All set for the big return to the office?
Are your people prepared to embrace the new post-pandemic hybrid working model?
For many organisations, the answers to both those questions are: ‘Well…kind of!’
In stark contrast to the shocking start to global Covid 19 lockdowns almost 18 long months ago, the redesign of how (and where) we work has been a slower, more measured process.
It seems most organisations are working towards a model which will see employees continuing to work from home for at least half the week.
But returning to the office for any number of days – although hugely welcomed by the majority – can’t simply be a case of picking up where they left off.
There will be a new format and a new rhythm to adapt to: with tools, technology and a safe working environment right at the top of any new priority list.
The HR teams of smarter organisations have already begun to ensure their workforces are supported.
And it seems the challenges of reopening CAN be matched by the opportunities for reinvention.
“We all have a responsibility to help employees set their boundaries and get them up to speed in the new reality,” says Wouter Dolle, Director of HR & Facilities at global value-for-money digital accessories provider Trust International.
“We need to facilitate them as effectively as possible.”
In March 2020, Trust quickly responded to the lockdowns announced in many of the countries in which it is located.
As the one-stop brand for digital lifestyle and workplace accessories, it made sure all of its employees (and customers) were able to work remotely, with all the necessary tools, technology, and budget to create a suitable home working environment.
Now it is working hard to ensure those same people can meet safely at the office once again.
“Our employees are ambitious, passionate, and committed with a flexible mindset,” says Dolle.
“We trust them to do their job independently. But that doesn’t mean it has all been easy during lockdown.
“Whilst employees have been able to adapt to the working from home format, social interaction and collaboration with colleagues are also very important for employee health and well-being.
“Therefore, it’s now essential that employers and HR teams enable that to happen safely.
‘Our ICT team has equipped meeting rooms with our own IRIS video conferencing equipment that is a huge asset to the hybrid working model. It has great image resolution and a wide-angle view that offers a full-body display of every person in the meeting room without them having to sit shoulder-to-shoulder.
