Top Tips for Getting Employees to Come Back to the Office
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Now that the pandemic is subsiding, you're likely trying to reopen the office. However, employees might be reluctant to return to the office after having just become used to remote work. Let’s take a very close look at some of the top tips for getting employees to make the process of returning to a physical office a little easier for everyone.
First and foremost, you'll want to carefully monitor and modifyworkloads. Because employees are coming back after a very long hiatus, you want to ease into things gradually. Don't give them an immense amount of work on the first day as that will discourage them from coming back. Your company might be in a state where it is optional to work from home, and the first impression of the office makes a big difference. Tell them by email that things will slowly be ramping back up to normal. As humans, we need to acclimate to our surroundings. A sudden shift in responsibilities isn't good for anyone involved. Not only would they be overstressed, but you will also feel a burden on your side. Carefully monitor your employees' workloads and adjust it as you see fit.
A better commute will also encourage employees to come back to the office. While you might not be able to physically change the location of the office, you can definitely point out positive trends. Because many business people will still be working from home, traffic will be much lighter than normal. Point this out to your employees in a newsletter. One thing that is in control is the parking situation. When a clean, convenient parking lot is available, people will be more inclined to drive to work. According to C&D, a company that doesparking lot striping Dallas TX, inappropriately marked parking lots make parking a pain for users while also increasing liability in case of an accident for the owner of the building. With clear stripes on the ground, the lot makes it very easy for employees to park their vehicles without having to hover and idle. Remember, your employees start and end the day with their vehicle in a parking stall. If you can make this process as straightforward as possible, they'll be enticed to work from the office on a daily basis.
If people are going to return to the office, they want to know that they have a minimal chance of getting infected. So, implement a number of safety precautions to ensure that everyone is protected. First, ensure that workspaces are at a minimum of six feet apart to maintain social distancing. Provide hand sanitizer on each floor and make sure all public spaces are wiped down before gatherings. On an individual level, employees should not be in attendance if they are feeling sick or have a fever. While you want people to be present as much as possible, emphasize that there's no shame in being absent in order to keep others safe. If your office meets high standards, look to acquire a certification to show off your efforts. Both your employees and inspectors will be impressed by how much attention to detail you have put forth.
Last but not least, giving incentives to your employees is super effective. Tell them that you are ordering catered food for lunch on one day and desserts from a pastry shop on another. Because the office will be sparse, let them have some of the private cubicles that are empty. When it comes to employee engagement, don't be afraid to spend a bit of your budget to make it stick. When employees know that something cool is awaiting them in the office, you'll see a much higher response rate. These incentives can be some sort of goal as well. Maybe if your office has a certain participation rate, someone will win a prize.
When all is said and done, some if not the majority of office workers will have to return to their pre-COVID routines. By implementing these approaches, people will be ready to get back to work as normal without incurring additional stress. The bottom line is, you need to take it slow and be patient overall.
Katie earned a BA in English from WWU and loves to write. She also adores hiking in redwood forests and photography. She feels happiest around a campfire surrounded by friends and family.