Returning To The Office: How To Support Your Employees

Ever since the 24th of February, businesses in England have been given the opportunity to return back to the office thanks to the UK government’s decision to end coronavirus restrictions. This includes the requirement to self-isolate, but due diligence is still recommended in order to avoid risks and prevent the spread of Covid-19 any further than it already has across the world. However, it’s worth noting that there are different timescales for the removal of restrictions in Scotland and Wales.

Although things are starting to return to normal for businesses, employees may still be hesitant to go back to the lifestyle they once had before the pandemic. People with conditions such as severe asthma, congenital heart disease, or kidney disease are at a higher risk of developing problems due to contracting Covid-19 than those without them. Also, many people are now suffering from anxiety and depression, which can further complicate their return to work. That’s why your business needs to take precautions when easing employees back into an office environment.

So, how can you ease your employees’ return back to the office if they haven’t done so already? Here are a few strategies that you could try.

Implement A Flexible Working Scheme

Flexible Working is any type of working pattern that’s different from your current existing one. Many businesses only offer 9 to 5, but allowing your employees some flexibility can help them to readjust. It eases them back into the workplace without making them feel overwhelmed. It also ensures that they can still do the things they enjoyed while remote-working, like the school runs or avoiding rush hour.

You can also look at splitting their working week between the office and home. For example, Monday to Tuesday can see your employees work at the office while Wednesday to Friday they could work at home. It’s all about seeing what works for you and them.

Make Communication Your #1 Priority

To rebuild that connection with your team after being away from each other physically for so long, you need to communicate effectively in order to understand their issues, thoughts and ideas.

This can boil down to:

• Holding regular meetings
• Keeping discussions focused, relevant and timely
• Using open-ended questions to draw out ideas from employees

Ensure you are there to help ease your team back into the way your business operates in an office layout. It may even be worth running a few training sessions to remind everyone of the routine. If you don’t communicate properly with your employees, it will lead to unclear objectives, limited feedback, and demoralisation - things you certainly don’t want to happen at work!

Provide Health And Wellbeing Support

According to Mind, 60% of employees say they’d feel more motivated and likely to recommend their organisation as a good place to work if employers took action to support mental wellbeing. However, 56% of employers say they’d like to do more in order to improve staff wellbeing but don't feel they have the right training or guidance. If you are struggling to provide support, there are free resources readily available to help you take care of employees at work. Your employees’ well-being matters. If they’re anxious about returning back, then support should be readily available to them.

Early Intervention Is Really Important

Finally, it’s integral you understand the signs of poor, declining mental health in your employees. This includes the likes of working long hours and not taking breaks, increased sickness, absence or lateness, mood changes, distraction, indecision or confusion, withdrawal, and many other signs.

If you spot and work to prevent any of these from happening, then you will be actively improving your employees’ mental wellbeing rather than letting it develop into something serious or life-threatening. Have a constructive conversation with your employees if they’re showing any of these signs. Often, they’ve bottled up their emotions and simply need some additional support.

Supporting your team as they return to the office is of paramount importance. If you take the time to focus on helping them readjust, you will likely face fewer issues in the long term, enabling your business to grow and thrive over the coming months.

The information presented in this article is provided as general guidance, it should only be used as the basis for further research or requesting professional advice.