Companies can encourage their employees to return to the office by offering them new experiences and opportunities. This article shows what these are and how this can be achieved.
During and after COVID, workplaces around the world have undergone an incredible transformation. From full-time office to 100% remote and back - or rather hybrid?
Many companies are trying to lure their employees back into the office. However, many employees' relationship with the office has been irrevocably disrupted and many want flexible working options. Hybrid forms of work are now difficult to negotiate away. It is becoming increasingly difficult for companies not to allow at least one or two days of remote working.
The reasons why employees are reluctant to return to the office and how this resistance to back-to-office can be overcome were hotly debated at the NAVIT panel on 16 November 2023. How can companies encourage employees to enjoy coming back to the office and what do companies need to look out for?
A look at the behavioural sciences helps, which uses the term 'nudging'. In this article, we discuss the meaning of nudging and show how this term can be used in the context of hybrid work. We also present some of the most effective methods that organisations can use to encourage their employees to return to the office through the use of engagement strategies.
Nudging is the practice of helping people make the best choices by framing the options in a way that influences, but does not limit, the outcome.
In simple words: Nudging is a behaviour change strategy that enables organisations to effectively influence the behaviour of employees without further restricting their freedom of choice or imposing binding obligations on them.
Given the natural resistance to changing behaviour or moving away from the status quo or a default option, behavioural science suggests that the most effective and efficient way to get people to change is not through education or enforcement, but rather through adaptive changes in their work environment or nudges.
After the post-COVID era, employees around the world have become accustomed to the rhythm of remote work and don't want to put their genie back in the bottle.
For them, the default option is to work from home, and commuting to the office is a significant obstacle compared to their default 'home office' option. So it's no surprise that organisations are facing the challenge of getting their employees back into the office.
However, Microsoft's latest Work Trend Index also points to some exciting figures that can nonetheless be encouraging for organisations and that business leaders should take a closer look at:
Below are some of the most effective nudges and retention strategies that companies can implement to help their employees understand the redefined purpose of the office and realise the true benefits of hybrid working:
What would motivate employees to come into the office if they could work remotely? The first step is to identify the activities where their presence is most important and incentivise them to participate in these moments.
Even though there are many employees who feel more productive working from home, some employees may find it helpful to come into the office because they simply find a day in the office productive and realise after a day in the office that they have been productive because they have met with colleagues and worked together on something important.
It has also been shown that attending weekly team meetings restores employees' commitment to the company. Employees who have not attended such meetings recently could be encouraged to attend the next meetings. Remote employees could attend meetings virtually from a local coworking location or with colleagues nearby, providing networking opportunities and overcoming the loneliness of the home office.
Companies can also set fixed days of the week on which all employees (should) come into the office, whether they call it Company Day, Team Day, Office Day or Spirit Day. Eric Grieben from Lendis emphasised at the NAVIT panel that companies should "try to provide some fun activities around this day, otherwise employees won't feel the urge to come into the office."
Participating in events and fun team-building activities boosts employee creativity and productivity and contributes to lower stress levels. HR managers can encourage employee engagement by organising personalised company events or company days that allow them to collaborate with other team members and make them feel valued. Personalisation and tailored opportunities are key. Working on something important with your team members in person at the workplace is the perfect way to get employees back into the office.
To help restore a sense of community and team bonding, leaders need to create experiences that bring people together in new ways. They should deliberately create opportunities to socialise, for example by holding an extended lunch at a popular restaurant near the office to entice employees into the office, or hosting quarterly 'team weeks' where employees come together for a series of daily workshops.
Younger employees are particularly keen to use their time in the office to establish themselves as part of their teams and feel more connected to their colleagues. Companies should therefore consciously plan extra time for personal contact when onboarding new employees. And they should organise targeted events for new starters to help them build their networks.
One of the most compelling reasons people come to the office is to know if their favourite colleague or team member is there. Humans are social creatures, and the opportunity to socialise and collaborate with others is the most important reason to come to the office, as the aforementioned Work Trend Index from Microsoft showed.
Employees are also more likely to come into the office on the same days as their superiors. In order to encourage employees to come into the office, managers must set a good example. Above all, honest and transparent communication and a collaborative approach are crucial. Employees must be involved to ensure success. A top-down approach will not be enough. It is important to create agreements that everyone is happy to accept, as Vera Schnabel from Gymondo also pointed out at the NAVIT panel:
"We always talk about forcing people back into the office. That basically means that someone is making a decision about someone else. The real challenge is to involve the team to find a common sense and agreement. We should talk about the higher purpose of why we're actually doing this."
One thing above all is clear: companies can successfully bring their employees back to the office by making it social.
Returning to the office is not about hard financial incentives, but about offering employees a pleasant environment and good reasons. With the options presented here, the (partial) return to the office can be successful.
