We’ve found our return-to-office “sweet spot”

I’ll never forget the day the pandemic forced us all to leave our offices for home. For months, I struggled with how I was going to lead from afar. Like so many others, I waited for the world to return to normal just so I could get back to being in the office five days a week. After all, that’s where we’re most productive and how we build success, right? On one side, some business leaders advocate for a full-time return-to-office while others have shed expensive office space for an entirely virtual work style. After carefully considering what works for our company and our people, we found our sweet spot and the entire experience gave me pause to reflect on how I’ve changed my thinking and how we’ve tackled this challenge as a company.

Don’t trade comfort for knowledge

One of the most profound lessons for me is about the importance of balancing work and life. I believe some leaders overlook the fact that pre-pandemic workstyles were far from perfect. Returning to how things were is a comforting tactic that ignores everything we learned. So after much deliberation with our Associates and HR team, Honda opted for a two day, in-office routine, which offers flexibility in meeting essential in-office teamwork while also saving people time and commuting stress. I also looked inwardly and realized that being in our office isn’t enough on its own to make me feel connected. I had to change as a leader so, on the days when we’re together, I make an extra effort to connect with others. This has played a big part in helping me feel more connected.

Technology bridges rather than fills the gap

Many of us have experienced video conference fatigue, but technology has been a valuable tool to keep us all connected to one another and the daily needs of our business. On our teams, we leaned into the power of internal communications platforms to gather people’s input and opinions on things that impact them. While technology hasn’t replaced the dynamism that comes from being together, it has allowed us to communicate with one another more than ever before. Keeping channels open, soliciting ideas and including people in our decisions helped us be better at what we do while getting more from the time when we can’t be in one another’s presence.

Embrace new ways to build connections and community

I believe we can say society proved its ability to experiment and recalibrate the world of work. We’ll fine-tune our set-up if it’s the right thing to do but I’m convinced that we’ve created something good for Honda and our people. Leaders would be wise to focus on enhancing our current track with new, different and creative ways to foster a sense of community and culture. Find good reasons to be together but ensure it has purpose and meaning. Recognize that what works now may be different in a few months so don’t be afraid to adjust. ?

I agree with experts who say society will see the benefits of our new work arrangement for years to come. In my view, it’s time to embrace how far we’ve come and instead of simply reverting to our previous ways of working, be selective about which aspects of work we allow back into our lives.?