by After more than two years of disruptions, lockdowns and uncertainty, employers will face a new reckoning in 2022: getting staff back into the office.
Dubbed the “great hybrid return to work” by some, employers across industries are being forced to think about what the work environment will look like for their workforce.
In an environment where labor is tight, how much can companies encourage employees to come back to the office? And how can bosses design a solution to meet the needs of the collective after more than two years of working from home, where individual choice prevailed?
This reckoning is not an isolated one in New Zealand, with stories from the UK, US and Australia painting a picture of a world fundamentally changed, and the start of what could well become the decade of working from home.
Admittedly, not all employees can work from home. Some have never done so, as they keep appearing on the front lines in hospitals, supermarkets and emergency calls. But research shows that those who have tasted working from home are hungry for more.
Emphasis on coordination
A 2022 report from Stanford University announces the benefits of a hybrid approach to work, recognizing that most – but not all – employees benefit from a little time at home and a little time at the office.
Stanford’s recommendation is to coordinate returns to the office with agreed-upon days (for example, Tuesday through Thursday at the office, Monday and Friday at home) and reassess at the end of the year to create a long-term plan.
This copy-and-paste plan certainly won’t work for all workplaces, but it does suggest that there is some merit to a coordinated approach.
Honesty as key
Social connection isn’t the only reason some researchers are arguing for a hybrid work model where teams come in on the same prearranged days.
This approach can maximize equity and equity, promoting diversity and inclusion. Having teams in one place at the same time ensures fair information transfer and opportunities for development and promotion.
This may be particularly relevant for working parents, who already experience difficulties or discrimination in flexible working or parental leave, and for minority groups who have traditionally been pimped in the post for promotions or mentoring opportunities.
Honesty, one of the most important protective factors against burnout at work, helps neutralize feelings of cynicism, anger or indignation.
Return to office decisions should be transparent and clearly communicated. And while individual approaches may be necessary, employment plans should benefit all groups equally — both senior leaders and entry-level graduates.
Question, don’t assume
What works for some won’t work for everyone, so employers need to talk to their employees. This simple advice applies to the general wellbeing of employees as well as to the structure of the work week.
By establishing genuine conversations with employees and involving them in the decision-making process, leaders can build and maintain a level of trust essential to a strong culture of well-being in the workplace and ensure that the diverse needs of employees are met. is met.
While everyone is deep in the process of discovering a new standard, employers should take the opportunity to truly address the specific wants and needs of their employees by implementing a consultation process.
This may mean that there are several opportunities for people to provide input, such as informal check-ins (face-to-face, text or otherwise) or more formal meetings and forums; this formal and informal communication may be supplemented with anonymous employee surveys to gather opinions that some people may find it difficult to express personally.
This is a unique opportunity to launch a new way of working that meets the needs of employees and enables them to participate in the process of enhancing support and well-being in the workplace.
Better rebuild
While many leaders may complain about their employees’ reluctance to return to the office, citing a reduction in collaboration and information sharing in the home-working setup, it’s worth asking if pre-COVID office spaces really matter that much. to be better.
Open open plan offices, the norm for many modern workplaces, can actually increase stress responses in the body and, paradoxically, decrease collaboration, well-being and engagement.
How do companies balance opportunities for collaboration and information exchange, while protecting the individual well-being of the employee?
With the goal of better rebuilding, employers should consider adapting office space in a way that accommodates both connection and focus, with multiple breakout spots, intentional collaboration opportunities, and quiet work zones.
Businesses should also harness the power of hybrid working—perhaps using work-from-home days for in-depth work, with a no-meeting rule and reserved in-person office days for collaborative working and catching up.
The next six months will undoubtedly be a period of trial and error for many companies as they strive to encourage employees to return to the office. Following the simple rules – “ask, don’t assume” and “keep it honest” – can go a long way in ensuring that the return to the office is beneficial for employees and organizations alike.
Gaynor Parkin and Dr. Amanda Wallis of Umbrella Wellbeing contributed to this article.
This article by Dougal Sutherland, clinical psychologist, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
