Back to the Office: Five Things Employers Need to Know

As more companies require employees to return to offices many are learning that “business as usual” is never coming back. But wait, this is not bad news! The pandemic changed the operational landscape by force, but left opportunity it its wake. Now is the time to evolve ahead of the competition.

Part of your workforce is thriving at home.
If you’re not looking at performance metrics over the past year, you’re missing out on an unprecedented opportunity to capitalize on top remote performers. Not only has this employee segment maintained productivity in the face of challenges, but they have excelled. This demographic is happier, more engaged, and more committed than ever before, and requiring them to return to an office setting will likely result in turnover. The pandemic normalized remote work for these employees, and they prefer the flexibility and work/life balance so much, they are willing to put in extra effort, even outside of normal business hours. We’re dealing with a talent shortage in a hiring boom: if you won’t provide this flexibility another employer will. Identify your top remote performers and reward them with the option of continuing to work from home (with clear expectations and guidelines for periodic in-office events, meetings, and business travel). These employees will view the offer as an added benefit while employers avoid additional cost and overhead.

Part of your workforce is struggling at home.
We hear a lot about the demand for permanent remote work and a reluctance to return to the office over safety concerns but the underrepresented group here are those employees who genuinely want to return to onsite work. Employers, your extroverts need you. Ensuring that safety precautions in physical work environments meet or exceed recommended guidelines is imperative when bringing the workforce back to the office. Employees who are eager to return to a physical location are people who thrive in an interactive environment where they have physical access to resources, coworkers, and customers. However, failure to maintain a safe work environment may result in a return to remote work, which will derail this demographic’s performance and potentially send them in to job search mode. Do your part to make employees feel safe and protected. The money you save on reduced turnover will more than pay for the precautions you put in place.

Politics are making us miserable.
Like it or not, partisanship over COVID response and vaccines has permeated into every facet of our lives but keeping it out of the office is critical. As more businesses return to onsite work and the mask debate resurfaces, traditionally private political and social values are revealed and have the potential to clash. There is no incentive for top performers to remain in a divisive or toxic work environment. They know they have other options, and they will walk. Create a return-to-work roadmap which clearly communicates policies and expectations for proof of vaccination, masks, social distancing, and other workplace modifications for employee safety. Accept that there will be backlash, no matter what, and be prepared to work with concerned employees on all sides of the issue.

It’s an employee market and they know it.
For many workers, sheltering place also meant sheltering in job while preparing for their next career move. These employees have spent the past year building their professional networks and scoping out new opportunities like it’s a side hustle. Millennials currently make up more than a third of the workforce and by 2025, Gen-Z will account for over 27%. Both demographics have vastly different motivators and values compared to their predecessors. Both view transparency and fair compensation, company and brand values, and a positive and flexible work environment as must-haves, and neither generation feels tethered by loyalty to an organization that does not represent their best interests. Regardless of your company’s demographics, your employee retention efforts need to be on point. Workforce confidence is up, money is a motivating factor, and solid talent knows its worth. Corporate and third-party recruiters are poised and ready to strike at the first sign of this talent entering the open market.

There is no single path forward.
The pandemic forced management and employees alike into remote work and tested performance across the board. Resourceful businesses will use this experience as an opportunity to assess and identify appropriate candidates for remote, hybrid, and onsite work to maximize performance and employee satisfaction moving forward. With these return-to-work roadmaps unfolding in real time, we are bound to hit a few potholes and will need to adjust to correct course and maintain engagement. Transparency, communication, and consistently polling for employee input will be essential components of successful workplace transitions.