For most, January 3rd, 2022 marks the first day back in the office since March of 2020. Over the past couple of years, organizations have reacted to the rapid changes affecting the well-being of their workforce, and because of this, have not spent enough time developing an approach to successful return to the office (RTO). We’ve developed a few common elements that all leaders should consider before the big day.
Have a strategy
A strategy should be tailored to the organization’s long-term goals, client needs, and company culture. The right strategy serves as a plan of action for which everyone follows as they transition back to the office. The first step to any strategy is to understand where you are, and where you’d like to be. A workplace assessment is a great way to identify changes required in processes, systems/tools, and employee behaviors. Having this information upfront is how you develop a roadmap to close the gap between the current and the future state.
Communicating how your strategy and culture are aligned
Culture is one of many resources required to execute and realize a strategy. Without it, your plans will fail. Culture is – the customary beliefs and social forms of a group. If your workforce has proven that it has been able to meet or exceed client demands while away from the office, you will have a hard time convincing them to return to pre-pandemic practices and behaviors. Therefore your culture will need to match the goals of your strategy and support how and where work gets done in the future.
Policies and Benefits
Once you’ve understood the organization’s strategy and culture, it’s time to craft policies that support the mission. In today’s market, that means having policies and benefits that are inclusive and employee-centric. For instance, traditionally, HR would craft a one-size-fits-all policy for hiring. In the future, you may want to craft policies that differ by department or perhaps even by salary band. Other areas that are being reviewed by firms are traditional work hours, PTO, compensation, and fringe benefits like offering home office equipment.
Technology
Organizations need to bridge the hybrid workforce through effectively integrating technologies. Think past ZOOM rooms and instant messaging. Today we find solutions for productivity management, hot-desking, and even platforms that recreate the office space virtually. Once you’ve understood your technology needs for the future, now you can begin to strategically invest in new concepts and tools for the workforce. This will not be a one-time exercise, rather a new way of operationalizing to support a continuous digital transformation.
Communication and Training Plan
These may be the most important elements for a successful RTO. How your organization summarizes the workplace upgrades that are being made, and provides staff the training required to do their jobs safely and effectively is key to long-term stability. Communicating this plan early, through varying channels, and while measuring comprehension, will allow your workforce to thrive during RTO.
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