Developing Competencies for Emotional, Instrumental, and Informational Student Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Human Relations/Human Resource Development Approach

The Problem The COVID-19 pandemic required many college and university faculty members to transition quickly from traditional classroom instruction to virtual, online learning. Aside from mastering technical skills needed to maintain an uninterrupted learning environment, faculty were challenged with mastering social-emotional competencies for maintaining continuity in relationships (e.g. student/peer, student/instructor). This dilemma highlights transdisciplinary relationships between the fields of human relations (HRL) and human resource development (HRD). The Recommendation In this article, a framework is introduced and recommended for understanding the experiences of a university faculty member who, in addition to mastering technical competencies (e.g., coaching, care, collaboration), was also challenged with developing social-emotional support behaviors (e.g., emotional, instrumental, informational) while maintaining continuity in established relationships as a transdisciplinary HRL/HRD response to the pandemic. The Stakeholders This article offers faculty, higher education administrators, human relations professionals, and human resource development scholars/practitioners a model for ways in which to work professionally within the “new normal.”