Blurred lines between home and work, dealing with remote technology (no tech support team!), and missing collaboration and camaraderie with their teams were typical complaints.

And then…they adapted.

Now, as more and more companies are calling their workers back to the office, not everyone is jumping for joy. In fact, 72% of respondents to a PwC survey said they would like to continue working from home for at least 2 days a week. And 32% of those surveyed by Owl Labs said they would quit their job if they were not able to continue working remotely.

So, as a leader, how can you smooth the transition back to the office and reignite your team?

Here are some tips.

Be flexible. Meet with each of your team members and, as much as possible, create a work schedule that aligns with their personal needs as they transition.

Manage your expectations. Just as they had to adapt their work style to a remote model, they’ll need to adapt again to working in the office.  The commute, dropping the kids at school or childcare, and “dressing for success” have been on hold for more than two years. Give them grace as they find their way back to working in an office.

Reconnect your team. Create plenty of opportunities for team members to gather and get to know one another again. No doubt you’ve had lots of Zoom meetings and, perhaps, video socials, but it’s not the same as chatting in the same room eyeball to eyeball!

Conduct a re-onboarding. Hold an onboarding event to officially welcome employees who were hired over the past two years and perhaps are meeting their teammates in person for the first time. Use this event to remind everyone about the company vision, mission, and values, as well as your vision for the team.  Allow time for questions, concerns, and suggestions.

Check in. Now, more than ever, is the time to follow that tried-and-true principle MBWA – management by walking around. Make time to check in with each of your team members. We are in an environment where workers have a lot of opportunities, don’t let them walk away.

They may have come back to the office, but how will you get them to stay?

Till next time, keep it real.

Karen

The post Leading the Way Back to the Office appeared first on PeopleThink.

Some to the extreme, as in the case of abusive airline passengers and others who have acted out in response to mask mandates and other perceived restrictions resulting from the pandemic.

And some more general, as work-from-home and limited gathering has put our social skills on hold.

Now, as more companies call their employees back to the office – at least for a couple of days a week – it’s time to give those social skills a reboot.

Here are some tips.

Think positive. Yes, it’s easy to grumble about the commute, having to wear pants and other “inconveniences” of going back to the office. And yet you can make it easier for everyone by focusing on the positive: Connecting with your team without technology glitches and Zoom fatigue, and having a clear separation between home and work. Seriously, when your home is your office does the workday ever end?

Be tolerant. It will take a little time to adjust and get back into the rhythm. For you, for your leader, and for your teammates. Eat the elephant one bit at a time.

Exercise your social skills. It seems funny to say, but this might be a good time to reflect on the socio-emotional skills you learned in kindergarten. As Robert Fulghum said in his book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, “Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.” Play fair. Clean up your own mess. Wash your hands. Put things back where you found them. Say “please” and “thank you.” And say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.  Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Be kind. It’s been a rough couple of years for everyone. And the pandemic is just a part of it. It would be easy just to curl up under the covers until the world gets better. And yet, I’ve never been one to just wait around for things to change. I think we each have a responsibility to make the change we want to see in the world – even if we can only make it one small step at a time.

As you put on your pants, start up the car and head toward the office, ask yourself, “How can I be kinder today?” Then commit to looking for opportunities to show someone you care.

Keep it real and keep it kind.

“In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” – Unknown

Till next time,

Karen

The post Returning to the Office: Be Kind! appeared first on PeopleThink.