In a COVID-19 world that’s slowly moving back to normal, going back to the office presents an opportunity for leaders. You have a chance to reinvent your workplace.
Don’t think of going back to the office as being like flipping a switch, where you return to how things were in 2019. You have the chance to improve the work environment based on your experiences during the past year.
I’m assuming you are following the appropriate safety protocols for your area. With that in mind, use these tips to help you make the most of this opportunity:
A Team Effort
Don’t feel like you have to come up with all the answers. Use the leaders within your organization to develop your vision for the workplace.
Different perspectives should be considered in this committee and it should be understood that not everyone is going to get what they want. It’s important to define the critical functions of interactions that must happen if people are going to work in the same space.
What Has Improved?
Has working from home led to some benefits? Maybe eliminating commuting made a big difference for some. Others may have enjoyed some schedule flexibility.
This is your opportunity to consider whether any of these things should a part of going back to the office.
What’s Been Challenging?
The loss of in-person communication, like hallway conversations, are a benefit you get in the office. Also, mentoring newer employees may not be the same when conducted through a screen.
Make sure you are allowing people to get back to those things. At first, you may want to schedule some networking time to help bring back the good habits.
Hybrid Option
Maybe people really enjoyed working from home and would like to continue that practice in some form. You could go to a model where employees work from home on Monday and Friday and spend Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in the office.
This is a case where it’s good to have your committee talk through the issue and decide whether it can work.
Create Incentives
You may be concerned about maintaining productivity if people are spending a couple of days a week, working from home. Why not make the work from home option a perk for certain productivity milestones?
This could be done on quarterly basis. If goals are achieved, employees have earned the perk. If it’s not a good fit, then you can go back to the old way of doing things.
While this is a greater incentive than casual Friday, it could provide important motivation.
Communicate Expectations
Whatever you decide, make sure people understand what’s in store. You want people focused on their work and not on wondering what’s going to happen.
If going back to work is an evolving process, let employees know that too. Also give a deadline for when you expect a new status quo. A roadmap can be very helpful, even if there is uncertainty ahead.
Ken Okel Is On-Stage and Virtual
