Covid 19 has been a disaster for our lives.

It is a challenge for all the business entities. The employer - employee relationship has become a challenge to maintain. Employees as a grave result of this disaster are losing jobs, facing deduction in salaries and on the other hand the employers are struggling with restricted cash flows. All these problems are here to stay for long till the economy recovers completely. The business entities which are flexible with the people as well as business are the ones who emerge stronger and can successfully overcome such challenges. The unpredictability that has appeared after the covid 19 situation has made the employers and employees re-think about the business strategies and their methods of working.

The disaster has not only created challenges for the business but also changed the dynamics of the relationship between the employer and the employee. Contract of personal service governs the relationship between the employer and employee. Reduction in salary, termination of the services , long working hours, reduction in staff, etc has created a rift between the employer and employee.

Returning back to the older ways of working after the post covid bring a lot of legal as well as employee and employer relation complexities in business. There are many employers who are facing the problem of shifting their workforce to remote working and it is a bigger challenge to those who are less experienced, not so technically advanced, and have less availability and accessibility. On the other side, the employees are facing a lot of stress due to social isolation, remote learning, work life balance, technological challenges, financial uncertainty and instability in the routine. These challenges are affecting the mental health of the employees as well as the employers. Success can be only possible if both the employer and the employees equally commit to each other's success and well being. It is true that  employer and employee relations are based on mutual respect, similar goals,flexibility and a sense of humanity. For a relationship like that of employer and employee to excel it is important that mental health and safety should be kept in front of the profits. It is very important to accept the new normal and approach towards making the relationship of the employer and the employee trustworthy, supportive and encourage proper communication. This crisis has led to the situation where the employee needs to understand that due to restricted cash flow the employers are helpless in providing the expected salary but on the other hand the employer must show humanity for fixing the minimum salary. This mutual approach can help in building a strong relation between the employer and employee. There are ways in which the relation between the employer and employee in post covid times can be better and result in proper functioning of the business.

Increase in remote working 

In the difficult times of covid where the physical offices are challenging to access, working remotely is an option which can make work go smoothly. There is a need for all the employers and employees to collaborate digitally to ensure that the operation and strategies can be concluded properly. Expanded data collection-Technological advancement has made it easy for the employers to monitor the in and out timing of the employees. Some employers prefer to track the employees through the productivity in their work rather than monitoring their computer usage.

Expanded employer role as a safety net

Employers play an important role in safeguarding the interest of the employees by supporting them. Such support includes financial support, enhanced sick leaves, suitable hours of working, covid insurance policies, medical assistance, etc.

Humanization of employees

It is seen that many employers treat the employees as workers rather than treating them as humans. An approach should be such that the employees should get respect and support rather than high risk and little or no support.

Creation of trust and transparency

It is necessary that there is mutual respect and trust between the employers and employees. Only with the support of each other can the organization grow in such difficult times. Virtual meetings have become a new normal and with the help of the communication can become more transparent. Trust and connection should be prioritised.

Conclusion

Both employer and employee are the sides of the two coins and they have to travel in the same boat. The stronger the relationship is built, the better the organization will do. It is important to build a relationship which is based on transparency, confidence, trust and mutual respect and humanity. If the relationship between the employer and employee is strong no crisis can cause the downfall of any organisation