Returning to the Office After Lockdown

The lockdown forced many businesses to close their doors and employees to work from home. Now that many lockdowns are ending, companies are curious about the right steps to take when they reopen. Should they make all employees come back to work? How will they make sure that everyone stays safe? Some of the things to consider when returning to the office after lockdown include:

Bring Back the Staff You Need

In the beginning, it may be best to only bring back the staff that is necessary. This helps to limit contact between employees and can prevent the spread of Covid-19 better. Plus, some employees may be more willing to stay at home to complete their work than before to keep themselves and their families healthy. It is best to only have critical employees come back to work if possible.

Office Spacing and New Rules

A lot of things have changed due to the pandemic and many businesses are finding they can’t run the same way they did before. New rules need to be implemented to keep everyone safe and to prevent anyone from getting sick. You may need to implement rules such as regular hand-washing, temperature checks, or even an office redesign to maintain social distancing rules. Make sure that everyone on the team understands the new rules and is aware of them ahead of time.

Remember Digital Safety

Digital safety is more important now than ever before. Your infrastructure will need to change to allow some employees to continue working from home. This opens the door to more data breaches and issues with data security. Find ways to secure the data of all customers and employees, even with this new work relationship. Review all data safety requirements, especially any changes, with all employees.

Prepare for Some Employees to Stay Home

There are some of your staff that may need to stay home more than before. Some are more vulnerable to getting sick, some live with relatives who are at risk, others may have children who are still home during this time with no good alternatives for care. And others just like to work from home. No matter the reason, it is unlikely that all of your employees will get back to the office right away. As a business leader, you must make sure that the technology infrastructure will stay in place to help support both the employees who head back to the office and those who decide to stay home for the time being.

New Office Fit Out

You will now have some employees who report to the office and some who will work from home. It might be a good idea to refit the office to comply with new social distancing rules and to optimise the office space, especially when some employees will still be working from home. Reinvent ways for employees to connect and work together to help your business become more successful. Returning to work after the pandemic is going to be different for every business. If you need help with a project as things adjust, or you need new ideas on how to help create an environment that works for both your in-office employees and your at-home employees, then contact us today!