Support Your Team During the Office Return

By Constance Dierickx and Dorie Clark?for Harvard Business Review | August 18, 2021

The prospect of returning to the office will likely bring up a range of reactions in your employees, from relief and excitement to fear and hesitation. Here are three ways you can support your team.

1. Over-index on communication. Talk with your people early and often about your team’s reopening plans, policies, and expectations. Once you’re in the swing of it, ask for people’s feedback on how things are going — and create an environment where people feel safe expressing concern.
2. Facilitate interpersonal connections. People are feeling rusty about their social skills. Small gestures like “back to work” happy hours or team lunches make a difference.
3. Take care of yourself. The pressure of being responsible for delivering results — not to mention people’s feelings and physical safety — is no small thing. Take walks, block your calendar on particular days or times when you need to focus, and seek out people who can support you in the same way you’re trying to support your team.