Make Returning to the Office Easier with These Simple Improvements

Although many people have discovered that they prefer working from home rather than going into the office, some employers are still keen for teams to meet up in person. There is an ongoing debate as to whether or not people are more productive when working from home or whether they get more done in a shared office environment. If you are a manager or employer, you may have your reasons for wanting to encourage people back into the office. Whatever these might be, here are a few ways you can improve your office to make returning that much easier.

Safety and Hygiene

One of the top reasons that your employees might be reluctant to return to the office, apart from preferring their home environment, is that shared workspaces tend to be more likely to spread germs. This is particularly relevant in the wake of recent events and is an understandable concern. To assuage any fears that your employees might have with regard to their personal safety, you can rearrange your office and install measures to counteract the threat of transmissible illness. For example, transparent dividers to protect employees’ individual workspaces without blocking their view and hindering teamwork or communication.

Comfort

A huge benefit to working from home compared to coming into the office is that a person’s own space is far more likely to be enticing and comfortable. To encourage people to return to the office, you might want to take steps that will improve the overall comfort levels in the space. There are many ways to do this. Here are a few examples:

• Better furniture such as desks and chairs will make it more comfortable for your employees to work and reduce their risk of desk-related injuries such as repetitive strain injury or posture issues;
• Poor quality air and uncomfortable temperatures can make employees less inclined to return to the office. If a space is too cold or too hot, it can be difficult for people to concentrate. Air Conditioning Installation is a useful way to make your office environment more comfortable and, therefore, more attractive to employees;
• If you have a designated break area, consider adding new features that will make working in the office more appealing. This could be more comfortable furniture, higher-quality vending machines, or a wider range of appliances to prepare food with.

The comfort of your employees will be a huge deciding factor as to whether or not they are prepared to return to the office.

Flexibility

Returning to the office can be off-putting to some employees due to the rigidity of the schedule this will impose. Especially if they have been working from home for a while, they will be accustomed to structuring their day more freely around their work rather than feeling tightly controlled. Loosen up your work patterns and offer more flexibility when it comes to working hours so that employees have more of a choice about when they believe will be appropriate times to use the office.