Being back at work can be both stressful and difficult. To ease your transition, make sure to plan your daily commute and know the work hours and safety procedures at your workplace. A routine can be created and put into practice before returning to work. These steps will help prepare you for your new job.
In-person meetings
In-person meetings have become more common as travel restrictions are lessened. But they remain below pre-pandemic levels. Future-oriented leaders are helping redefine the definition of 'normal'. For a team that has been primarily virtual for two years, the first in-person meeting is likely to be full of relief, but also apprehension.
Virtual meetings can also have serious drawbacks. For example, virtual meetings can make it difficult for people to see nonverbal cues that comprise 80 percent human communication. Virtual meetings tend to exclude people with differing communication styles. One Harvard Business Review study indicated that some people feel more comfortable speaking up during virtual meetings. This may lead to greater inclusion.
Flexible return to office policy
The Bank of England stated that it will not reverse its flexible return–to-office policy. It points out individual circumstances and health concerns. Canva announced it will create a flexible work environment for its employees. The company will emphasize flexibility and eliminate formal office attendance rules.
Flexible work arrangements are more likely to attract the best talent. The plan might not be loved by all employees. 94% say they would prefer more flexibility regarding their location and their schedule, but two-thirds say they are limited or not allowed to adjust their hours.
Socializing reduces employee theft
While socializing is a major problem for employees and the workplace, it is not the only one. When employees are distracted, they can be tempted to use company time to run their side businesses or to socialize with their co-workers. Many workplaces are plagued by time theft. It is difficult to pinpoint the culprits. Employers can decrease the likelihood of time theft by offering flexible working hours to their employees.
This type of crime has become a major cause of business failures. It can cost companies billions of dollars each year. Employee theft is responsible for more than 7% of U.S. businesses going out of business. And more than a third of employees have stolen from their employer at least one time. Moreover, employees are responsible for more than two-thirds (63%) of all cyber attacks.
Remaining fully remote
The results of employees returning to work from time off have varied across organizations. Some employees had trouble managing the chaos. Others were able tap into a wider talent base. While many organizations may be happy to have an employee who can work from home on occasion, there are other factors that need to be considered before allowing employees to work from home regularly.
Currently, nearly three in ten companies are using some kind of fully remote work model. Another third plan on continuing to hire full-time staff members on-site. Half of the remaining plans are to switch to hybrid models.