Marcia's Leadership Q and As: Celebrate the Return to the Office!

Q. We’ve started to discuss bringing our employees back to the office, and we’re deep into too many disagreements. How do we decide what decision to make?

A. Executives are deep in discussion about their Return to Work policies, plans, and decisions. Some have made their decisions but based on the COVID variants have had to adjust the return dates multiple times. Some corporations intent on bringing back employees full time have faced aggressive resistance to that suggestion and are reconsidering their decision so that their workforce doesn’t quit. For some organizations, the sudden rise in gas prices and inflation add to the employees’ commitment to work remote and not commute to offices. Many families have adjusted to the new lifestyle and have committed to not wasting time in gridlock traffic.

Leaders face a balancing act (depending on the business) where they are considering both the needs and preferences of the employees and the needs of the business and its customers. There is not one decision for all organizations. There are the decisions to optimize your enterprise. There is the challenge leaders face. Ideally, the executives and "managers" and staff have some discussions to solve the problem together. Identify the Purpose; to serve all involved. How can that happen? For some, it may mean everyone goes to work full-time (less than 20% want this option.) A hybrid model where employees come to the office two to three days a week seem optimal for many (about 60%.) And the remaining 20% want to work full-time remote.

To make the best decision for your organization, look at the options, invite ideas from your employees (zoom, Town Hall meetings, survey.) Make decisions and anticipate how those will impact their lives. Communicate with plenty of notice. Stay in communication (managers and teams) as the decisions are implemented. Leaders communicate clearly and frequently through multiple channels. Then assess over the weeks how your decisions are working. What adjustments need to be made? What do you need to pivot or improve? Learn and adapt. Ask how you can help.

Create positive forums for people to re-convene and re-energize together. Understand and listen to their concerns. Coming back to the office is welcome by some and overwhelming for others. Give people space to talk, problem solve.

Create team-building events. Create Appreciation celebrations. Schedule training and education sessions so that after two years, people can learn together, attend refresher courses, elevate their leadership and communication skills, or participate in mental health and mindfulness workshops. Look for opportunities and deliver what employees need upon their return. Create deep-working labs where teams can coordinate together and accomplish a lot in the few days together.