How do employees feel about coming back to the office? Nervous, excited, worried? What’s your plan for keeping people safe and keeping your business profitable?
There is a divide between returning to the office and working from home. Understanding the landscape today – and how it’s likely to evolve – is key for businesses wondering what to do next.
In the coming weeks, as restrictions will start to loosen, companies around the world will start to bring people back into the workplace. There will be some that will be happy to be out of their homes, while others will be anxious to return.
Below are some thoughts on what companies can do in the short term to prepare for a return to the office to ease your anxiety:
Optimize the current experience
When some or all of the current employees cannot be together physically, it is important to maximize the virtual connection by not just delivering work, but also focusing on the community, services and the culture of workers.
Plan for a return to the office
Collaboration, performance and wellbeing must be at the center of any return-to-office strategy. When it comes down to it, make sure to survey and ask staff to identify some of their key functions that might require a physical office space. From these surveys and discussions, make sure to integrate strategies and communicate them within your business. Lastly, Consider whether coworking can offer a temporary supplement or permanent complement to your business. In addition to communicating in advance of employees returning to the office, signage should be posted throughout, reinforcing the steps you are taking, including reminding employees about physical distancing, hygiene and the role employees have in keeping each other safe.
Reconsider telework and physical space
Working from home was a nationwide experiment that managed to work for a lot of industries. Take advantage of this opportunity to embrace learning and transformation. Treat telework not as a contingency or perk, but as part of a strategy for blended accommodation. Maximize the benefits of both physical and virtual work to support teams.
The reason to have an office is the same as it always has been: to bring people together around a shared purpose and cooperative work.
The Hybrid Model
This model of work is an appealing one as it features the best of both worlds. This allows workers to choose to either work from home or work in an office.
While working remotely is a big change for a lot of workers, it has also allowed for a vast range in hiring. It is looking like some companies will strive towards a hybrid model of working by allowing some workers to work remotely, while allowing others to return and work from the office. When it comes down to it, it really depends on what is right for each company and the situation they are in.
A New Short Stay Office
With all of this in mind, businesses are now trying to deal with the logistics of employees, space, and work. How do you prepare for workers to return if you are unsure how many are coming back, how many desks will you need next month? How many might you need six months from now?
The solution to this could be a ‘short stay office’. This method is similar to a hot desking concept, however it allows companies to book office space by the hour and at short notice to help retain flexibility within the workforce.
This short-stay solution enables employees to stay closer to home, minimize risk and – as an added bonus for the environment – reduce their commuting. This method is also incredibly convenient. Simply turn up to the short stay office and work in a clean and safe environment.
Our office spaces can help your business with returning to work and returning to the office. With our available office space and virtual offices allows your business to rent out space when you need it. Interested in learning more about our office space? Contact us today to find out more.