Resuming work can be an emotional and stressful experience. It is important to plan your daily commute as well as the hours and safety procedures of your workplace in order to ease your transition. You can also create a routine and practice it before heading back to work. These steps will help you feel prepared and confident for your new job.
In-person meetings
In-person meetings are becoming more popular as travel restrictions and meeting restrictions decrease. They still remain at pre-pandemic levels. Future-looking leaders are helping to redefine what constitutes 'normal'. The first meeting with a virtual team for two years will likely be filled with relief, but also with apprehension.
There are also significant disadvantages to virtual meetings. Virtual meetings may not permit people to view non-verbal cues (which make up 80 percent in human communication), which can be problematic. Virtual meetings also tend to exclude people with different communication styles. One Harvard Business Review study found that some people are more comfortable speaking up in virtual meetings, which may allow for greater inclusion.
Flexible return to office policy
The Bank of England said it would not change its flexible return to office policy. The reasons include individual circumstances and health issues. Canva announced it will create a flexible work environment for its employees. The company will emphasize flexibility and eliminate formal office attendance rules.
Flexibility is a key factor in attracting the best talent. But employees may not like the flexibility plan. However, 94% of knowledge workers prefer flexibility in their location and schedules. Two-thirds of them are unhappy with their work hours.
Socializing reduces risk of employee theft
While socializing is a major problem for employees and the workplace, it is not the only one. Employees may become distracted by work and feel the temptation to use company time for their side ventures or to socialize. It is common for time theft to be a problem in workplaces. Unfortunately, it can often be difficult to identify the perpetrators. Employers can limit the possibility of time theft if they offer flexible scheduling options to employees.
This crime is so common that it has been a leading cause of business failures. It can cost companies billions of dollars each year. Employee theft is the reason that more than 7 percent of U.S. companies go out of business. A third of all employees have stolen money from their employer at some point. Employees are responsible for two-thirds all cyber breaches.
Resting completely remote
There have been varying outcomes for organizations when it comes time to get their employees back to work after a break. Some employees found it difficult to manage chaos while others were able to tap into a wider talent pool. Although many companies may be open to allowing employees to work remotely from time to time, there are some factors to consider before you allow them to do so.
Nearly three-quarters of all ten companies use some form of remote work. Another third plans to continue to employ full-time, on-site employees while the majority of others plan to shift to a hybrid work model.