What you need to think about as people begin to return to work. Or do they?
Boris Johnson said in the House of Commons earlier this month that his plan is that people in England will no longer be advised to work from home after 21 June, provided that we remain ‘on track’ in the roadmap out of lockdown.
This is terrific news in many ways. People have missed the social contact, and indeed, town centre businesses have missed the glorious hubbub of the daily commute and the lunchtime mingling.
But I think it’s fair to say that things will never go back exactly as they were. The pandemic has left its mark on our society in many ways – one of which is employees’ (and business leaders’) attitude to remote working. What many envisaged might become the norm ‘one day’ in the future quite literally happened overnight last spring. Pandora is out of the box – so the question for business leaders now, is “how are you going to handle the new normal and what is right for your organisation and your employees?”
Key questions to consider before the hopeful all clear to return to work (or not) on 21 June 2021
Consult with your employees
A good starting point is to find out how your people feel about coming back into the office. Tell them you are working out what the new arrangements will be and that their viewpoint will be considered. If you involve people early on in any change, they are far more likely to accept the change. This will, of course, also give you a good steer on how people are feeling. Have they loved working from home, or are they looking forward to getting back into the office? Or, as much recent research has discovered, are they looking for a mixture of both? Do they have any questions or concerns about returning to the office/work environment? Perhaps they’d like to come in for a coffee to get a feel for their return.
Also, be sensitive to what may have happened to your staff member during the pandemic. They may have lost loved ones. They may have suffered Covid themselves; perhaps they have long-Covid? Take care to find out and handle these issues supportively.
Hybrid working
Consider the options. These will vary hugely depending on your organisation, but if Hybrid working is feasible, it should be something you consider.
Hybrid working is a term that has cropped up since the pandemic and is a form of flexible working that allows your staff members to split their working hours between home and the workplace in a way that fits in with their lifestyle.
The results of a YouGov poll from Autumn last year:
- 18% of workers want to be able to work from home the whole time.
- 39% want to be able to work from home some of the time.
- Only four in ten (39%) say they don’t want to work from home after coronavirus.
As I mentioned above, talk to your own people, but the survey results above have been replicated in many others. Homeworking is here to stay, and if you want to attract the best talent in the future, Hybrid working is likely to be something you will have to consider.
Once you have taken on people’s views and decided your organisation’s strategic position – communicate this very clearly to everyone. Confusion and doubt cause worry, lost productivity, and demotivation.
Policies, Procedures and Employment Contracts
New ways of working had to happen ‘on the fly’ at the beginning of the lockdown, and the culture shift was sudden and immediate. If an amount of homeworking is here to stay, and you are opting for Hybrid working, then you must put new policies and procedures in place and ensure they are fit for purpose over the long term.
Different levels of employees or different categories might need their own policies and procedures depending on role requirements. Depending on the size of your organisation, it may not be a one-size-fits-all approach.
You will also need to review employment contracts as these will need updating with any new ways of working.
Health and Safety
Of paramount importance, of course. Check all government guidelines and ensure that your workplace complies. Reassure your team that you have aligned their workspace to the correct safety standards and that all required measures have been taken.
Some people might be nervous about coming back. Do all you can to reassure them. Are there any ‘vulnerable’ members of your team who should continue to work from home?
Return to Work Conversations
If possible, a one-to-one return to work conversation is advisable. Find out in person how they are and how they are feeling about being back, and whether they have any obstacles in the way of their productivity. Outline any measures you have in place to support them and explain any new policies and procedures and how they affect them personally.
There is a lot to consider as we come out of a long period of being told to ‘work from home.’ If you need additional HR support to assist you during this complex transition period, please contact me, I would be delighted to help you.
Lisa Jones
lisajones@hrprotocol.co.uk
07889 923939