The work-from-home (WFH) boom has been a hit with workers, but there are plenty of strategies to foster an incentivised and engaging return to office spaces.
Although remote work became a necessity throughout the United Kingdom during the pandemic years, more business leaders are expecting to return to office-based employment models over the years ahead, motivated by the prospect of higher productivity and more effective communication between teams.
According to a recent survey of UK chief executives, 83% believe that there will be a return to pre-pandemic ways of working within the next three years, with the figure growing significantly from 64% one year ago.
Although every industry has different implications for remote productivity, widespread studies based on standard measures of efficiency have found that fully remote employees are between 10% and 20% less productive than those working on company premises.
At a time of widespread economic uncertainty, it’s likely that maximising productivity by returning to offices will rise to the top of business agendas in the months to come.
The big return to the office after years of remote operations can be a scary prospect for employers. In January, People Management reported that 34% of employees aged between 25 and 34 would be more likely to resign if required to spend more time in-house. This calls for decision-makers to smooth out the path ahead of bringing workers back into the office.
Fortunately, there are many measures that can be taken to help incentivise the return to in-house operations. Let’s take a deeper look at how to keep employees happy during the big return to office work:
Recapture That Personal Touch
The challenge that decision-makers face is that WFH’s advantages are exceptionally strong for employees. The appeal of no commuting times, home comforts, and money saved on working lunches have made many employees eager to remain remote at all costs.
However, the best way to build motivation to come back to the office revolves around one quality that can’t be replicated in a WFH environment: socialising.
Data shows that 85% of employees would be motivated to go into the office to rebuild team bonds, while 74% would go to the office more frequently if they knew their work friends would be there.
This means that you should boost the social aspect of a return to the office as a key motivation to make the return to in-house operations.
To be seen to be making improvements to the team bonding aspect of office work is vital. Whether this means adding more mod cons to kitchen spaces, working with local businesses to improve the quality of lunch options for staff, or scheduling regular activities to improve communication, recapturing that personal touch is key when driving employee engagement and boosting motivation to return to the office.
Build a Post-WFH Office Space
Very few employees will be willing to swap their home office for a return to closed office cubicles. With this in mind, you should approach the great reopening as an opportunity to reinvent your working environment.
Consider redesigning your office space to benefit engagement and productivity. For instance, creating different areas of your office for activities like huddle areas, standing desks, deep work sections, and different seating options can help your employees to regain some of their home comforts and habits while remaining productive.
Retaining Hybrid Elements Can Help
Returning to full-time office work can be jarring for employees, and retaining an element of flexibility through hybrid working can be a beneficial part of the transition back to in-house employment.
Offering hybrid schedules that are flexible can help employees to control their return to the office and match their in-house hours with work friends and colleagues.
Keeping the office open longer and offering the opportunity to clock in earlier or later each day is another great way of easing the transition from WFH and helping workers to navigate the rush hour a little better.
Improve Commutes
Commuting can be one of the most challenging aspects of the return to office work for your employees, and after years of WFH, some staff can feel underprepared for regular trips to the office.
Making company cars available for employees to improve the quality of their commutes can be a rewarding way to rebuild a positive office atmosphere, and with a series of tax benefits available, it can be a relatively cost-effective way of motivating the big office reopening.
Leasing company cars can open the door to some charges should wear and tear occur with heavier use during commutes, so it’s worth building a relationship with local mechanics and repair specialists. For instance, over 36% of drivers in the UK have reported a cracked or broken windshield. Imagine paying for your employees’ windshields without having a deal with your local windshield specialist. It’s best to find repair professionals and agree on rates to keep expenses lower and improve the efficiency of your company car program.
Introduce Wellness Programs
The return to work is likely to be jarring for some of your employees, and prioritising employee wellness should be a key consideration if you’re planning to reopen your office.
Consider offering access to wellness perks like mental health resources, fitness facilities, local or in-house yoga classes, or mindfulness tutorials.
These perks can not only help employees to cope with stress or concerns over their well-being but can cause them to feel more valued and fairly rewarded for their willingness to return to the office.
Preparing For The Big Reopening
Although returning to the office isn’t a popular prospect for employees, it can open the door to better engagement and productivity if employers are mindful of the evolving wants and needs of their staff.
By replicating the flexible comforts of WFH and combining them with social benefits, we can improve the appeal of coming back to working in-house.
With more business decision-makers looking to reopen their offices in the future, the focus will be firmly on improving the appeal of returning to work. By looking to improve employee engagement and motivation for returning to the office, greater productivity can follow.