Niki is Insperity's director, service operations. She specializes in employee onboarding, human capital management and HR infrastructure.
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While some companies remain in limbo about long-term decisions related to work models, others are making tentative plans to return to the office. Employees who have been working in remote environments for an extended period may be reluctant to return to the office in some capacity because it has been working.
However, the long-term consequences of remote work have yet to be determined for workers and businesses. Many business leaders have suggested that remote work may be detrimental to collaboration and productivity, corporate culture, relationships with bosses and co-workers, communication skills and mental health.
Although the jury is still out and time will tell, there is no doubt that humans are social beings who crave interactions that can aid personal and professional growth. As some leaders consider a return to the office, it behooves them to take steps to create a positive experience for those employees who are returning to the office. Below are four areas to consider.
Reinforce Purpose, Mission And Values
When employees work side by side, there are greater opportunities to reinforce the company's purpose, mission and values. Leaders should reiterate how new initiatives support the purpose/mission and demonstrate how adherence to core values keeps employees on track and focused to achieve goals. Create opportunities for employees to experience a shared sense of purpose working toward common goals or witness the commitment and values displayed by others to accomplish tasks. In addition, this helps workers to understand how their role impacts the company and aligns with their purpose/values in a team setting, which might not be as clear if they are operating on their own.
Prioritize Corporate Culture
Many employees hired in the last two years have not stepped foot in the office, therefore, they have not experienced the true corporate culture. Further, new graduates very familiar with remote learning may have no idea about what it is like to work in an office. Employees who have been with the company prior to the pandemic may have lost some of the unique aspects of an in-office culture. Although companies went to great lengths to translate the culture to remote settings, leaders must promote company culture in person. The vibe and energy physical environments offer to employees, along with face-to-face supervision, guidance and feedback all impact culture. If returning to the office, work to generate camaraderie and build ties to enhance the culture, which could help lead to increased morale and job satisfaction.
Promote Collaboration
While videoconferencing has certainly filled the need to host team meetings, present new programs/processes and conduct check-ins, there is no substitute for face-to-face communications, which promote collaboration. The freedom to voice off-the-cuff ideas, without the need to launch a video call, can promote unexpected innovations and encourage creativity. Allowing these moments of collaboration can enhance employees' comfort with their teammates, fostering greater trust and the sharing of new concepts. Unlike scheduled presentations or meetings, these unplanned conversations before and after meetings or during breaks are great ways to promote organic collaboration.
Enhance Career Development Opportunities
The importance of on-the-job training among co-workers, peers and leaders in a physical environment cannot be emphasized enough, as it relates to career development. When employees can witness leaders in action and observe how they conduct themselves, make decisions and solve problems, it can leave a lasting impression that may help them down the road in their professional development. In office settings, expose employees to more people within the company who can serve as mentors and role models they can go to for advice and guidance. Exhibiting their skill sets in physical settings to this expanded network may give them an edge and help better position them for success when opportunities arise. Prioritize relationship-building in day-to-day interactions to help employees see the big picture and further refine their career aspirations.
When business leaders prioritize these four aspects of returning to the office, including reinforcing the company’s purpose, mission and values; experiencing the corporate culture; promoting collaboration; and boosting career opportunities, it can help strengthen connections to the company.
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