As more states begin to relax their COVID restrictions, companies are starting to consider transitioning back to in person work for their teams. While some individuals have navigated working from home well over the past year, others might want the opportunity to return to the office.
FullStack’s co-founder and COO, Dawn Lively, had this to say about considering going back to the office: “You have to do what is best both for your company’s performance and for employee morale and performance. Sometimes this can be a delicate balance, and there is no ‘one answer fits all’ approach. We have clients who are undertaking a variety of approaches to this ‘Brave New World,’ and we’re here to work with them to find the solution best for their own unique dynamics.”
In this challenge, it’s important to reflect on the pros and cons of both options (and the idea of a hybrid setting).
Reflect on your company.
While working from home was not expected last year, many companies had to learn to adapt to the changes in order to survive. For some, this transition didn’t cause too much disruption with their product or service. For some, it could’ve been the complete opposite. Reflect on the past year and consider what options would be best for your company.
Consult yourself and your team.
Managing your team could’ve been difficult at the beginning of the pandemic, but many teams hit their stride and figured out how to manage – some might even prefer it now. It’s important to consult your team and see where they stand. Do they prefer remote work? Are they more interested in returning to the office? Along with talking with your employees, take the time to reflect on how they managed working from home over the last year. How has productivity been? Communication skills? Take into account both your team’s responses and your thoughts before making a decision.
Consider alternatives.
If leaning into a fully remote team or returning all of your employees back to the office are not sounding like good choices, it might be worthwhile to consider alternative choices. Depending on your team dynamics, having some employees work from home and others return to the office might be a great choice. Consider how your team will communicate with one another if considering this option. Another great choice is allowing employees to have hybrid schedules. Employees could work from home when needed or set days a week, depending on what works best for the employee and the company.
Want to learn more about how FullStack can help your company navigate challenging HR situations? Schedule a call.
Further Reading
A CEO’s Guide to Planning to Return to the Office