Episode 3
CHRO Insights with Lars Schmidt
As organizations navigate return-to-work strategies post-lockdown, HR leaders face unprecedented complexity. Lars Schmidt shares how CHROs are balancing employee safety, mental health, and culture in a distributed world—and why going back to normal isn’t an option.
Episode Key Takeaways
Return to work isn’t a switch flip. Organizations attempting phased reopenings before hitting safety milestones risk second waves and employee anxiety. The real challenge isn’t logistics—it’s acknowledging that pre-pandemic normal no longer exists, and designing something fundamentally different.
Presenteeism under lockdown is burning out teams faster than productivity gains justify. When employees work high-adrenaline hours from home while managing kids, caregiving, and job security fears, they’re operating at unsustainable capacity. Leaders who communicate priorities and trust asynchronous work see better retention and engagement.
Lars points to Airbnb’s layoff response as a masterclass in empathy: 13 weeks severance, one year of benefits, employees keep laptops, and recruiting teams redeploy as outplacement agents. This model—turning TA into advocates for displaced talent—signals a shift from transactional hiring to stakeholder stewardship.
Culture in distributed teams requires opt-in, not obligation. Mandatory Zoom happy hours and all-hands meetings create invisible stress for single parents, caregivers, and those in cramped spaces. Meeting people where they are means reading the room and making participation genuinely voluntary.
Open-source HR is accelerating. Coinbase’s COVID playbook, crowdsourced remote job lists, and layoff transparency docs prove practitioners will share competitive advantage when crisis demands it. The next wave: platforms for reimagining work itself, not just replicating office norms online.
Frequently
Asked
Questions
What should our return-to-work plan include?
Phased milestones tied to epidemiological data, not arbitrary dates. Address employee safety protocols, flexible arrangements for those with health conditions or caregiving duties, office reconfiguration for distancing, and clear communication on timing. Avoid assuming one-size-fits-all; individual circumstances vary widely.
How do we maintain culture when everyone's remote?
Lead with authenticity and opt-in participation. Avoid Zoom fatigue by making social events voluntary, not mandatory. Recognize that single employees sheltering alone have different needs than parents juggling kids and work. Meet people where they are—some crave connection, others need space to manage competing demands.
What technologies should we adopt for remote work?
Existing stacks (Slack, Teams, Zoom) handle communication, but gaps remain. Prioritize knowledge-sharing platforms for asynchronous learning, and productivity tools like Jira or Trello that measure output rather than hours. Avoid surveillance software; it erodes trust and signals distrust of remote workers.
How can TA teams help during layoffs?
Redeploy recruiters as outplacement agents. Compile impacted employee profiles into searchable, public lists (Airbnb used Coda for interactivity). Provide severance, extended benefits, and laptop ownership. This transforms TA from hiring function into talent steward and signals organizational values beyond the business cycle.
How do we avoid burnout in remote-first work?
Shift from hours-based to outcome-based management. Communicate priorities clearly and let employees work asynchronously when possible. Acknowledge that lockdown work isn’t typical remote work—it’s office work replicated online under crisis conditions. Reduce meeting load and normalize flexible schedules.