By Ajay Kaul, managing
partner at AgreeYa Solutions
Many questions
have presented themselves as the workforce prepares to return to the office in
2021. Key areas of discussion include how employers can best manage the
situation, how to keep employees safe and how technology can help. As we
prepare for another big transition, here are a few things to keep in mind when
planning to return to work amid an ongoing pandemic.
Employers take the lead
Employers will
have to spearhead the return-to-work effort. They'll need to develop a plan
that educates employees about preventative measures and communicates often to
inspire confidence and loyalty. As part of their protocols, employers will
likely want to meet employees at the door and include daily status
questionnaires to enable contactless health assessments, as well as using
contactless thermometers to perform temperature screenings. All cleanliness
supplies including hand sanitizer, soap and office cleaning supplies should be
readily available and provided by management. Employers should also provide PPE
to employees when needed, including masks, face shields and gloves. Additionally,
having instant modes of communication, like Microsoft Teams that enable chat,
audio and video calls, easily available to employees allows them to deal with
issues quickly and encourages bonding and engagement.
One of the biggest
complexities that employers will have to tackle when planning the return to
work is managing schedules. Employers should stay flexible when it comes to
bringing employees back to the office, embracing rotations and hybrid
schedules. Creating different branches or groups may work well for some offices
and ensure that social distancing can be maintained. Managers will need to
recognize that employees' needs have changed during this period, and that as
the spread of the virus ebbs and flows, they may need to return to remote work
or modify their hybrid schedule. There are now applications in the market that
facilitate the tracking and monitoring of COVID within the workplace, allow
employees to return to physical offices safely in small groups and enable daily
ticketing of who comes into work on specific days.
Employee
safety and alleviating fears
Employee safety
is the most important part of returning your workforce to the office, and many
employees may have concerns. Current employees and potential recruits will be
hesitant to return to work or accept new job offers in a physical office
setting. It's up to management to create a comprehensive plan, but also up to
employees to take an active role. It's vital that employees adhere to safety
guidelines such as mask and PPE requirements, cleanliness standards and social
distancing. Additionally, employees will need insurance that covers COVID
vaccinations, treatment, etc., as well as leave policies in place for those who
contract the virus. Employee dedication will be a key component of a successful
return to work situation. Employees will need to be cautious both in and out of
the workplace, eliminating or reducing the use of public transportation if
possible, as well as avoiding any gatherings, particularly within the office
premises.
To alleviate fears, management should initiate
transformative conversations, which use a two-way listening strategy that
enhances trust, reduces threat levels and vulnerabilities employees are feeling
and helps improves social connection. Crisis communication apps and intranet
portals are a prime example of tools that can be used by HR to help foster
communication and collaboration by delivering real-time tips, updates and
announcements to employees. By recognizing this is a stressful time, management
can provide enrichment tools to help employees navigate the situation.
Management may provide guidance on building resilience skills, fostering
a strong mindset that focuses on helping employees identify stress and providing
methods to regain their composure and return to a more resourceful state. This
could be part of an overall well-being program that addresses employee health
and mental wellness needs. Management will also need to enable employee development
and growth amid this challenging time, as building a career is still a priority
for most employees.
Technology tools that make it easier
Technology can be a fantastic tool to
facilitate employee safety as we prepare to return to work. Companies will want
to begin by determining if any processes or procedures can be automated.
Robotic process automation (RPA) or chatbot technology is a great way to
offload repetitive tasks and will help employees social distance. While RPA and
cloud technology have already been adopted at breakneck speeds, workplace
management may also want to institute technology solutions that help
administrators monitor real-time movement in and out of the office. This will
allow for a strong contact tracing program if the need arises.
Robust cloud infrastructure and support will
be paramount as we embark on hybrid work schedules and ease back into office
life, allowing employees to transition from work-from-home and work-from-office
lifestyles quickly and easily. A special attention should be paid to
collaboration and productivity tools that democratize and allow end-to-end
automation of complex and resource intensive tasks. For instance, low- and
no-code solutions are enabling business to take control of their work, by allowing
employees with minimal IT dependence to simplify, automate and revamp business
process with ease and efficiency. Work needs to continue at a regular pace,
while also addressing the challenges of the work-from-office return, and these
technology solutions can do some of the heavy lifting.
Meeting the
challenge presented by COVID-19
Technology
tools will provide major support as they facilitate social distancing, contact
tracing and offload repetitive tasks. They are redefining the modern workplace,
analyzing what can and cannot be done remotely to make strategic shifts that
lead to positive employee sentiment and customer experience. Productivity tools
that facilitate collaboration via shared documents, virtual meeting and video
conferences will still be prominent and needed. Employers and employees will
need to work together and find the right solutions to address return-to-office
challenges.
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About the
Author
Ajay Kaul is a visionary leader and a trendsetter. As
managing partner of AgreeYa Solutions, he has
been instrumental in leading the company through solid growth and international
expansion for the past 20 years. Kaul has three decades of experience in
building powerful and innovative solutions for businesses across various
industries and verticals. His expertise and knowledge expand across enterprise
sales management, marketing and strategy, global delivery, and mergers and
acquisitions.