Returning to office post COVID-19: 6 questions boards should be thinking about

As one part of the world contemplates returning back to work, the other is still locked indoors due to the ravages caused by the pandemic. 'To go or not to go to the office' is the biggest question that puzzles employees and the management. However, the yearning of employees to return to physical offices once situations stabilize, albeit in a hybrid work setup, has led to businesses globally developing a foolproof Return-To-Office (RTO) strategy.

Planning and implementing an RTO framework is no easy feat! It requires dedication, consistency and a lot of effort. Since any minor loophole could pose a threat to employees (even at the cost of their life), an RTO board has to take into account multiple factors and brainstorm through different perspectives before devising the ultimate Back-to-Work model.

Of the massive stack of questions that need answering, boards need to ensure these 6 questions are considered, addressed, analysed and resolved in a way that the Return-To-Office endeavour is safe and successful!

6 questions boards should be thinking about for returning to office post Covid-19

1. How can we put safety first?

The crux of a smooth workplace transition into the New Normal is solely by placing employee safety, protection and wellness at the pinnacle of the RTO pyramid. In order to facilitate a contactless entry and exit to the office premises and facilities, peopleHum’s RTO panacea is a smooth check-in solution replete with QR codes. Besides this, generating office attendance, survey, contact tracing and safety and wellness reports make it possible to keep employees in check. The geo-tagging feature is another boon for employers to monitor employees’ locations while they check in and out. By making processes touchless and offering automated self-service tools and screening solutions for all activities, peopleHum’s RTO framework guarantees staying in touch with employees without literally staying in touch!

2. How do we know whom to bring back?

Take the pulse of your employees with peopleHum’s RTO feedback collected through anonymous or named surveys. This gathered and analysed employee information helps measure workforce sentiment, employee needs and gauge readiness in returning back to brick-and-mortar settings. Share insights with leaders to make informed decisions regarding safely reopening the workplace with peopleHum!

3. How can we meet employees’ growing mental and emotional health needs?

The ravages of the pandemic has led to increasing levels of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in individuals. During such times, even if coming to work acts as a distraction for employees, it is necessary for workplaces to be sensitive and responsive to employees’ emotional health needs. Finely crafted in an employee-centric way, peopleHum’s RTO conducts daily and weekly check-ins on employees to understand the issues they are facing. This increase in communication brings HR and employees on the same page and helps the former deliver Employee Assistance Programs to the latter.

4. How should we communicate about returning to the office post Covid-19?

peopleHum’s RTO makes individual, team and organization-level communication  seamless. Stay notified of the latest developments and arrangements at work, share guidelines and best practices, and circulate health and wellness-related FAQs and announcements over web and mobile devices. It’s time to make RTO messages stand out from the heap of clunky emails with peopleHum’s smooth on-the-go updates!

5. What should we do if we discover an infected employee in the workplace?

Since COVID-19 can be asymptomatic, despite an employer’s best efforts, it can be challenging to curb the spread of the infection among the workforce should a single employee be tested positive. However, thanks to peopleHum's finely-crafted RTO that generates reports by identifying people who have recently been in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, the possibility of spread can be lessened. This contact tracing acts as a precautious feature as well as an identifier, thus aiding administration in efficiently disinfecting the workplace.

6. What do employees need to manage this change?

In order to be abreast of the changes and reforms undertaken by your organization at work, employees need some filling in by the HR. RTO designed by peopleHum helps HR professionals as well as employees. Once an employee is deemed fit to return, the HR assigns them certain courses on health, wellbeing, hygiene measures or COVID-19 guidelines to be followed in office. The curation of these courses is carried out with the aim that employees understand the intricacies of the RTO guidelines and are well prepared on what to expect when they return to work. Thus, it is on employees to adapt to change by completing these resources that are provided to them.

In conclusion, these are some of the overarching questions that need consideration before welcoming employees back to the office. Adopting this futuristic solution would ensure an alignment of your workforce with changes at the bureau in the New Normal. Hurry! It’s about time you reopen, reimagine and restrengthen the workplace of tomorrow with peopleHum’s RTW solution!