Uncertainty and fear of the unknown: What can human resource development do?

• Date: 01 June 2020
• Author: Thomas G. Reio
• Published date: 01 June 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21394

EDITORIAL

Uncertainty and fear of the unknown:

What can human resource development do?

At best, these are uncertain times. Although uncertainty can be fruitful because it can motivate us to be curious and

exploratory to reduce said uncertainty, it can make us anxious and hesitant. One hardly wants to risk trying new

things when the uncertainty and its associated risk for loss are perceived to be too high. Further, uncertainty can

bring about fear of the unknown, particularly when it concerns not only the safety and health of our families and

ourselves but also our jobs and ways of life. Indeed, these days, it is hard to find solace and reasons for optimism

when daily headlines are crowded with dire news related to the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Our leaders know all-too-well how uncertainty and the fear it generates has riled the world's stock markets and

wreaked havocon our private and professional lives. Medicalprofessionals, the heroesof our time, are fighting valiantly

to save peoples'lives, and with much success,albeit it is rarely reported. Still,they are facing the pressing reality of the

unknown. They risktheir lives daily not knowing if a small slipupin safety protocol will expose them to the COVID-19

virus and concomitantly their families. Moreover, colleges and universities are confronting the real possibility of

decreased enrollments and crushing budget shortfalls. With no idea when relief might be in sight, higher education

administratorsare constructing budgets for the upcoming academic yearthat include worst case scenarios wherethey

fear enrollments might drop up to 25%. Faced, too, with the unknown, businesses in almost every sector, especially

restaurants, department stores, barbershops and hair salons, gyms, and entertainment venues such as theaters have

been hit hard by forced closures. Business owners rightly fear that they may not be able to reopen andremain viable.

To top it all off, as working adults, parents and grandparents are being required to “home school”their children or

grandchildren, often with unfamiliar media. In all these instances, the unknown and the fear it generates can be

calamitous.

Notwithstanding, there are grounds for optimism and hope because as we accrue new knowledge about how to

deal effectively with COVID-19 and its consequences, in many walks of life, the unknown seems just a little less

daunting.Fear fades as uncertainty is replacedby research-based knowledge.There is evidence our leaders areworking

cooperatively to sponsor research and find means to stop the spread of the virus. Medical researchers are reporting

promising new research-based strategies to deal withthose who have been infected, as wellas encouraging advances

in developing a vaccine.Admittedly, a vaccine or cure may be far off, butthere is a sense of “We can do this”from our

medical experts. In higher education, administrators, faculty andstaff, and students are learningways to cooperate for

the sake of facilitating student learning, despite the daunting challenges. Whereas business owners are extremely

concerned aboutbeing able to reopen and maintain thelong-term viability of their respective businesses,they too are

jointly cooperating with community leaders, unions, employees, vendors, and customers to learn from each other and

find ways to operate safely and viably. Similarly, at home, parents and grandparents are cooperating with principals,

teachers,and neighbors to teach our precious children.

As human resource development (HRD) researchers and practitioners, we have much to add to the emerging

conversation about how to reduce uncertainty and fear through cooperating and learning for the good of all. Our

research, for example, informs how to teach and facilitate learning best in online settings. Refreshing new research

could be designed to investigate best strategies to reduce anxiety and fear for our neophyte online learners who are

DOI: 10.1002/hrdq.21394

© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Human Resource Development Quarterly. 2020;31:147–148. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/hrdq 147