The Richard Spooner Column: The end of home comforts..?
The day is fast approaching when many of us will have to start thinking about going back to work in an office and employers will be forced to make seriously big decisions.
There have been many ups and downs over the past year or so as we have become used to working miles apart.
It 's been pretty seamless for the Chamber 's Press and PR team, who, among many others tasks, have produced 13 editions of Chamberlink magazine and hundreds of daily news bulletins without so much as a cross word.
And during that time we have met only once (socially distanced, of course) and that was the only occasion we were able to say hi to a new member of the team in person.
Now there are predictions that there will never be a full return to the office. So I 'm grateful to our friends at Instant Offices for suggesting how we can stay motivated when we go back to the daily grind of commuting to work.
It 's obviously important for employers to retain talent, reduce the time they want them to spend in the office while maintaining morale because according to Instant Office 's research, 60 per cent would only feel comfortable returning to the office if everyone had been vaccinated.
According to a survey by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the top concerns about returning to work in-office include:
- Social distancing: 60 per cent
- Workplace safety: 56 per cent
- Workplace cleanliness: 55 per cent
- Spreading illness to family or friends: 45 per cent
- Being away from family: 16 per cent
The most-requested workplace changes among UK employees can provide a guideline for businesses looking to establish better support and ease post-lockdown concerns:
- Flexible hours: 59 per cent
- A four-day working week: 45 per cent
- Fewer people in the office: 37 per cent
- Fewer meetings: 33 per cent
- Mental health days: 32 per cent
Clearly, mental health is now rightly now high on the agenda and cannot be ignored. The introduction of a discussion culture and the loss of any stigma attaching to an employee taking time off for mental issues are now recommended as vital.
Environmental psychologist and wellbeing trainer Lee Chambers says dealing with a lack of social connections during the outbreak has been a massive challenge for many people.
“In these turbulent times, social connection is vital to our wellbeing. Without the ability to go out and socialise in the way we usually would, we have to be more creative and have more intention in our connection with others during this lockdown scenario.
“In some ways, the enforcement of rules around movement has caused us to slow down. This actually gives us the chance to connect on a deeper level. ”
With many employees working remotely, managers are advised to be more conscious of the challenges different households face. Encouraging flexibility, self-care and regular check-ins is key to reducing presenteeism and stress, and ensuring employees facing any issues can be identified and supported.
With employees using tools like Zoom to connect with the office remotely, Instant Offices say now is a great time for businesses to encourage morning catch-ups, remote Friday drinks, yoga sessions or even company training sessions. Encourage team members to take a class they 've always wanted to try or to attend industry-related Webinars. This is a great way to support employees looking to upskill themselves and stay busy.
Much more advice is available from the global Instant Group at www.theinstantgroup.com