Impact of COVID-19 On Human Resource Management Practices: A Qualitative Study of Private School Teachers in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to identify how COVID-19 has created an impact on Human Resource Management (HRM) Practices adopted by Private Schools in Sri Lanka to manage their teachers. This study analyses whether the COVID-19 has created any changes in HRM practices. This study further suggests HRM practices that private schools can use to manage their teachers efficiently and effectively during indeterminate times like COVID-19 pandemic. To the authors knowledge a few numbers of researches have been done to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on HRM Practices adopted by Private Schools in Sri Lanka. Hence this gap will be addressed by this paper. Total number of 102 teachers from 42 private schools in Sri Lanka were randomly selected to conduct the research. Participants consisted of primary and secondary level teachers from different districts in Sri Lanka. The author used semi-structured interview method to collect the data. The findings concluded that HRM Practices adopted by Private Schools in Sri Lanka has taken a new perspective after COVID 19. The Changes comprised of negative as well as positive aspects. The findings will provide an insight and guide the policy makers to design their policies effectively to manage their employees specially during rough periods.