In the initial stage of this pandemic, every company faced a host of challenges to shift its workforce from office to a remote work environment. It was nothing less than a test that not everyone has passed. Employees were acutely confused about the WFH model. Employers and HR managers, on the other hand, were finding answers and effective solutions to manage their remote teams. Let’s face it, adopting a new format is always stressful. 

All that said, the challenge now is to get employees back to the office spaces. According to a recent study, a good number of working personnel are anxious to return to work. Now, this situation is a big challenge for HR managers. 

Let’s dive in and learn more about back-to-the-office challenges and how HR professionals can solve this problem. 

Employees’ Take on Returning to the Office 

After the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic, over 50 percent of the workforce across India shifted to the hybdrid model. But with the help of technologies, businesses were able to continue their operations. Say, for example, HROne is one of the well-known HR software companies in India. It gained a lot of popularity after this pandemic as it helped and supported companies in such testing time. Be it attendance or workforce management, Hybrid Workplace, HROne simplified every process for organizations. This may be also one of the reasons why employees got comfortable with remote working. As a result, returning to the workplace is a stress for them today. 

Now, there are a number of reasons for this stress. One of them is afraid to get infected. According to a recent survey, 54 percent of employees in the US are concerned about exposure to Coronavirus at the working place. At the same time, 71 percent are sure that their employers will provide safe working conditions at the offices. To solve this issue and make employees feel safe in the office, employers can take necessary steps such as increasing sanitizing norms, temperature checks, and safe distance between people. 

Things to be Done Before Employees’ Return 

Before employees come back to work, it is important to cheer them up and tune them into the working environment. Companies can conduct anonymous or in-person surveys to get an idea of what employees are up to. To acquire the desired results, surveys should include the following factors- 

• Desire to work from office 
• Thoughts on the WFH model 
• Satisfaction with management during virtual commuting, productivity levels, and health concerns. 

Need to mention, HR managers have a big role here. They should take a step ahead and be empathetic as well as available for employees. Listening to their problems and concerns is vital. In addition to this, managers and leaders should also try to get in touch with every team member in advance and know their opinion on returning to the office. 

Also, if you do not require the whole team at the same time, then the management should decide who should come to the workplace first. 

How Can HR Professionals Smooth This Shift? 

As mentioned earlier, HR managers can help employees adapt back to the office environment. 

This is the time when employees need their HRs. That being said, HR managers should give time to every employee and communicate their role in the overall success of the organization during this testing time. Be transparent like never before and tell them the impact of external circumstances on the business, what will transform now, what they should strive for, and so on. This in turn will build a sense of belonging among the employees. If required, changes should be made to the old regulations of the work of employees. In essence, HRs should know the pulse of their employees and come up with effective ways to help them along the way. 

That’s it. We hope this blog helped you know how HR managers can make the back-to-the-office shift easier for employees.