While recent studies around the world show that a majority of employees are not eager to return to the office, security measures are being eased and managers are expecting a return to face-to-face work soon. However, some employees haven't been back to the office for several months, or even a year, and new teleworking habits have been forged. So how do you create or recreate a healthy and pleasant work environment for your employees when they return to their workplace? Check out our tips!
1) Identify their concerns
There are many reasons why employees might be afraid to return to the office. One of the most common is the fear of the virus, characterized by the feeling of not being comfortable with working around a colleague who refuses to wear a mask or get vaccinated. Many people worry about contracting the virus on public transport or in the open space, where the different rules and distancing measures are sometimes not properly respected.
Other frequently mentioned reasons include the difficulty of dealing with noise and other people's little quirks. Endless phone calls, a colleague's music, or the boss constantly looking behind their screen... are all the things that can discourage employees from leaving home to work.
2) Know how to listen to them
Because it is not enough to simply ask "how are you doing?" to really understand the state of mind and the feelings of an individual worker about the crisis, it is important to take the time to organize one or more individual or even group meetings with all employees who are facing the return to the office. Sometimes, the solution to their well-being is not simply an agreement on the number of days per week that they can work from home, but perhaps a personalized arrangement of their workspace, for example. Finally, why not organize a full day dedicated to group exchanges and workshops, in order to encourage cohesion?
3) Make them want to come back
Of course, it is not excluded (and even strongly recommended) to improve the workspace itself to make employees want to spend more time there. Latifa Hakkou, president of the "Association nationale des directeurs de l’environnement de travail" (Arseg), recently advised taking advantage of this "back-to-office" period to offer employees something new. For example, a new, healthier and more delicious menu in the restaurant area, new services related to health and well-being such as office massage sessions, or appointments with counselors or psychologists. It is essential that the office becomes a place of conviviality, sharing and exchange, and not a burden. Small improvements such as a new coffee machine or additional facilities in the lunch room will also be appreciated!
Moreover, to boost the motivation of your employees and allow them to grow professionally, why not consider with them new training courses or new projects? Well-being also depends on the sense of accomplishment and feeling useful is one of the best ways to achieve this.
4) Trust them
If there is one thing that telecommuting has taught us, it is the ability to build trust. If managers have been able to believe in their teams for a year while working remotely, they will also be able to do it in the office, without being behind their back all day long! Of course, "trust does not exclude control", however, it is proven that management by trust and empathy obtain better results in the long term. If you are in charge of a team, try to give them some autonomy, so that coming back to the office is not too rough.
Do you have other ideas? Share them now with the Moovijob community! 👇
