As more and more people are compelled to return to in-person work, how can employers create a comfortable, happy and productive working environment?
By now most people will have heard or read about companies such as Amazon and Dell ending their remote working arrangements and ordering employees back into full-time, in-person work, despite the popularity of less structured schedules.
Flexible working has become somewhat of a social norm, giving professionals a balanced work and home life. Therefore, the removal of what many view as a right (though legally it isn’t), has the potential to greatly disrupt the workforce, possibly leading to conflict and poor retention of staff.
Employees who enjoy fully remote or flexible working arrangements are unlikely to be on board with a forced return to the office. However, people often make decisions based on the perks of a job or what it can offer them for the stage of life they are currently at. If employers want to attract or retain talent, but don’t want to offer hybrid working, then they will have to incentivise other aspects.
Social engagement
For many employees, one of the main issues when working from home has been a sense of isolation and separation from their peers. While many people thrive working from the comfort of their homes, having the opportunity to better engage with co-workers and build workplace relationships can be a significant draw, when compelling in-person attendance.
Employers should ensure that employees, particularly if they are meeting in-person for the first time, have the chance to properly engage with one another, not only through collaborative work, but also in less rigid, social settings. Fun team-building exercises and meet-ups throughout the year, such as at Christmas or during the summer, can be productive.
Less forced social engagement
Not everyone is a social butterfly, and peace and quiet can be crucial to some, not only for the quality and output of work, but also overall happiness. Forcing someone who is not outwardly social back into an office environment can be difficult, therefore employers should be aware of the unique personality types at play.
While it is important that efforts be made to include everyone in workplace conversation, there should also be a designated area that people can go to to enjoy their lunch, take a break, read a book or mindlessly scroll online, without being interrupted. We all need to step away now and then and a comfortable seating area, away from the noise of the working atmosphere is vital.
Reasonable accommodations should also be made for neurodivergent employees, who may require additional support and technologies, particularly if they have auditory or socialisation concerns.
Make it comfy
Working from home is the epitome of comfort. You can control the heat and the cold, dress however you want provided you aren’t on a video call, there is a fully stocked kitchen nearby and the commute to and from work is negligible, and if you are feeling unwell, it is far more manageable when you can avoid going out into all types of weather.
For many, giving this up is a big ask, so companies need to do whatever they can to make the working environment comfortable, or as close to comfortable as they can get. Ergonomic furniture and fixtures that support physical health is a good start. The availability of snacks and tea and coffee facilities in the break area would also be an incentive.
Simply put, if people have no option but to work in an in-person capacity, it should at least be a bright, open, airy and comfortable working arrangement that keeps the employee in mind.
Be flexible
One of the reasons, if not the main reason, that people immediately took to remote and hybrid working, was because it gave a certain freedom to professionals, particularly those with additional responsibilities, for example if they were chronically ill themselves, or caring for a dependent.
While employers will likely want the workforce to return to pre-pandemic attitudes and adapt quickly to in-person work, that simply won’t happen. You can’t unring a bell. Employers, to some degree, are going to have to be flexible or offer benefits such as onsite childcare, paid sick leave and wellness/mental health hours.
Ultimately, flexibility and balance are of great importance to modern-day employees, so if employers are sure that in-person workplace attendance is the best way forward for their companies, then they will need to offer their staff perks, benefits and a workplace that rivals remote working.
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