Looking forward to being back at work? Champing at the bit to get out in the world again? It has been an incredibly hard year or so, and while the relief of additional freedoms is palpable, there are also a number of concerns around approaching the so-called ‘new normal’. Particularly when it comes to heading back to the workplace.
It is the responsibility of every business leader and manager to make sure their team are comfortable with returning to the office and making sure they have put all additional health and safety measures in place. But there are also a number of important things to consider to make sure every member of your team is confident about the transition.
From defining your policies to acting on employee feedback, read on to discover everything you need to know about integrating your team back into the workplace.
Talk to your colleagues
The best way to find out what people want and need is to – you guessed it – ask them! You can do this via a survey, or virtual or face to face chat – whichever method you think your team will be comfortable with. Make sure you keep the questions open-ended and assure your colleagues that their opinions will be listened to and acted on. And then, of course, follow that through.
Outline a strategy for workplace policies
A robust, actionable and meaningful strategy is key to your success. It may change over time but the more you can demonstrate to your employees that you have thought your plan through and taken on board the above feedback, the more they will have confidence in your leadership.
What this strategy involves will depend on the nature of your business and how your team operate. You will need to take into account any individual circumstance that could have a knock-on effect on your colleagues coming into the office, such as isolation periods or unexpected sickness – so, naturally, you will have to consider how tasks and responsibilities will be covered. It is vital to ensure that your policies are not discriminatory against any of your staff. This can be a complex issue so if you are unsure it is best to get professional advice before you proceed.
Create a plan for what the workplace will look like
When you have defined the HR-related aspects of your plan you can start thinking about how the physical office will look like. If you do this well, and while considering the different needs of your workforce, it should provide a soothing balm to any concerns or anxieties. It also creates a platform for discussion so any further requests can be heard.
There are too many health and safety considerations to go into in this short article, but you will find plenty of information on the HSE website. One thing that will be universal to all procurement and supply chain businesses is the need to ensure you have the right technology in place to manage hybrid or home working. You may also need to factor in the increased use of tech for presentations in-house. Whiteboards and suchlike might not be so welcome in the board room, for example. The key message here is to start planning as early as possible. Doing so means you stand a much better chance at creating and actioning a plan that works.
Make sure everyone has the same employee experience
It was hard managing teams remotely, and there will be similarly challenging situations when managing teams that are 50% in the office and 50% working remotely. Something to be very careful of here is remote workers being penalised for being physically in the office. Managers don’t usually mean to do this, but it does happen. Try to make sure that employees feel trusted when working from home and that they are not being micromanaged or monitored more than people who are in the office.
Alongside keeping an eye on how your employees are talked about or treated you can also support this by using genuinely collaborative project management tools, including remote workers in discussions, and making sure they are invited to social occasions. When they do come into the office, try to ensure they get as much face time with team members as possible and not just those they work closely with.
Be prepared to adapt
The chances of integrating your team back into the workforce and everything to go swimmingly from the get-go are fairly slim. And that’s OK. People have been through all sorts of turmoil in the last 18 months and we are all feeling frazzled, unsettled and a bit fed up with it all. Tempers might fray. You may need to ditch seating plans, give up on project management platforms that aren’t fit for purpose. You might need to sit down with your team and re-evaluate what it is you actually want from your future workplace.
It may be a bumpy road ahead when integrating your team back into the workplace. But as long as you listen to your colleagues, take their ideas seriously and try to accommodate their needs, you shouldn’t go far wrong.
