Innovative human resource management strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic narrative review approach

The spread of COVID-19 creates disruption, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity in all organizations. People are the primary asset of any organization and help achieve their goals. Accordingly, to manage human resources sustainably, the organizational strategy review is an appropriate retort. The purpose of this comprehensive review study is to identify unknown challenges, strategies, and unusual decisions related to human resource management other than clinical organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study applied a narrative review approach dissection based on organizations' human resource management strategies to combat the COVID-19 impacts. In total, 797 records, until November 20, 2020, were extracted from these databases. Then, we updated our search to the first quarter of 2021, which included 484 records. After removing duplicates and reviewing articles according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 articles were used for the study. Finally, the study developed a conceptual framework of human resource management strategies based on the literature findings to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic posed numerous adverse consequences, such as economic shock, global health crisis, change in social behaviors, and challenges at the organization level to continue business operations. Besides, the strategies included flexibility, strengthening internal efficiency, talent acquisition, and making innovative changes based on organizational assessment and needs for smooth business activities. The appropriate human resource management strategies implementations would increase employees’ mental well-being, satisfaction, productivity, motivation, and health safety at the workplace. Human resource management; COVID-19 adverse consequences; Novel coronavirus; Pandemic, Infectious disease, SARS-CoV-2 virus; Abrupt global challenges; Innovative HR strategy.