The idea of working from home was not something considered plausible by the greater portion of the business sector. For one, the belief is that you need to remain focused throughout your shift and eliminate all distractions to produce quality and credible work, which is impossible in a home setup. But, alas, remote work was the sole and safest solution for companies to continue operating amidst the pandemic. Although it’s unsurprising how this shift met countless challenges at first, what’s startling is how it spawned many advantages.
With employees having to put in less time to prepare and commute to work, they get more moments for relaxing activities and family bonding – some of the few things that contribute to a better work-life balance. If your business is gearing up to bring employees back to the workplace, you need to exert more effort since it’s a shift that’s probably unappealing in your staff’s eyes. You’d have to do many upgrades and prepare your business for a skeletal employee schedule should you decide to try a blended working environment. As a guide, you can start with these.
Completely Adopt Flexibility
Flexibility means allowing your team to choose if they want to work at home or in the office. Even though remote work is indeed convenient, some of your personnel might not have the stable internet connection or proper equipment they need to work seamlessly, pushing them to opt for the traditional setting.
There are many ways to go about this roadblock; you can provide them with the devices they need or make the office a safe place for face-to-face work.
Or Shuttle Them from and to Their Homes
Another thing you can do aside from letting them choose the setup they’re most comfortable in is to provide them with transportation. The number of people going out has been significantly lower in the past years, making gas and public transportation rates high.
To give your employees the support they need, you can pick them up from their homes, drop them directly in the office, and vice-versa. Not only will this help them save money, but it’ll also make commutes safer since they no longer have to mingle with the general public.
Upgrade Your Workplace
If you’re leaning towards letting your team choose the setup they want to work in, then you should begin upgrading your workplace. It would be best to aim for a conducive office where safety and sanitation are priorities.
There are many methods to do this. For instance, you can contact a business with printing services to customize a banner featuring the essential health policies employees must follow and have it displayed at the lobby of your establishment or the common areas of your building. Investing in automatic, touch-free tech like faucets with sensors or automatic doors will also prevent the spread of germs.
Let Them in on the Changes
Many changes will happen while you optimize your business to suit pandemic demands, which will ultimately affect your staff. Considering that these changes directly affect how your employees work, you need to get their opinions and let them know the shifts in the company.
Communication is vital during this time. The key to successfully cascading new information is publishing info in your business’s newsletter or holding a town hall meeting where most departments can attend.
Fair Opportunities at Home
While focusing on upgrading your office facilities to make it safer for your employees who’ll come in for work, you should also prepare projects for your remote workers. Seminars and training often happen onsite, but with most of your employees at home, that is not a possibility at present.
As their employer, it is your job to ensure that they keep honing their skills and abilities even when they’re out of the traditional setting. Through webinars and getting mentors from other fields to give out virtual training, you can help your staff learn more and produce better outputs.
Take Advantage of Technology
The years 2020 and 2021 made the prevalence of technology more glaring. Remote work is possible thanks to programs, software, and online platforms. To better your company situation both for your office and remote workers, you must update company processes with innovative techs.
For example, subscribing to cloud computing services will allow smooth data transfers between your staff working in the office and those at home. Getting task management apps will help bolster productivity by recording the time an employee spends on a task and letting them know which job orders they should prioritize at a glance. Working from home and in a conventional office setting has unique advantages and drawbacks. What might work with one employee might inconvenience another. However, when you leave it to your staff to choose, you can provide them with a conducive working environment and propel your business to greater heights
