During the pandemic, many people have had to work from home and companies have had to let thousands of people go in their roles. Bringing those employees back into the office after so long at home is not going to be an easy feat for a business. There are going to be some different challenges for businesses to manage as people return to the office due to the new health and safety regulations. Not only do employees have to feel safe in the workplace, employers have to ensure that they are sticking with the new COVID-19 health and safety regulations.
The good news is that if you are meeting certain levels of hygiene and safety, you are going to find it much easier to encourage your staff back into the office. Your new environment has to serve the needs of those who have spent so long working at home. Giridhar Akkineni CEO of AkkenCloud is one of the many business leaders in recruitment who are going to be facing this challenge. In an interview, Akkineni said that to overcome some of the challenges brought about with COVID-19, that “we worked with our customers supporting them and helping them with what they needed to reopen.” If recruitment companies can help with their clients opening up to their staff again, then there is hope to overcome the challenges of the return to work. With this in mind here are some of the ways challenges in the return to work can be overcome.
Make Employees WANT To Return
Did you know that most employees don’t want to go back to what was once perceived as normal? The old “normal” was one that saw people commuting up to four hours a day to and from work. The old “normal” saw people unable to fit in medical appointments and children’s activities to their day without going unpaid or taking sick leave. The pressure to be a cog in the machine is something that no one questioned; that was just how it was. And yet the pandemic has proven that there can be another way to do things in the workplace.
Overcoming This Challenge
Instead of forcing your staff to return to the old, stressful way of working, discuss it with them. Ask how their working day could be made easier and offer a more flexible way to work. You already know that it’ll work for your business!
Make The Office Safe
COVID has meant that there are more health and safety regulations now than ever before. People need to know that they are walking back into an office that is COVID-free and that their employer is vigilant about testing, masks and social distancing. No one likes all of these measures, but if you want people to return to the workplace, making the office safe has to be a priority for you.
Overcoming This Challenge
With barriers at desks, hand gel stations and the offer of masks for individuals, this is a challenge that is more likely to be overcome.
Be More Flexible
As an employer, you can be more flexible in your arrangements at work. As we said, not everyone wants to return to the office full time. Give your employees a choice and make sure that you are adapting to meet your current employee expectations. You know that they need to be at their best, and they can be with your support. Offer flexibility as a perk!
