How You Can Make the Return Back to the Office and Transition Period Easier
Big changes at work can be difficult and returning to the office after working from home is one of those challenges. While everyone’s transition period may look a little different for everyone, your team may need a bit of grace and support as they adjust. While forcing everyone back to the office without any assistance, guidance or support may sound like the path of least resistance for employers, it is in your best interests to make sure that your teams can navigate these transitions. Here are a few tips to help you make this process smoother for everyone involved.
Give Everyone the Supplies and Tools They Need to Return
After a long period of working from home, returning to the office can be a big adjustment. Starting to commuting again and navigating office settings can feel jarring. If you want to set your team up for success, make sure that they have the supplies they need to be successful. Everything from a drawer organizer to stay organized in their office to digital devices to do their jobs to a water cooler to keep everyone hydrated will be essential during this transition period. There is no need to add the additional barrier of a lack of supplies or tools when this can make going back to the office a little bit easier.
Learn From Past Lessons
There are many lessons that your team has likely learned while working remotely. The company can use those lessons to inform the workplace moving forward. If you have found that not all projects and updates required meetings and that technology can support your daily tasks, continue to use those. Don’t throw away efficiency and learned lessons just because you are transitioning back to an old environment.
Embrace Flexibility
The reality is that a transition of this size can be daunting for many team members. This can cause a lot of anxiety and tension. If you want to make sure that you aren’t putting undue stress on your team, embrace flexibility. If they are figuring out how to commute again, don’t be overly strict with timing or if you can allow for some remote work, embrace these opportunities. While you will want to set expectations and give your team clear expectations, flexibility at work will showcase your care for your team and incentivize them to stick around.
Prepare to Pivot and Adapt
You will also need to be flexible at work. The reality is that this big adjustment can come with bumps in the road. You need to be ready to pivot and address problems before they compound into more complicated issues. By adjusting and adapting when necessary, you can ensure that you truly are working toward the best interests of all.
Be as Transparent and Honest as You Can
Transparency is one of the most influential factors in employee trust. Sharing important information and the decision-making process can show your staff that keeping everyone in the loop is important to the company and that they are respected. A lack of transparency can make employees feel nervous and uncertain about the path ahead, sowing the seeds of anxiety that can lead to retention issues. If you want your team to stick around, make sure that they feel included and aware of what is happening.
Lead With Compassion and Empathy
Truly great leaders lead with compassion and empathy. Caring for others builds communities that tend to be more positive and healthier. If you want to avoid toxicity at the workplace, make sure that you always prioritize the people behind the work. Especially as you navigate significant transitions, your team will look to you to set the tone. If you want to help avoid putting unnecessary stress on them, lead with compassion, care and empathy and motivation and productivity will follow.
If you want to avoid costly and catastrophic retention issues, you need to address the root cause and make the transition back to work as smooth as possible. While transitioning back to work may be necessary for the business, there are ways that you can do that and still support your teams.
