With over 100 million Americans on the road to full COVID-19 vaccination, we’re likely to see a more robust return to in-office operations. Many Americans have grown accustomed to the conveniences and challenges of working from home. Our office spaces almost seem stopped in time, relics of the past.
As leaders, entrepreneurs, managers, and CEOs, we have to stabilize the transition back to in-person office work.
It would be a mistake to think we can just flip the switch and go right back to our pre-COVID routines. Being a leader is setting an example. It is providing an environment where people flourish — where good work gets done.
In a post-pandemic world, that might be more of a challenge than we anticipated.
Conquer 4 Major Challenges of Returning to the Office
1) Safety First
Problem: New safety measures are needed to make team members feel comfortable and safe in the office.
We’re not going to be able to return to “normal” in the sense that it will all be business-as-usual again. There are new considerations we must account for in terms of cleanliness and environment that may have not been high-priority in the past. There are a few things leaders can do to help their employees feel more protected and safe around others without necessarily having to wear a mask all day.
Here are a few solutions:
Create opportunities to utilize outdoor spaces for meetings.
Invest in air purifiers to improve air quality.
Keep a generous number of hand sanitizers on standby.
Make cleaning and disinfecting shared areas (break rooms, coffee stations, conference rooms) a priority.
Where possible, space out team member desks and work areas.
2) Operation Vaccination
Problem: Not everyone will choose to be vaccinated.
Even though available vaccines have demonstrated a high rate of effectiveness, some people are still reluctant to get a COVID-19 vaccine. While vaccinations are key to creating herd immunity, we cannot override bodily autonomy by demanding that current employees be vaccinated or risk losing their jobs. Instead of forcing vaccinations, try:
Rolling vaccination in as part of your company-wide health initiatives.
Making it easy to take time off to get vaccinated.
Creating incentives for vaccinated team members.
Modeling the behavior and rhetoric that you wish to see.
3) The Digital Disconnect
Problem: Team members feel more autonomous and disconnected from the group.
After a year of remote working, some level of disconnection should be expected. As much as we tried to stay connected through Zoom meetings and conference calls, nothing beats in-person conversation and socialization. In many cases, we have grown more withdrawn, self-reliant, and uncommunicative.
Because we were, in many ways, “on our own” for a year, retraining your team to collaborate and share information can be a challenge. While autonomy can be a great thing in the office, it can be detrimental to cohesive and collaborative work.
Combat this sense of isolation by:
Highlighting workplace social activities.
Making expectations especially clear.
Encouraging face-to-face conversations by modeling them.
Prioritizing an idea-sharing, shame-free work culture
Rewarding excellent collaborative and communicative work.
4) Empathic Leadership
Problem: Some team members are wary about returning to the office or have other challenges preventing a full in-office return.
This year has taken a toll on us all. COVID-19 has brought us a lot of unprocessed grief and trauma — a loss of normalcy, stability, income, and, most painfully, life. You would be hard-pressed to find someone unaffected by the pandemic.
As we return to the office, we must remain patient and empathic. Some team members may live with at-risk family members. Others may need to be at home with their children before in-person learning resumes. There will be those who are simply scared.
As leaders, we must safeguard the well-being of our team. That might mean being flexible in ways that we’re not used to.
You can show empathy by:
Accommodating hybrid in-person and remote work.
Honoring caregiving responsibilities.
Asking for feedback to know what will make employees feel safe & comfortable as they returning to the office.
Being patient as everyone re-acclimates to their schedule and set-up in the office.
We’re in uncharted territory. As leaders, we must set the example and prepare a space that is safe and efficient in a post-pandemic world.
How is your office tackling the return to in-person work? Share in the comments.