Although Human Resources (HR), as a function, is no longer treated as just administrative and transactional, the literature is yet to explore HR’s pivotal role in guiding organizations through tumultuous times. Despite acknowledgement of HR’s strategic contributions in the times of crises, there is a dearth of discussion demonstrating how HR practices steer organizations toward adaptability and resilience. In this paper we explore the evolving strategic role of HR during crises or exogenous shock. We argue that HR professionals are instrumental in formulating and implementing rapid crisis response strategies, facilitating business recovery, and ensuring organizational resilience. Simultaneously, HR takes a leadership role during an exogenous shock in transitioning organizations towards more agile operating models, managing heightened complexity, and balancing compassion for employees with the imperative of ensuring managerial efficiency. Using analysis of newspaper articles on Covid-19, we found 9 broad HR enablers that bailed out organizations during the event as well as kept them relevant in the post-pandemic era. We also validated the themes, that emerged from the literature, by interviewing senior HR professionals across the world. The findings show that HR acted as a crucial change agent during an exogenous shock, driving bottom-line results as a business partner while fostering trust and empathy among employees.
