11/10/2026

Industrial Relations will remain strained till new boundaries are drawn

Industrial Relations will remain strained till new boundaries are drawn
The impact of slowing down of business resulting in cost cutting spree to survive will deeply and adversely impact the workforce at all levels. Employees will be expected to do multiple jobs and the set boundaries of their job descriptions will collapse.

Visualising at the post covid business scenario, would IR/ER front also be changed or will remain same and if yes, what changed dimensions do you foresee emerging in industrial Relations/Employee relations?

Are managers ready to address this challenge and what kind of re-skilling/up-skilling is required for HR/IR managers to handle workforce issues in post covid era?

HS In my opinion HR/IR Managers are the change agents of the organisations and should always be ready to accept any challenges including the current challenge of covid 19. They need to continuously learn to adapt and gel in new environments. Re-skilling themselves to be empathetic, equipping themselves with deep listening and authentic talking skills will help HR/IR professionals to handle more smoothly workforce issues post covid era. They should also focus on health, safety & welfare issues and acquire required skills to extend best services. Besides the above...

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Harbhajan Singh

is currently Chief - Strategy & HR, XLRI Delhi-NCR. A veteran HR and Industrial Relations professional with five decades of experience across industry, academia and leadership development, he is also a Visiting Professor at XLRI and XIM University. Having journeyed from trade union leadership in Tata to corporate boardroom in Honda Motorcycle, he brings a distinctive perspective on industrial relations, labour laws, employee engagement and humane leadership.

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Author

Harbhajan Singh

is currently Chief - Strategy & HR, XLRI Delhi-NCR. A veteran HR and Industrial Relations professional with five decades of experience across industry, academia and leadership development, he is also a Visiting Professor at XLRI and XIM University. Having journeyed from trade union leadership in Tata to corporate boardroom in Honda Motorcycle, he brings a distinctive perspective on industrial relations, labour laws, employee engagement and humane leadership.

November 2026

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