What are the key considerations for successfully transitioning your staff back to the office?
As we start to move towards Covid normal, businesses are starting to plan for their employees to return to the office. Here are some things to consider and action from a people perspective.
Flexibility
A company that embraces flexibility around work location is here to stay. If they haven’t already, every organisation should start working on a plan that details what this looks like for their business.
Ideally the plan should be developed with HR, managers and employees. We suggest that it considers areas such as technology set up and support at home, learning and development opportunities, engaging the team in multiple locations, the risk management impacts on the business and having a robust performance review process to support employee performance.
Staggered start times, a roster for when employees are in the office with workforce bubbles, and working from home days, are all considerations. In most workplaces a hybrid model will need to be agreed. Businesses need to be also able to flex back to working from home as required until we have a vaccine, so flexibility really is key.
Health, Safety and Policies
The health and safety of employees is a critical consideration. It is important that you consult www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au or your equivalent state site to create your Covid Safe Plan.
Some items to consider;
Do you have the right policies?
Do you have a policy and process if an employee be required to self-isolate?
How will you keep confidentiality and privacy in dealing with employees who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19?
Do you have a policy for employees that have travelled to another country and need to quarantine?
Does your working from home policy needs updating?
Some other thing that you need to plan for are; your office layout, signs for meeting rooms, making sanitiser and masks available, cleaning schedules, a register of who is in the office.
Communication
Communication is critical to the success to any change, but especially relating to people.
Start planning;
How you communicate key messages about social distancing, personal hygiene and associated policies
Using www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au posters and hand outs to communicate the key message
Where possible have meetings by phone or online instead of face to face
Your mental health plan to be proactive in supporting employees who are struggling
Employee wellbeing
For many people, especially those with an existing mental health issue, returning to the workplace can bring up a range of feelings including fear and anxiety. If you have one, promote your Employee Asisstance Program (EAP) to help support your team’s wellbeing. These organisations will also have support materials that you can share with the team. If you don’t have one, consider partnering with a provider.
Beyond Blue have some great tips to help manage mental health as employees transition back into the physical workplace. They are;
Prioritise self-care by maintaining positive habits
Manage your information intake
Understand what constitutes a mentally healthy workplace
Celebrate the opportunity to reconnect
Send out a short pulse survey to employees to get a feel for how people are feeling about returning and what would make the transition as smooth and positive as possible. As always employee feedback is key to the success of any change. Book in one on ones, check in to see how people are feeling and plan some fun Covid safe team activities.
Focus on recognition
According to the Achievers Workforce Institute, 2020 Culture Report, recognition is the number one request from employees in the postCOVID world.
When employees were asked “how organisations could better support them through the COVID-19 pandemic”, one-third said they wanted more recognition.
To be effective it is important that recognition is; timely, specific and ideally values based. If recognition aligns to your company values, you are constantly reinforcing the values and the behaviours that ultimately under pin your culture.
Looking for a harmonious transition? Reach out.
Whiteark is not your average consulting firm, we have first-hand experience in delivering transformation programs for private equity and other organisations with a focus on people just as much as financial outcomes.
We understand that execution is the hardest part, and so we roll our sleeves up and work with you to ensure we can deliver the required outcomes for the business. Our co-founders have a combined experience of over 50 years’ working as Executives in organisations delivering outcomes for shareholders. Reach out for a no obligation conversation on how we can help you. Contact us on whiteark@whiteark.com.au
Article by Phoebe Reid
