5 Tips to Support Remote Employees Transition Back to Office Life
Over the last three months, UK Google search volumes show an uptick in businesses requesting their employees shift from hybrid or remote working patterns to more time in the office.
- Return to office mandate searches have tripled
- Return to office searches have doubled
Whether your employees have already made the move back in the office, or it’s something your business is considering in the future, some employees may embrace the change in working environment – and others may find it more difficult.
Dr Rebecca Rohrer, Medical Director for Healthcare Management, Bupa UK Insurance, shares tips for managers and business owners to support employees struggling to adjust back to office life.
Reinforce and evidence positives
Whatever the reason your staff are returning to the office, management can help to promote some of the positive changes. Show your team that reconnecting with colleagues face to face can be beneficial – and how this move influences and supports your business and cultural goals.
Think about offering ‘welcome back’ packs to those less familiar with office life to help them settle in, along with introducing optional mixers, from social clubs to health and wellbeing events, like team yoga or meditation sessions. Think about what you can offer in the workplace to help enrich and offer opportunities to strengthen team relations and give them cause to embrace office life.
Appreciate existing commitments
Some employees may feel resistant to returning to the office based on their personal commitments. From childcare to pet care, the move back to the office might require more logistics for some, leading to potential reluctance to embrace change.
The important thing is to listen to your employees. Shutting down their concerns by making blanket return rules across the whole workforce may trigger further issues, including discrimination claims. Some flexibility may go a long way for employees when it’s needed, from working overtime to accommodate the school run, to accommodating disruption caused by public transport.
Adapt to potential stresses of office working
The preparation, expenditure and energy of commuting – and actually being in the office - may be challenging to some employees – especially if their commute is on the longer side.
For employees with a trickier route, are there any schemes or incentives to help manage the financial or time impact of their journey? From public transport season tickets, to cycle to work schemes, investing in and promoting these schemes, these can all make a big difference and show your team that you understand and care.
For neurodiverse employees, working in the office may present particular challenges for them, ranging from lighting to social cues. It’s important for business owners to educate themselves on strategies that consider each employee and help them to thrive in the office, such as:
- Talking to your employee to find out if there’s anything that they need to help them work in the office
- Investing in technology to support their needs
- Making reasonable work schedule adjustments
- Adapting their workstation
- Clearly communicating
- Creating designated quiet zones
- Ensuring you’re approachable to make any further adjustments, if necessary
It’s also important to make your staff aware of any support services they have available to them through work. From neurodiversity benefits, employee assistance plans and health insurance, knowledge of these outlets can be of great help, when needed.
Leverage goal setting
Having shared goals across your team is a great way to encourage collaboration together in the office. It also gives your team a good excuse to get together regularly, whether weekly or biweekly to fully align and ensure you’re on track to achieve your goals.
A benefit of catching up and skill-sharing in person is that they often lend themselves to more informality. This can help strengthen the bonds between your colleagues that may not be as easy to develop over calls. These connections can help reinforce the importance and purpose of what you’re working on together – often greater effectiveness.
Lead by example
Lastly, make sure your workforce sees that you practice what you preach. If you’re expecting your team to show up, you should, too. Make use of the areas, schemes and initiatives to help drive good wellbeing and performance in your team. Join meetings inperson, rather than by video. Keep communication two-way; make sure that your door is open to employees and people managers to create a culture that fully embraces office working that works for all.
