Human resources are the heart of every organisation. They can make or break an organisation, depending partly on how they are coping and how they are managed. In the past months, South Africa and the world have been hit by a health pandemic, COVID-19, whose repercussions are unprecedented. Emotional reactions of employees to the pandemic itself, to the illnesses and loss of loved ones present an unparalleled challenge to managers within organisations. As organisations continue to adapt to changing pandemic conditions, workforce safety and well-being are critical to sustaining organisational performance, service delivery and competitiveness. This article uses a review of literature to analyse the reactions of employees and management to this virus and other health epidemics, and the human capital management theory. From the qualitative analysis of the literature, the article then determines whether lessons from the documented experien