How Ready Are You to Return to Your Workplace?
Welcome!
I’m Susan. I help leaders and organizations increase their impact, confidence, and results through coaching and unique people strategies and programs that wow employees and boost business!
Can you believe it?? We've made it to June!
Depending upon your perspective, it's either feeling like the 215th day of April or you're wondering how we could be halfway through the year already!
Normally, this time of year would be a time of graduation celebrations and the beginning of summer vacations. Sadly, these won't be happening this year (not at least in the traditional sense), but I'm amazed at the clever and unique ideas people have come up with to honor our graduates and take some needed time off from our ever hectic and busy schedules (staycation, anyone?)
Personally, I vacillate between feelings of relief (that the end of the school year is upon us) and dread (that summer camps will not be happening and wondering how the heck I'm going to keep my kids entertained all summer long while trying to work!). We will figure it out, as I know a lot of us are figuring things out as we tackle the latest challenges associated with this pandemic.
In May, I had the pleasure of facilitating a roundtable discussion amongst some amazing HR Leaders to discuss some of the challenges they and their organizations are currently facing. Hands down, the number one issue was how to prepare for and begin returning employees to the workplace, as our nation (and the world) begins to slowly reopen. Below are a few of my takeaways from the discussion and some additional resources I thought you might find helpful.
Return to Work Readiness
Undoubtedly, preparing employees and workplaces alike for reopening offices, manufacturing, and other work facilities during a pandemic brings along with it a vast number of employee questions, fears, and concerns:
Do I have to return to my workplace?
If given the option to return to my workplace, do I want to?
What steps are being taken to ensure my safety at work?
Will my childcare/eldercare be available?
Is my childcare/eldercare setting safe?
Is public transit safe for commuting/business travel?
Is my job secure?
There are no easy answers, but they will primarily be shaped by two things: individual readiness and company culture.
First, individual readiness will depend upon one's own unique tolerance for risk and personal factors.
Some of us are more risk-averse than others. This shows up is the daily disagreements you read in the news, social media, etc. about social distancing protocols, whether we should be in Phase 1, Phase 2, or Phase 3 of opening, and who is wearing masks or not when you go to the store for essential supplies.
Some of us are caregivers for elderly or disabled dependents or have young children and don't have any other care options at present. Others have underlying health conditions that put us at greater risk of having complications from the virus. Some of us live alone and can't wait to return to the workplace for increased social interaction and support. I think it's safe to say, we all miss our old "normal".
Second, company culture will drive how organizations respond to these inquiries and concerns.
Some company cultures value face-to-face interaction in an office setting versus virtual or remote working situations on a regular basis. They believe they collaborate better and can get more done when co-located together. Despite the past 2.5 months of shelter-in-place disproving any misperceptions about certain roles/functions not being able to adequately perform their roles remotely, their desire to return to the workplace is as strong as ever. Of course, they want to do it safely, but they will need to convince their more risk-averse employees that they are prepared.
Other company cultures are more employee-centric and will offer greater options and flexibility to ensure each individual's needs are taken into account. Eager to get back to the office? Great, we're ready for you! Anxious about returning and prefer to work from home? Great, what do you need to be productive? We've all heard Twitter's and Facebook's stance on this: Work from home forever (or wherever), if you want!
But you might think to yourself, "How do we balance business productivity and meeting our customers' needs while being supportive and empathetic to our employees' needs as well?" Often, we think of their needs to be at odds, but that doesn't have to be the case. There is a symbiotic relationship between customers and a company's employees: you won't have a product or service to offer and support without your employees and you won't have a company (for very long) without paying customers.
How do you attempt to understand and meet the needs of these two important constituents, particularly during unusual times like these?
ASK THEM.
Make sure you're asking about their most pressing concerns and solicit their ideas on how to solve them. By simply asking, you're already demonstrating empathy and a desire to understand their unique perspective. You may be pleasantly surprised at the results and gain some new and unique ideas you hadn't even considered.
Most customers are sympathetic to the unique pressures businesses are under right now, but it's wise to figure out what's most important to both your employees as well as your customers as you begin to craft your plan forward.
Subscribe to my newsletter to gain access to resources that you may find helpful, as you embark on this return-to-work journey, whether you are a returning employee, manager, or HR leader. Use them as guides and customize to meet your own unique needs.
And let me know what's working for you and your organization...I'd love to hear about your return-to-work strategy!
Related Posts:
The return-to-office trend has been an ongoing, prominent topic of discussion, dominating headlines and sparking debates among professionals and leaders. Organizations worldwide are now contemplating the shift back to even more days in the traditional office setting, with some CEOs even anticipating a full return within the next three years, as indicated by a recent KPMG survey. However, this seemingly straightforward decision holds a myriad of complexities that demand careful consideration.