An Exploratory Study on Behavioral Science

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Of HR Mangers to Respond the COVID-19
Challenge

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Shweta Solanki
Research Scholar

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FMS-Mohan Lal Sukhadia University Udaipur
Email-Shwetasolanki884@gmail.com

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Abstract

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World certainly has a warning and alarming situation due to the global pandemic
outbreak of COVID-19 pathogen since December 19 taking along human cost,
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mentally and physically with economic cost too. The spread of this contagion is
deadly worldwide without any proven official medical treatment. Governments
around the world are taking measures of country lockdown and stay at home for
social distancing, leading to drastic increase in unemployment conditions,
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economic loss of trillions dollar, poor job satisfaction, reduced motivation and
workplace depression crisis among organization’s employees with far reaching
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impacts. At this time of global critical waves, companies and organizations need
their human resources officials to help the employees out of this badly driven
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health and economic crisis. The human resource representatives and their
behaviors are the pillars of strength and biggest support center of companies to
combat the unpredictable circumstances and to overcome the human depression
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among employees at plenty of work places around the globe. During the badly
stricken circumstances and to face the challenges, leaders & Human resource
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managers are highly concerned about their work force from encouraging the

This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3590050
 employees to reduce the impacts on their personal as well as professional life by

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applying various leadership & behavioral aspects in these critically hit phase of
COVID-19. Organizations are dealing this outbreak situation in various ways ,one

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of the fundamental qualities of leaders is behavioral science which is being
followed by managers in this eclipsed time, it builds an understanding of how
people react psychologically and respond behaviorally to environments &
situations. This paper reveals how leaders and managers using behavioral science

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to boost their employees spirit mentally and physically to fight Corona Virus
surroundings.

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Key Words: Covid-19, Pathogen, Crisis, human resource manager, leadership,
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Objectives- The main objectives of this study are as below
1. To have the insight about the role & behaviors of HR managers in
organization to combat the Pathogen COVID-19.
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2. To understand the term of Behavioral Science for leaders and HR managers

in organization setting.
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3. To study various methods & measures taken by leader behaviorally to

overcome COVID-19 challenge.
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4. To visualize the future relevance of behavioral science for HR leaders to

manage the crisis.
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Introduction
World health organization has declared the outbreak of Novel corona virus as a
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pandemic to be a public health emergency concern, which is now having outbreak

This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3590050
 in almost every corner of the world tolling human and economic life. There is a

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fight around the globe –Fight for life, fight for economy, fight for health, fight for
services, fight for businesses and fight for safeguarding employees. The current

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crisis period for companies and organizations can be refereed as “Unpredictable,
uncertain, unreal. To fight for businesses and employees, HR professionals and
leaders are at the front line putting their utmost effort to reduce the impacts of this
pandemic among employees. Organizations are in phase of making tough choices

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and in a puzzle to ensure their continuity and survival. The needs of the hour in
businesses have come to ramification aspect. Though the immediate threat is to

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people, the outcome could be a catastrophic to both human and economy.

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Concept of Behavioral Science – the core of human resources lies in
understanding the human behavior at work place. HR activity is rooted in an
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understanding of both the people and the business of the organization. HR actions,
strategies, interventions, emotions, sympathy sides and its systematic applications
are helping employees a lot to fight against the pandemic effects. Behavioral
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insights are used by HR policymakers worldwide to respond this COVID-19.

“Behavioral science builds an understanding of how people react
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psychologically and respond behaviorally to interventions and environments.

Behavioral science combines psychology, neuroscience and economics,
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discovering how one make decisions and behave in the ways”. Behavioral
Science takes its evidence from social sciences such as anthropology, psychology
& ethical aspect to understand human behavior so that people can maximize the
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performance within the workplace. Behavioral science considers the way people
treat employees as a science. Some of the basic principles of Behavioral science
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and essential considerations for workforce that are adopted by HR professional

during this corona virus outbreak times are as below-

This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3590050
 -Showing Care for Employees & Psychological Safety

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First and foremost concern and priority of any organization is- employees. Care &
emotional support indicates the psychological aspects of leaders, with which

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employee feel that they are in good trust and care. It is crucial to avoid panic
during this uncertain pandemic scenario.
-Basic Measures of Prevention and Health & Communication is the key-
Employees are given measures, information & continuous communication about

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ways to prevent the spread of infection for them as well as for their families too
through organization’s website, mails, also persistent communication by virtual

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meetings, video and audio conferencing at the time when employees are working
remotely, away from office due to shutting down of countries.
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Image Source- https://joshbersin.com

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This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3590050
 As the graph shows that top issues that is hovering around HR people mind now a

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days is safety concern for employees of the organization where behavioral science
is coming into picture.

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- Strategies for business survival & being economically active- a comprehensive
strategy that is be understood by employees of the organization, that can be
executed to protect not only the health of employees but the economic and

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organizational interest of companies,

- Change is Inevitable/ Response to surroundings- behavioral science focuses upon

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the responses to environment & changing surroundings. Leaders and HR

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professionals are fighting same circumstances in this corona hit timings because
the working condition have turned upside down so drastically and it becomes
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essential to combat actively. Constant changes in policies, dynamic working hours,
active participation, increased and challenging goals, team work & timely feedback
is also coming in trend during this crisis. .
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As the intensity of this crisis is rising, work from home culture have come into
picture, the performance of employees are being measured in quantum of output
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and work completion rather than time or days at workplace. Bounded optimism is a
term in the field of crisis management for HR people. It is the result of combining
reality with optimism and confidence. Even after knowing the severity of this
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pathogen, HR leaders are giving a ray of optimism that the hard times will move
faster and business will raise again with some modified situations.
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This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3590050
 Methodology- This research paper is framed and based on qualitative research

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method. To understand and explore the term of behavioral science and its
application in organizations to manage the crisis of COVID-19 and also to

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streamline the behavioral role & impact of HR managers on organizational
workforce, secondary data sources are used & reviewed in a systematic form. The
review process is done in combination phases. To understand the meaning,
concept & role of behavioral science in HR, content is acquired through internet

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and online platforms. In first phase we are studying chronological research papers
related to behavioral insight of HR managers towards employees and company in

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several organizations internationally & nationally to respond the contagion, since

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the starting of this pandemic outbreak in December 2019. And in the second phase
consideration is given to reports by HR agencies, newspapers, survey, interview
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speeches by leaders and managers, and articles by international and National
organizations. This paper also presents the future prospectus & relevance of
behavioral science for HR managers to uplift the spirit of employees to fight
unforeseen situations and circumstances.
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Findings - the findings of the paper says that organizations in this pandemic
times are running on 2 principles that are practiced by hr professionals – Crisis
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driven & Result Driven. Out of the reviewing process of international & national
journals it was found in papers that 93% of human resource professionals say their
company is providing new additional family benefits to its employees during the
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COVID-19 (psychological aspect). On the other hand 75% are considering adding
additional benefits. The challenging time is asking a perspective of “Think beyond
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& Go Beyond” to show the best behavioral aspects to workforce so that a morale

This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3590050
 boost up spirit along with being empathize can work as adrenaline for them. This

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study has found that despite of being positive on each aspects of behavioral
science, HR is still lacking to mitigate the financial aspects like compensation

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protection of workforce during this health led economic crisis where number of
jobs are being retrenched threat of job security also comes in, depression issues
come in as mass unemployment is lurking and reduced salaries issue embark as
there is historical downfall in financial system, because above all a human is

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economic being first.

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Contribution- This paper contributes to the literature on behavioral science used

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by HR in organizations to fight some crisis like COVID-19, using different ways
and manner to make employees fight for emergencies. This study shall be helpful
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for newly appointed HR managers, leaders, researchers, academicians who wants
to focus on the behavioral aspects of HR personnel at the time of challenging
crisis. Methods and measures of behavioural science that are reviewed in this paper
can be applicable in organizational setting in different contexts.
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Limitations- this paper is framed around review based methods. The study
covers only a few aspects of behavioral science, all those which are relevant in
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times of COVID-19 challenge and could be applied for resurgence of organization

post corona situations. The study is not unfolding all the layers of behavior insights
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of managers, further it could be expanded by analyzing each and every part of

behavioral science linked to human resources in organization for future studies.
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This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3590050
 Conclusion & Suggestions- Behavioral science not only shapes the behavior

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by influencing people but also create the optimum condition for effective thinking
and well being. As the crisis is rising day by day, there a dire need to establish

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network of teamwork like communication teams, remuneration team, Decision
maker teams, personnel teams irrespective of locations to fight against this
COVID-19 conditions, though behavioral aspect of HR leaders are fulfilling their
criteria to combat these odd circumstances to full extent, still compassion,

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communication, care and change is a lesson for managers from Corona Virus
contagion. The think about next horizons for re emergence of organizations should

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focus on five stages for today and for future are - Response, Resilience, Return,

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Reform & re-imagination while justifying these all with behavioral science by HR
professionals.
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This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3590050
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This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3590050
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Managing Work Place Stress During COVID-19:

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leadership/leadership/micromanagement-in-the-times-of-crisis-preparing-for-the-
covid-19-threat-in-the-workplace/articleshow

Viktorija ilieva, L. D. (2018). Applying behavioral economics insights at the

workplace. Journal of HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT .
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www.cipd.co.uk. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2020, from how-does-behavioral-science-

help-improve-workplace: https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/culture/behaviour"
tn

www2.deloitte.com. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2020, from Leadership in The Crucible

of Crisis: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/economy/covid-19/heart-of-
resilient-leadership-responding-to-covid-19.html
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This preprint research paper has not been peer reviewed. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3590050