With the world slowly returning to some sense of normality, you’ll find that more and more companies are opting to bring their employees back to the office. There are many reasons why you might think now is a good time to consider returning to the office, but this needs to be done in a safe and responsible manner. Keep reading to discover our top tips for returning to the office after COVID and how you can support your employees with our contract commercial cleaning services during this transition.
Opt for a Hybrid Working Model
If your employees have been working full time at home for the past two years, returning suddenly to the office full time can be quite a shock to the system. For that reason, we recommend adopting a hybrid working policy, to begin with. Even if your intention is for your employees to return to the office permanently moving forward, you’ll find that this will help to make the transition much more enjoyable. They’ll be able to get back into the routine of being in the office while still enjoying some time working in the peace and quiet of their home. If you find that your team has really thrived working from home, this may be something to consider permanently. You’ll enjoy the benefits of getting everyone together a few days a week while still allowing everyone the flexibility of working from home.
Create a Clean and Safe Office Environment
Many of your employees will likely still be wary about returning to the office in the UK after the pandemic. Some people may have their own personal health concerns, and coming back to an office might increase their anxiety. For that reason, make sure you are working with commercial cleaning services on a regular basis. Our team will be on hand at all times to support you during this time of change. We know that you have many things to consider when returning to the office after COVID, but you’ll want to make sure that you create a healthy and safe environment. Cleaning is probably the last thing you have time to do while running a business, but our cleaner agency will be on hand as and when we are needed to make this transition smoother.
Offer Team Building Experiences
As well as keeping your employees safe during the return to the office, you also need to think about how to get employees excited about returning to the office. Not everyone is going to be so thrilled about leaving the comfort of working from home, so you need to make sure you are rewarding your employees for their efforts. This could include offering team lunches, fun afternoon activities, or after-work drinks. Anything that will help your employees to reunite with each other after two years apart is a good idea to form better relationships in your office.
As you consider how to support employees returning to the office, you’ll need to think about the employees who have joined your company in the past two years. Many of them never met their colleagues in person during the onboarding experience, so you’ll need to ensure they feel welcomed when they first come back into the office.
Speak to Your Employees About Their Concerns
The best way to support your employees during this challenging time is to speak to them about their experience working from home and returning to the office. They may have concerns about unique workplace dangers which didn’t even cross their mind. You’ll want to make sure you take the time to truly listen to their feedback, and then opt to use contract cleaning services or any other type of service which may improve their working experience. Everyone is going to feel differently about working from home or returning to the office, so try to be as flexible as possible to make the lives of your employees much better.
Accept That You Can’t Please Everyone
If returning to the office is crucial for your operations, you’ll need to accept that you can’t please everyone. In fact, you may find that you lose some employees as a result of returning to the office, but that’s just going to be a fact of life during this period of change. Prepare yourself for a wide range of reactions when you share the news, which should ideally be done face-to-face for the most empathetic conversation. Be ready to answer your team’s questions and support them during this time.
When asking your employees to return to the office this year, you need to be prepared for very mixed reactions. By offering them the support they need and using a commercial cleaning service to keep your office in top condition, you’ll find that this transition will be easier than you imagined.
