The Workplace is About to Change Again: Back to the Office (sort of)

While the past year of working from home has meant a year of adapting for most of us, another adjustment is on the horizon: returning to the office. With the rollout of vaccines and the updated CDC guidelines, many offices around the country are beginning to envision what bringing employees back into the office would look like, and for many, a hybrid approach seems to make the most sense. Many believe that remote work will be a permanent fixture in the American workplace moving forward and is becoming a must-have for employers. Our founder, Lauren Asghari, says offering remote options provides a competitive advantage over companies who don’t. So, what adjustments will you need to make after working from home the past year? A bit more than just putting on real pants. 

The first step in establishing a hybrid workspace is clearly defining expectations. Some co-workers are going to prefer the in-office setting and thus will most likely be in-office more often than those of us who prefer working from home. Since there will be a mix of preferred schedules, it's crucial to know what is expected of you. How many days are employees expected to be in-office? When remote, does the work day end at 5 or can you adjust hours to fit your lifestyle? Am I expected to be in-office whenever we have a team meeting? These are just some of the questions you should have answered when transitioning to a hybrid environment. Knowing what is expected up-front should make the transition that much easier. 

Once the expectations are established, let’s now shift to communication and letting your team know what to expect. Solid communication was an important variable amongst those businesses that successfully navigated employees working from home. Now that people are beginning to return to the office, be sure to continue emphasizing communication.  If you’re in the office, you need to be sure to include your remote teammates, and if you’re remote, be sure to insert yourself into conversations that might not include you because you’re on a computer screen. If you’re on site you may have a quick conversation that impacts the project, make a note to discuss at the next meeting or send a quick email or chat updating those that missed the discussion. Keeping everyone in the loop is an easy way to keep individuals, teams and projects running smoothly. 

For everyone committed to building a company or team culture (and everyone means everyone- even and particularly including management), don’t give up on virtual team events. It is still important to engage employees who are working remotely, as they might be feeling isolated from their coworkers who have returned to the office. So schedule that virtual happy hour, sign up for virtual yoga, and be sure that your remote employees still feel that they are just as involved with the company as everyone else. 

Returning to the office will not come easy to some employees, as we have spent the last year enjoying no commutes and being able to work from our couch. Transitioning to a hybrid style work environment will not be instantaneous or seamless, and that’s okay. Just remember to establish expectations, keep an emphasis on communication, and continue to engage with your remote employees. Adaptation is your strongest skill, put it to use!