HR expert urges people to reflect on skills picked up in lockdown amid Covid-19 redundancies

An HR expert is assuring people who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19 that they’ve picked up valuable skills during lockdown.

Katherine Swan, the New Zealand Director of Randstad Recruitment Agency, told TVNZ1’s Breakfast people should take advantage of new skills like connecting virtually and using technology to sell themselves in their next role.

She also encouraged people to take time to reflect and work out what’s next as “this won’t last forever”.

For businesses, Ms Swan urged them to adhere to standard HR practices amid the pandemic.

“It’s really important to understand that redundancies are not an individual decision. They’re about a business. They’re about a role,” she said.

“They’re not a personal decision. However, they can be taken personally.

“So, it’s really important organisations understand that and know how to communicate this effectively.”

She said organisations looking to make people redundant should do their research and know their rights.

Ms Swan said employees should also know their rights if they have lost their job.