An increasing number of companies are calling employees back to the office, with some requesting a hybrid work model, others demanding a full-time return, and some falling somewhere in between. However, one thing that these companies have in common is that the reaction of their employees has been met with a great deal of hostility.
If you are considering returning to the office, it’s important to think about how in-person work can benefit you. Here are five reasons why your employees may want to return to the office:
1. Environment
Starting a new job from home can be a daunting task, especially for those new to the workforce and transitioning from education to a career. Remote onboarding makes it challenging for new employees to observe the work process and understand how things are done.
Remote workers may require more explicit instructions and assistance with completing tasks, as they are unable to observe what others are doing, and colleagues cannot easily tell when they are facing difficulties.
As a current employee of a company, spending time with coworkers has its advantages. Being away from colleagues can make it challenging to maintain a sense of purpose and belonging.
To maintain alignment with the company’s core values, it’s essential to communicate frequently with coworkers and ensure that cultural aspects that you find important are upheld.
Communicating with new employees is also crucial, as your interactions with them can help them learn and adapt to the company culture and work processes. This can be especially helpful for remote workers who may feel isolated and disconnected from the rest of the team.
Overall, starting a new job remotely may present challenges, but with clear communication and support from coworkers, new employees can successfully transition to their new roles.
2. Team Work
In a remote work environment, navigating institutional knowledge can require more effort. Information sharing often happens through short, informal conversations that occur throughout a typical workday.
However, in a remote setting, every interaction must be scheduled, which may lead to fewer short queries being posed due to the added effort required.
In addition, informal sharing of knowledge may be less likely to occur when working remotely, especially considering the phenomenon of Zoom fatigue. This can hinder the development of strong working relationships and may lead to a lack of innovation and creativity that often comes from collaborative, in-person interactions.
In a traditional workplace, projects can advance through chance encounters with coworkers that result in novel and unexpected solutions to problems. Going out for coffee with colleagues can lead to the creation of a new product or service, and offering time-saving advice to a struggling coworker can have a significant impact.
While these moments may not be missed when working remotely, they can significantly impact our success, not just that of the company.
Being productive at work benefits both the individual and the company. Collaborative partnerships can make it easier for people to ask for assistance when needed, pick up new skills, and feel less frustrated at work.
In a remote work environment, it is essential to find ways to replicate the benefits of in-person collaboration and knowledge-sharing to ensure that both individuals and the company are successful.
3. Goal
Spending time with coworkers in the office helps reinforce the idea that everyone is on the same team, working towards a common objective. This camaraderie can benefit job satisfaction and overall performance.
When employees identify with their organization’s mission, it can increase their sense of job satisfaction. Believing in the company’s goals can help employees view their job as a passion or calling, rather than just a means to make money.
Collaboration in the office can have lasting benefits for both the company and the employee. However, the advantages of working from home are becoming more apparent to many people.
4. Facilities
We are entering a new era of employee experience, where personalization will be the key to success.
The decision to return to the office can be motivated by a variety of factors, and each employee’s expectations may differ. To exceed these expectations and maintain a healthy work-life balance, it’s important to provide a range of spaces and amenities in your reimagined workplace.
To determine what your employees want, you can gather opinions and data using various methods. This ensures that your decisions maximize benefits for everyone involved. It’s also important to monitor usage and occupancy patterns, as employees’ needs and expectations are constantly evolving.
Creating a comfortable and inviting work environment can increase the likelihood that employees will return to the office. This is an opportunity to reconsider how and where work is performed, and to make adjustments that benefit both employees and the company.
5. Positivity
While being ordered back to the office may not be the most pleasant experience, it’s important to find positive reasons to be there. Doing so can help reduce frustration and increase motivation, making you an excellent employee who shows up and does great work. It’s also important to remind yourself of the legitimate benefits of working together with colleagues as you establish new routines and habits in the office.
For many employees, the social interaction and sense of community that comes from working alongside colleagues is an important aspect of their work experience. Additionally, the office can provide a dedicated workspace that is free from the distractions of home life. While remote work has become more prevalent, it’s clear that many employees still value face-to-face interactions and see the value in coming together to collaborate and build relationships in a physical space.
As organizations consider both pre-pandemic and post-pandemic work arrangements, it will be important to strike a balance that meets the needs and preferences of employees and the business. According to new research from Microsoft, which surveyed 31,102 workers around the world between January and February, about 50% of leaders say their company already requires or is planning to require employees to return to in-person work full-time in the next year.
If your organization is looking for ways to ease your employees’ transition to work-from-office, MoveInSync has a range of customized office commute solutions for you. Visit our website to schedule a demo today!