Human resource management in extreme contexts: Coping with disruption in the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how companies and the HRM function adapted to the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, it analysed the crisis’s impact on the HRM roles, activities and practices. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected through interviews with 20 HR professionals and managers at two points during the pandemic: during the first lockdowns, and then again between six and twelve months later. The interviewees represented companies with both national and international operations across several European and Asian countries. Findings The findings are organised into four key categories: 1) HRM and the company response phases; 2) the role and relevance of the HRM function; 3) the planning-acting-planning cycle; and 4) the HR capacity to navigate complexity and simplicity. Originality/value While the existing literature on HRM in crisis contexts typically focuses on financial or economic crises – emphasising employee dismissal, cost control and process efficiency – it lacks a comprehensive understanding of how HRM functions during global health crises. Although established theoretical frameworks like the Strategic HRM view perform well in relatively mild external contexts, they prove insufficient in explaining how HRM operates in strongly disruptive external crises. These crises are defined as “strong context environments” that profoundly shape the decisions and actions of individuals and organisations. This paper offers insights on the interplay between the HRM function in extreme contexts.