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How to prepare for returning to the office

By rotide
Created 26/05/2021 - 18:15
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Whether you're making a full return, a gradual return, or adopting a hybrid working policy, there are steps you will need to take to ensure you're prepared.

A lot has changed since we were last in the office pre-covid. Your staff have enjoyed over a year of remote working and have seen the benefits of this. For example, saving time and money on commuting, as well as being able to maintain a better work-life balance. Similarly, employees have reported issues with working from home, including an inability to switch off and lack of space.

How then, do you balance a variety of opposing views from your workforce regarding returning to the office?

Most London businesses are responding by adopting a hybrid working environment, whereby staff work from home or the office throughout the week as much or as little as they want.

Whilst this is certainly a positive move for employee wellbeing and productivity, it does present a unique set of logistical challenges when preparing for returning to the office.

In this article, London-based technology consultants, Netstar [1], share their advice for returning to the office.

Put safety first

The past year has been extremely challenging. Many of us have experienced the negative impacts of the pandemic, from a financial, social and health perspective. Your workforce is, therefore, likely to be hesitant about returning to the office.

As an employer, it's your job to put their mind at ease. Ensure that employees are regularly completing and providing evidence for negative covid tests, at least on a weekly basis but ideally every evening before coming to the office. Also ensure there is sufficient sanitizer and antibacterial spray available whilst advising on protocols for using kitchen equipment safely.

Office layout should also be a major consideration. It's likely that, since the pandemic began, employees will have joined and left your workforce. Desks may need to be moved to accommodate this and they will certainly need to be moved to allow for adequate social distancing. For the near future, employees should sit one seat apart rather than directly next to each other. It's important to ensure you have enough accessible power sockets and networks ports available to suit your new desk layout.

Check your tech

Outdated IT equipment could be a major issue when returning to the office. If it's not tested and checked in advance, your team could experience IT issues that prevent them from working.

Here are some common issues you could experience when returning to the office:

At Netstar, we're offering all clients a floor-walk service whereby one of our IT experts will assess their IT environments thoroughly to solve any problems before their team returns to the office. We strongly advise seeking out a similar service with your own IT provider.

Communicate effectively

In times of uncertainty, communication is crucial to ensuring your workforce are happy and know what's expected of them. If you are implementing a gradual return to work or adopting a hybrid model for working long-term, ensure you answer every possible question your team might have. For example:

All of these questions must be addressed, both verbally and in writing. That way, employees will be comfortable in knowing exactly what is expected of them going forward.

Plan ahead

Our top piece of advice when returning to the office is to prepare and plan ahead. No matter how or when you plan to return to the office, the tips above will help ensure it's as smooth as possible, with minimal disruption or productivity loss.

For more information on preparing to return to the office, you can download Netstar's free, comprehensive eBook, here [2].

 


Source URL:
https://www.newbusiness.co.uk/articles/it-advice/how-prepare-returning-office