When the novel coronavirus upended work nearly overnight, employers scrambled to keep essential, front-line workers safe and set up others for remote work.

HR pros found themselves tasked with training employees on topics ranging from remote productivity to mask mandate enforcement. Some HR pros also were managing layoffs, while others were implementing mass-hiring campaigns using new-to-them tech.

As the dust settled after the early weeks, employers also realized they needed to maintain ongoing learning and development initiatives in a new environment. They still needed to prioritize diversity and inclusion, and they couldn't delay harassment investigations and performance reviews any longer.

HR Dive spoke with various experts on the best ways to address these needs during the pandemic's first year, and many focused on the need for empathy, transparency and flexibility. The following 10 stories address these lessons and more.