What does an Effective Return to Work Look Like?

Over the past year and a half, we have been forced to shift how, where, and when we work, creating new lifestyles for ourselves and our loved ones. With time, we have become accustomed to this new routine, with many finding that it actually suits them better.

As normalcy begins to return though, many employers are thinking about bringing employees back to the office safely and efficiently while maintaining (or increasing) productivity and employee engagement levels. While it is exciting to think about experiencing the energy of working together in person again, some anxiety and fear (or even frustration) may exist when thinking about a return to the office.?

Many of your co-workers are likely feeling the same way. Transitioning back to the office needs to come with a solid plan, and leadership teams everywhere are figuring out how to keep people safe and implement hybrid models that work for both business outcomes and teams.?

What is the best laid plan for returning to work? And what should organizations be mindful of when implementing return to work plans?

Hybrid work

According to a recent study done by McKinsey, 80 percent of people report that they enjoy working from home. With no commute to endure and more time to spend with family, employees may not be keen to return to the office full-time.?

Hybrid models seem to be the hot topic of conversation for most return-to-work plans. Forbes calls it “a comfortable segue back to the new normal,” but it also comes with its own share of potential issues, especially now that workforces are becoming more widely distributed and many companies are looking to cut down on their real estate footprint, not add to it.

There are also in-person relationships to consider. Those that get more face time will inevitably form a stronger relationship. And when it comes to managers and employees, will this create favoritism and/or a higher likelihood of upwards career progression for those willing and able to come into the office on a regular basis?

Mental health and wellness

The transition back to the office won’t be easy for some people.?

Offices must do their best to consider safety, and it is certain that not everyone will feel comfortable with the measures that are adopted. Plexiglass partitions and mask mandates will give some employees security, but they are also symbolic of red-hot issues and division within society at large.?

Show compassion

As we return to the office, it’s essential to show compassion for yourself and others. As Eric Friedman points out in a recent Forbes article, “It is important to listen, to reinforce patience and kindness during the process and to involve employees in mapping out the solutions to each work environment challenge.”?

Communication with colleagues and compassion is paramount. It’s important to not just consider how returning to work may impact mental health, but also to respect the opinions of others and be mindful of behaviors that could be problematic for some people.

Now is not the time to jump back in headfirst. Instead of scheduling a meeting with all of your co-workers at once, have smaller group meetings to help people get reacclimated. Talk about what your colleagues feel comfortable doing, like wearing a mask or shaking hands. Along with compassion, communication is also vital during the transition period.?

Focus on the positives

Working from home can provide ease and flexibility for many of us, but there are a few positives to returning to the office. According to Verywell Mind, returning to the office will allow us to reduce the loneliness many of us experienced during lockdowns and to rebuild the social connections we had previously established. Additionally, many of us will have fewer distractions to deal with at the office, and we will also be able to create a stronger distinction between our work and home lives.?

For some of us, we can’t wait to get out of our basements or away from our kitchen tables and back to the office. For others, the transition will take a bit more time. Organizations have a lot to consider when making back to work plans, and once again we will all need to adapt to new routines. There are a lot of details to work through, but with patience, employees will soon be expertly navigating “return to work,” and however it may look.?