This article is a starting point for comparison of the state and changes in personnel work in SMEs inthe Czech Republic before the corona crisis. The text is based on the implementation of longitudinal primary research using the method of a questionnaire survey in SMEs among managers and HR professionals in the first half of 2020. The authors aim to monitor changes in the management of personnel work inthe long term. This article will generalize the most important findings on the level of personnel work inSMEs in the Czech Republic before the corona crisis. Using statistical methods, it will be stated which personnel activities are used and what importance they attach to them by the management of the organization, but also what time allowance companies use actually for the implementation of the activities. Furthermore, the results of the adopted personnelstrategies, for planning the needs ofemployees, for managing the job description and their analysis will be presented. The article will generalize further knowledge about the practice of personnel work in SMEs. The result of the article will be a summarythat will find out what problems SMEs most often deal with in personnel work, what they consider problematic and what company management plans to change in this area.