Steve is the cofounder and CEO of Awardco, a fast-growing rewards and recognition company.
With businesses, large and small, implementing return-to-office (RTO) policies recently, many leaders are wondering if they should follow suit. After all, in-office work is tied to benefits such as improved culture, so what could go wrong?
Well, for those employees who have enjoyed remote or hybrid work since the pandemic started, returning to the office can be unwanted, frustrating or even frightening. So if you’ve decided that returning to the office is the right choice for your business, how do you make the transition back to in-person as seamless as possible for everyone involved?
We recently implemented a RTO policy at our own company, and we’ve learned some important lessons on how to (and how not to) mandate working in the office.
1. Communicate as early and clearly as possible.
Every employee has different needs, wants and life situations. Some may need to take care of children. Some may have a spouse who took a new job. Others may share a single car. And some may simply appreciate the greater focus they can achieve while in their home office.
Yes, collaboration will likely be better at the office, and yes, some people prefer working in-person. But with a sudden expectation to work in the office with no warning, employees who enjoy remote work may be filled with anger and resentment. Without considering everyone’s circumstances, you’ll come across as uncaring and inattentive.
To avoid these negative feelings and perceptions, plan to implement your RTO policy on a future date, and give everyone plenty of time to prepare for it. Create firm expectations and communicate what you will expect from your people as soon as you can.
With plenty of time, people can each figure out their personal needs without a sudden deadline or unrealistic expectations.
2. Create a space people will enjoy.
Expecting employees to want to come into the office requires an office where employees want to be. Gone are the days where cramped cubicles, cheap snacks and an emphasis on grind are all you need to provide.
Rethink your office space to appeal to all of your employees. Some ideas to do so include:
• Reorganize spaces to be more open and airy, fostering greater collaboration.
• Create zones for focusing to allow people to tune out the distractions of the office.
• Replace old equipment with new equipment—ergonomic chairs, more advanced tech and comfier couches in break areas are good places to start.
• Create a healthy, wholesome environment with greenery and natural light.
There are also changes that can make returning to the office easier for everyone, such as reimbursement for commuting, subsidized meals, childcare options and plenty of healthy snacks.
The key is to make going into the office rewarding, fun and possible, especially for those with specific home, family or health needs.
3. Don’t forget about flexibility.
Regardless of the benefits of in-person work, employees want flexibility. When they’re given the opportunity, 87% of employees use flexible options, and 51% of employees care more about flexibility than salary. Ripping any and all flexibility options away from everyone probably won’t do much other than make people angry.
Even with a RTO policy, you can still offer some flexibility to meet employee needs. Here are some ideas.
• Hybrid work options: Allowing employees to work from home one or two days a week can make a RTO policy much more palatable. Plus, it will allow them to maintain their preferred work-life balance.
• Flexible PTO: Remote work allowed employees to more easily take care of families, respond to emergencies and go to appointments. Offering unlimited or flexible PTO can still give employees the time they need to care for their personal lives.
• Variable schedules: A survey found 94% of employees want to ditch the nine-to-five in favor of more flexible schedules. Allowing employees to choose when they go into the office allows them to keep their autonomy while still working in-person.
In-office work and flexibility aren’t mutually exclusive. By offering these flexible features, employees can still take charge of their needs and enjoy a work-life balance while also working in the office much more often.
Make your RTO policy as effective as possible.
Returning to the office has the potential to boost productivity, increase work-life separation and increase collaboration. In order to fully enjoy these benefits without creating new headaches for leaders and employees, focus on using these tips to make your RTO policy as effective as possible.
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