How to create an office environment that energises, not drains

Last week, as the start of September drew more people back into offices across the country, I stepped into the PageGroup Reading office and instantly felt like an excited school kid on the first day back.

Despite being able to choose their own approach to flexibility, our employees had chosen to come into the office in droves and the office felt electric with buzz and chatter. Anyone who also works in a sales organisation will understand how bizarre it’s been to sit in relative silence over the past eighteen months.

I realised, as I stopped and chatted to colleagues I hadn’t seen for over a year, that I felt energised by the environment. Yes, remote working will still be playing a big part in my life – there are too many benefits to ignore – but that first ‘real’ day back made me understand exactly why I’d missed the office so much.

It got me thinking, then, how my fellow leaders and I can make sure that our employees can return to an office that does give them energy, rather than feeling draining and dull. With all of the benefits of home working making us reluctant to give up our new routines, what can businesses do to make their employees actually want to spend time there?

I think the key is to make sure you are incentivising people with collaboration, socialisation and opportunity. We all know that home working can be great for getting your head down and stuck into something solo, so let’s not ask people to come in when that’s their focus. It’s also really important to replicate some of those home comforts – making the office space fresh and vibrant, being flexible about break times, and even smaller things like having good coffee!

If you want your employees to feel energised when they come into the office, here are a few tangible ways you can make sure they get the best out of coming in:

·????????Face to face manager catch ups – feedback is so important for development and having these discussions in real life can motivate employees whilst also giving them the opportunity to share any concerns on a more personal level

·????????In person training – people are always keen to learn new skills but attending virtual training can often be draining. Hosting some real-life sessions in the office with engaging speakers will encourage people to attend

·????????Office space – after almost two years of being surrounded by home comforts, office spaces lack the small pleasures we’ve come to rely on. Let’s face it, offices can be really dull so adding some vibrancy is key if you want people to visit – from plants and brighter colours to enhanced technology, proper coffee and slicker workstations – you’ll be surprised by the difference it allmakes

·????????Empower them by asking – poll your employees on the days they actually want to come in, so that they get to be in charge of their own routine. Our recent survey of UK workers showed that Wednesday was the preferred day for office working, whereas people prefer to work at home on Monday and Friday. Give them the freedom to choose as a collective, so that they feel more productive when they are in the office

Naturally, these are just a few of the various ways in which leaders should consider adapting the office environment in order to make it a place where people actually do want to come and visit. We’ve spent far too long at home with the freedom and ability to work in a way that suits us to go back to a stale approach that is no longer fit for purpose.

A trip to a full and buzzy office with chatter, coffee catch ups and ideas bouncing around gave me more energy and enthusiasm for work than I’ve had for months. For others, energy may come from one to one catch ups with old office friends in person, meeting new colleagues for the first time or simply having a day away from the chaos of trying to balance work and kids.

I’d love for you to comment on what you need from the office in order to feel energised – and what more, as leaders, can we be doing to ensure our employees are happy as they return on a hybrid basis.