Many firms have been conducting employee surveys to gauge sentiment on getting back to office life. Not surprisingly, many employees have expressed concern about the commute in particular.
There are understandably mixed views some are eager to get back to some level of normality. This is particularly the case for more junior employees who need more support from managers. But there are plenty of people at all levels who are keen to get back to the human interaction.
Some offices have already welcomed a limited number of people back. But for most September is the first meaningful return date, with a staggered occupancy expected. ‘Welcome packs’ have been outlined.
Staggered start and end time are also being offered if required to eliminate public transport congestion.
There may be one-way systems in place, and you may well need to use some kind of app to log in and out of the office so that managers know exactly how many people are in and where they’re located.
Most people are likely to return to the office in a part-time capacity. Whatever your firm’s approach, get organised so that you are ready to mix it up, and get the most out of the days when you are either at home or in the office.
Firms have spent a lot of time during lockdown prioritising employee wellbeing – this should only be more important now as things change once more.
