In some companies, a battle has broken out over the return to the office. Employers want to bring their employees back to the office from the home office. If necessary, with stricter office guidelines. Many employees are not happy about this, and some companies have already had to revise their office plans due to employee resistance. This is because employees have become accustomed to working from home and have adapted to it. Collaboration, team dynamics and employee loyalty are suffering as a result of the differences between companies and employees. 'Quiet quitting' has now become a trend among many employees.
Another challenge for companies is unused office space and the associated costs. Given the current uncertainty as to how many employees will return to the office and when, many of them are finding it difficult to plan.
How can the return to the office be successful for employers, and what do companies need to consider if they want to push for on-site working again? In addition to personnel management issues, employers should also consider a number of legal aspects when bringing their employees back to the office from working from home. After all, is it that easy to increase the presence of employees in the office again?
Employers should take care to introduce clear and precise guidelines for employees' return to the office that regulate good cooperation and effective communication on the one hand, but also address the needs of employees to ensure their satisfaction and motivation on the other.
Companies should bear these four points in mind when organising the return to the office:
Companies should enable their employees to choose the working style that best fulfils their professional and personal needs in a highly mobile, collaborative and flexible working environment. Ultimately, companies themselves benefit from satisfied and motivated employees through increased motivation and performance.
When planning the return to the office, companies should not only be concerned with business results, cost savings, downsizing or employee preferences. Employee health and safety should be the top priority. This includes, for example, including contingency planning for another office closure in the guidelines. This can help to minimise stress for employees and chaos for the company.
How can companies best communicate their return to office policies? For example, a back-to-office playbook can help organise the return to the office and clearly outline rules for working on site. A playbook gives employees a practical plan, clear guidelines and full transparency. Clear communication should be the standard for all organisations. Preparing actionable yet flexible rules helps employees understand the importance of returning to the office and plan for how they want to work in the future, whether at home or in the office.
Even though flexible working models are likely to be a popular solution, it is also clear that this will not be feasible in all industries, companies and jobs. For one thing, physical contact with each other is crucial for collaboration in many companies. So if it is not possible to offer all employees the same flexibility, or if there are good reasons for bringing employees back to the office permanently, then expectations need to be managed. Announcing the plans as early as possible is also crucial for the acceptance of back-to-office policies. Ultimately, this allows employees' expectations to be better managed and they are better prepared for working on site.
Employers are increasingly focussing on office presence again. Return-to-office strategies are at the top of many HR and people managers' to-do lists. Among other things, they want to achieve the following:
Many companies have tightened their office guidelines and decided that full-time working from home should only be permitted in exceptional cases. For example, this may mean that employees either have to come to work on site at least three days a week or otherwise face consequences under labour law.
Last but not least, returning to the office can also be advantageous for employees:
In addition to a 100% office presence for employees, there are various models for hybrid work.
With all hybrid working models, it is important to pay attention to the dos and don'ts of flexible working guidelines.
Advantages for employers
Advantages for employees
What does the future of work look like? Remote or back to the office? The findings of the Covid-19 pandemic and two years of working from home have given employers the opportunity to rethink and redesign their own corporate culture and the functionality of the office. With a flexible return to the office and hybrid working models, they have the chance to create the ideal workplace where employees feel more connected and valued. Companies can also utilise innovative and intelligent software solutions that enable employees to work more productively to find the right work-life balance or that optimally respond to increased work flexibility.
Planning the return to the office is definitely a complex task for companies. There are no action plans or guidelines that work for all companies, industries or employees. However, organisations that put their plans in place early and communicate clearly, understand the needs of their employees and manage their expectations, and prioritise safety and wellbeing will have a competitive advantage over others in the new normal of the workplace.
