The article is a continuation of considerations concerning the area of managing employees during pandemic. The analyzes concern the food industry of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. The aim of the article is to identify the adaptation processes in directing employees to changes and to indicate the tendencies and behaviors accompanying the adaptation processes of small and medium-sized enterprises in the food sector in Podlaskie Voivodeship. The article indicates the areas of managing employees that are particularly sensitive to the effects of changes resulting from the crisis. At the same time, conclusions were drawn regarding the behavior of enterprises in the processes of adaptation to changes. The research tool was a questionnaire and a direct interview with the owners of 30 small production companies in the food industry in Podlaskie Voivodeship. The hypothesis posed is the following statement: the processes of adaptation to changes due to the pandemic caused a polarization of the approach to the future and the actions taken in Podlaskie food industry enterprises, including employee management.

Human capital is an undisputed value in every organization. In fact, this thesis is confirmed under all economic conditions, both in theory and in practice. The process and areas of human capital management are liable to change. Research on change is very important, and conclusions can be a source of recommendations for business practitioners. The aim of the article is to identify areas of change in scope of human resources management, in particular in the area of time work and motivations that have occurred as a result of the counteraction the effects of the pandemic in small businesses of the food industry of Podlaskie Voivodeship. The study indicates the areas of employee management which are the most susceptible to crisis situations in the turbulent business environment of small food industry companies in the region. The inference was based on the analysis results of own research carried by questionnaire which was directed to Podlasie food producers.The main research hypothesis is to claim that pandemic period has forced changes in human resources management, particular in the area of working time and motivation in small enterprises in food industry. Assessing the impact of pandemic on changes in the main areas of the company's activity and definding the opportunities and threats it creates the current crisis for the development of small food industry companies from the region is an additional goal of the study.