I Was Happy In The Haze Of A Furlough Hour, But Heaven Knows I'm Happier Now...

Well, tonight marks the end of my first week back at work after six weeks of furlough. I'm writing this tired, hungry and slightly confused about where the last five days have gone, but my overall emotion is happiness. Pretty strange considering I have enjoyed an extended period of doing very little. So what has happened to make being back at work feel so much better than being 'on leave'?

Maybe not surprisingly in this line of work I benefit from having a boss who is really aware of the personal and professional needs of his team. His care and support this week has really helped me to shed the nerves, anxiety and inevitable 'imposter syndrome' I was experiencing in the run up to coming back. Whether consciously or not, he has delivered some expert leadership to ensure that I have been able to settle straight back in and achieve some great results in my first few days. I thought that it was worth sharing the five key things that he did for any managers who are planning to welcome furloughed staff back in, or individuals who want to know what conditions will help to make them feel safe and secure as they readjust to working life:

1. Choose the right time - If I had come back at any point before this week, the chances are there might not have been quite enough to keep me fully occupied, or my boss might not have had the time to support and supervise the way he has. Coming back and not having a full in tray could be demotivating, so plan when the best 'Day 1' is for all parties;
2. Get in touch in advance - Once the date is agreed, don't wait until then to say hi. That is like waiting for the first day at a new school - it can be nerve-wracking and leave you worrying about what is expected of you. I had a really great video call with my boss in the middle of the week before where nothing was rushed and we took the time to plan what the first week might look like. This was a great first step to reintegration;
3. Prioritise the first meeting - Right now, like mine, these are likely to be virtual sessions. My boss was there on screen bright and early, backing up everything he had said the previous week and as ever taking the time to check that I was ok in myself. From this session, I knew what I had to do, when it was required by and what I might expect in terms of check-ins;
4. Set some interesting projects - The best way to get the brain working and the adrenaline pumping is to provide some stimulating challenges. This week I have been brought in to some really exciting activity, and deliberately had some of the more fun or creative bits sent my way to be getting on with. This is my boss giving me a gift - tempted though he may have been to pass me the stuff that was less than thrilling, or was causing him a headache, he actually sacrificed some of his own enjoyment to help make me feel instantly 'at home' and back up to speed;
5. Give them some space - As important as the daily meetings and the ad-hoc check-ins is a bit of room to just settle in and get used to being at work. Getting this balance right can be the most critical thing to do with staff returning from furlough - they need to know you are there if they need you but also that you trust them and believe in their ability to find their way back to their work routine.

This combination of little things has proved to be hugely powerful in helping me to come back feeling valued, invested in and worthy of my place in the team. I know I'm going to have to rest lots over this weekend, as it will inevitably take its toll on my energy levels, but I know that come Monday I will be ready and raring to go again based on a brilliant first week.

I hope that everyone returning from furlough is as lucky as I am - we need our bosses to be great like mine has been to make sure we continue to pull through this extended period of uncertainty.