customer base World Link also owns and operates the largest
private nation-wide data network. World Link’s customers are able to access the
internet from across Nepal. This concept is based on client relationship management,
with the employee at its center. This involves implementing a dedicated information
system for the management of human resources, which makes it possible to cover all
the problems that are related with the relationship between a company and its
employees, particularly as; overall training plan of the company for employees, and
tracking of training action, provide salary payments bulletins, management of jobs
within the enterprise and in house transfer, provisions of benefit bonus and services,
training and development.

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1.2 Objective of the study
The major objectives of the study are listed as follows:

● To find out the current HR issues due to this epidemic coronavirus.

● To know the challenges, that HR is facing in this current situation.
● To find out the HR strategy to overcome the HR issues and challenges that the
organization is facing.
● To find out the plans and strategies that are going to be used by ISPs after the
lockdown.

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 CHAPTER 2
HR ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

2.1 HR Issues
Human Resources or HR is the department responsible for identifying, assessing, hiring
and educating work candidates as well as implementing employee-benefit programs.
When corporations reorganize to achieve a competitive advantage, HR plays a critical
role in helping businesses cope with a rapidly changing climate and the growing
demand for high-quality jobs. HR issues will slow down efficiency, decrease employee
morale and discourage the company from growing. Because of COVID-19, some of the
HR problems are explained as follows:

1. Training and development

It refers to educational activities within a company created to enhance the
knowledge and skills of employees, with the current pandemic impacting
(covid19) the entire planet and the consequences remain difficult to predict,
talking about training and development may seem ridiculous or even
inappropriate.

2. Manage flexible work arrangement

Despite a large part of the community moving to work from home or even
having been stood down, businesses still require frontline workers to continue
to run essential operations.
Businesses with frontline or essential workers should have in place a plan which
includes consideration of fundamental matters like workplace hygiene, social
distancing, protection of customers as well as a protocol for managing suspected
or confirmed workplace exposure to COVID-19. Those plans should be
reviewed and updated as the situation develops. As a matter of course, workers
should continue to be consulted on these plans.

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 3. Managing the remote workforce
From a health and safety point of view, those working at home are owed a duty
of care to undertake that work safely, and this might include consideration of
the ‘home office' set up. Further employers should ensure the ordinary
principles of risk management, risk control, and active supervision are applied
to the changed workforce conditions. For example, consideration should be
given to:
i. The manner in which the health and safety of workers who remain at the
workplace can continue to be monitored by those in remote circumstances.
From a health and safety perspective, close consideration should be given
ensuring that these workers are in fact trained to perform any alternate duties
and that there is a clear record of this.
ii. How to meet continuing obligations to consult with employees regarding
changes to work practices, or risk management to measures.
iii. How to address higher than normal degrees for anxiety and including any
added complexity for those workers facing increased career responsibilities as
schools are closed. Employers should have a plan to address these issues
including ongoing and detailed communication with workers in relation to both
existing decision-making, and also to provide comfort that the decision-making
framework exists.

4. Workforce planning
Employees will have a range of questions associated with their leave and other
entitlements. Casual employees will have concerns regarding their proposed
payment arrangements during a shutdown and any time they are required to care
for children who have been taken out of school or care (whether voluntary or as
a result of schools being closed). While business of course, take steps to ensure
that they seek to demonstrate appropriate corporate care, consideration will also
need to be given to the implications of potential long-term changes and so this
may lead business to avoid making commitments which may later need to be
recanted.

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 5. Payroll management
There is not a company in the world that will be left untouched by the effects of
coronavirus, with global markets reeling and citizens confined to their homes,
the coming weeks and months will put companies’ business continuity plans to
the test as never before. Many governments are moving swiftly to introduce new
measures to support the difficult circumstances.

6. Managing the risks to frontline worker

Despite a large part of the community moving to work from home or even
having been stood down, businesses still require frontline workers to continue
to run essential operations. Business with frontline or essential workers should
have in place a plan which includes consideration of fundamental matters like
workplace hygiene, social distancing, protection of customers as well as a
protocol (electronic devices to communicate with each other) for suspected or
confirmed workplace exposure to Covid 19. Those plans should be reviewed
and updated as the situation develops. As a matter of course, workers should
continue to be consulted with these plans.

7. Job security
As a result of the Covid -19 Pandemic, the massive reduction in economic
activities are impacting global manufacturing and service sectors in the form of
a global employment downturn. The ILO (international labor organization)
2020 reports that 25 million jobs could be lost worldwide during and after the
pandemic. and moderate. For the Nepali Economy, which is reeling from the
effects of the global Covid 19 outbreak, this will mean a significant rise in
unemployment, according to labor experts, the impacts are already visible.
Some employers have already started laying off employees whereas others have
asked them to stay on unpaid leave for some time. The effects are likely to
worsen in the coming days as often happens during times of shocks and
disasters.

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2.2 HR Challenges
1. Customer Payment and employ safety
Their need to be the safety for the staff in the counter or in the field maintenance.
ISP suggests all the customers to pay the bill from digital methods like eSewa,
Khalti, banking apps and more, to be safe. Sometimes no matter how aware we
are, we suffer from the mistakes of others, so staying home is better to be safe
100%.
As known, some of the ISPs have been providing a grace period to the
subscribers who request for their inability to pay their bills, contact them with
your valid reason.
As Nepal Telecom extended the deadline for their home internet services in this
period, people might have expected the same with other ISPs.
2. Business working plan
3. Work tracking
4. Customer satisfaction
5. Manage employ communication

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 CHAPTER 3
HR STRATEGIES

3.1 HR Strategies
Throughout the Covid 19 pandemic, numerous organizations encountered daily
organizational problems. There were many forms of issues and challenges and this
study finds HR issues and challenges among them. Some of the HR strategies in
Worldlink communications have been established to address various HR issues and
challenges. The HR strategies that are made by Worldlink communications to tackle
the HR related problems are explained as follows:

1. Focus on people first, economics second

In the study conducted among Nepal's various ISPs, such as Worldlink, Vianet,
Classic Tech, Subisu, etc., we found that Nepal's ISPs have given more
importance to their employees. Remote work or work from home practices were
checked and performed a few days ahead of lockdown for their employee’s
wellbeing. Likewise, each company needs insurance for its workers, Worldlink
has also increased the insurance amount for the front-line employees in the
specific period of time and has renewed every insurance policy that helps
protect their employees. The company also issued various safety products to the
individual employee including PPE, sanitizers, etc. This shows that the ISP
sector has used this approach to protect its employees more effectively and
efficiently.

2. Develop rapid response team

Worldlink has established isolated teams in its branches and the teams were
made according to the willingness of the employees and teams were organized
according to the department. If any problem emerges during the lockdown
period, the isolated teams will be there to address and resolve the problem. More

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 provisions had also been given to the isolated teams. For the motivation of the
employees and to solve the internet issues, the CEO of Worldlink
communications; Mr. Keshav Nepal is working on the field as well. Other staff,
who operate remotely, also assist the isolated teams. This approach has helped
the ISP sector run its operation smoothly with minimal problems.

3. Distribute authority to remote HR professionals and coordinate action

quickly

Given that the ISP sectors have different offices in Nepal, it was necessary for
them to manage each office and all employees across Nepal. When doing so,
this sector encountered some problems that may not be applicable to other
offices at other locations like one decision or head office strategy. And for this
much of the ISP has decentralized branch or regional office decision-making
and planning. The method includes the HR professionals and branch managers,
or regional managers. This helps under the guidance of the head office make
one strategy or one decision for one division. The ISP sector has tried to address
some of the HR related issues and problems by doing these activities.

4. Create real-time data collection to identify precisely where problems are

occurring

Most ISPs in Nepal have their own backend program that helps them to keep
track of various activities. Taking worldlink communication as an example, they
use task ticketing software that helps to miss the tasks being carried out. This
program provides employees with the ability to see the problems and allocate
the problem to the department in question which helps to solve the problem
quickly. In addition, zoom meetings are often conducted on a regular basis, so
that issues can be easily detected as well as quickly resolved.

5. Rapidly develop programs to educate, train and empower people to work

at home

As many Nepali ISPs began remote work a few days ahead of lockdown, this
gave them some time to train their employees to work from home. The software
was made to operate from home during the preparation period as well and

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 training was provided to every employee to operate the software. Similarly, by
offering preparation, worldlink communication made a strategy to respond to
internet problems by mobilizing its sales and marketing workers towards
support. This provided support training to sales and marketing staff which can
be a long-term career development. Similarly several staff members were also
given training in data processing to find customer and field information.
Worldlink is therefore using its employees to train themselves and empower
themselves along with the security.

6. Relax rules for hours, pay and vacation to respond to fast-changing

conditions

As it’s impossible to say if and when the coronavirus will die down because it
is a totally new virus, and therefore unpredictable, many ISPs of Nepal have
started remote working. The remote working under these circumstances can
create stress among the workers. Worldlink communication has provided its
employees with flexible working hours to reduce stress and to maintain business
continuity. Flexible working has now become more vital than ever before.
Worldlink has also increased pay for its isolated teams.

7. Quickly assess what jobs are going away and start to align people towards
new roles quickly

Millions of jobs have been lost as businesses keep their doors closed to slow the
spread of the coronavirus. Not only in Nepal, but all around the globe many
employees are losing their jobs. To cope with this, Worldlink communication
has converted its sales and marketing team into a support team, so that they can
provide more support to its customers. At present, there are high network issues
due to drastically increased internet usage with people seeking fresh information
and professionals working from home. World link has assigned a new role to its
sales and marketing team by converting them into support teams. This has
increased employee motivation and trust towards Worldlink communications.

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 8. Stay positive and communicate a positive growth spirit despite the
uncertainty and change

Having a growth mindset is the key to success. It is the way in which you view
ability and intelligence. In the present situation, everyone should stay positive
and communicate a positive growth spirit despite the uncertainty and changes.
Worldlink communication has used various motivational factors to motivate its
employee like, increasing pay, providing flexible working hours, Allowance
increased to isolate team, renewal of employee insurance. For the motivation of
the employees and to solve the internet issues, the CEO of Worldlink
communications; Mr. Keshav Nepal is working on the field as well. It is very
important to keep motivated and stay positive despite having uncertainty and
changes.

3.2 Strategies after lockdown

The market situation after the lockdown will not be similar to the market before
COVID-19. Similarly, with the change in market situation, the roles of HR will also be
somehow affected. Therefore, it would be necessary to review some of their previous
policies so that the daily operations would not be affected. Some of the reviews are as
follows:
1. Safety and security policies are being reviewed properly so that the employees
can be more safe and secure even after the lockdown ends.
2. Worldlink communications is planning to pause the recruitment program for
some period and utilize the existing human resources for the operation.
3. Better training programs can be provided to the employees so that it can be
helpful for the employees to do multitasking.
4. More effective HRIS system can be used so that the data of employees can be
collected easily, effectively and efficiently.

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 CHAPTER 4
CLOSING REMARKS

5.1 Conclusion and Summary

World Link is a pioneer IT Services Provider (ISP) in Nepal with extensive expertise
in Data Communication, Internet Connectivity, VSAT Networking, Wireless
Networking, Software Development, ICT Consulting, and Bandwidth Provisioning.
The company today has a state-of-the-art infrastructure with over 3000 employees in
seven offices within the manner. Even though it involves implementing a dedicated
information system for the management of human resources, it is facing various kinds
of HR problems and challenges due to this Covid-19. However, Worldlink established
various kinds of HR strategies to address burning and ongoing HR issues and
challenges. HR strategies have been established to tackle the issues of both situations
during and after Covid-19.

It has been said by many of the experts that your employees are the gems of the
company and Job Security along with the health of the employees has been very
important issues that need to be resolved in this situation as many of the employees are
in the fair of losing their jobs. However, Worldlink communication has assigned a new
role and converted its sales and marketing team into support teams. Even Worldlink is
planning to pause the recruitment program for some period and utilize the existing
human resources for the operation after lockdown. Worldlink has also increased the
insurance amount for the front-line employees in the specific period of time and has
renewed every insurance policy that helps protect their employees. The company also
issued various safety products to the individual employee including PPE, sanitizers, etc.
The software was made to operate from home during the preparation period as well and
training was provided to every employee to operate the software. It is also providing
training to sales and marketing staff in data processing to find customer and field
information which can be a long-term career development. Worldlink has also
understand the mindset of the both employee so it has come up with various
motivational factors to motivate its employee like, increasing pay, providing flexible
working hours, Allowance increased to isolate team, renewal of employee insurance

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and even CEO of Worldlink is working on the field that encourage employee to stay
positive and strong and work efficiently. These were the financial and non-financial
strategies focused for employees and this strategy has increased employee motivation
and trust towards Worldlink regarding job security.

Worldlink has also come up with some HR strategies which are for solving the problems
and issues so that customers need not to suffer. It has established isolated teams in its
branches to address and resolve the problem. Such approach has helped the ISP sector
run its operation smoothly with minimal problems. The ISP sector has tried to address
some of the HR related issues and problems by distributing the authority to remote HR
professionals and coordinate action quickly.
Each company understands its people and their needs better than anyone else which is
what helped Worldlink on this pandemic to create such impactful materials. Those
strategies that Worlink has been following encourage their employees to work with
calm nature. Not only employees and customers but Worldlink has also encouraged
other business organizations to come up with such strategies which help their own
employees financially and non-financially so that employees could work efficiently and
without any issues.

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 REFERENCES

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/humanresources.asp
https://worldlink.com.np/company_profile.php
Human Resource Department, Worldlink Communications Ltd.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/mar/13/covid-19-could-
cause-permanent-shift-towards-home-working

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