There’s light at the end of the tunnel, the end may very well be near, we’re close to returning to normality. At points in 2020, working from home has seemed like the idea that has failed to die, continuously resurrecting itself. First of all, when we were sent packing from the office in March, it seemed like a temporary measure. Then after a long lockdown, hot weather, relaxed restrictions and Eat Out to Help Out put us all in a good mood and back on the Tube into work. Then came another lockdown, placing us all into a state of uncertainty again.
With a vaccine in distribution, businesses of all shapes and sizes need to keep up motivation, not lose touch with employees and get your work force in the best shape for returning to the office. The gradual return to the office has been bumpy and it is becoming increasingly more difficult to keep in touch with employees and colleagues alike. Therefore, as we get through this last hurdle of working from home, here are the best ways to keep motivation and engagement at a high.
It’s not all about work. Working from home has somewhat killed the general buzz and banter of the office environment. It has become too easy to disengage with the lives of co-workers the minute a Zoom call ends, returning back to our own bubbles and home environments. This disengagement is not helpful for a productive return to the office. Therefore, it is more important than ever to check in on people beyond the realms of work, paying attention to their day to day lives. This way, no one will feel out of loop upon returning back to the office.
Don’t burn out video-calling. Speaking of Zoom, we’ve all been in an intimate and intense relationship with the app for nearly ten months now. Whilst Zoom has acted as a fantastic technological solution to an unexpected problem, it is important to understand that people need a break. Video-conferencing cannot replicate the natural flow and ease of a conversation. Due to lag and being constantly on camera, it has become draining for many. Sometimes, a simple phone call or text message might be a much-needed break for an employee or colleague. Apps like Slack offer a casual, conversational alternative to the intensity of conferencing and will be well-suited to a return to the office, as well as being useful for remote working. Switching up methods of staying in contact will begin to move everyone away from the weird world of video-conferencing.
Technological consistency. A meeting on Zoom, followed by a check-in on Microsoft Team, then a stack of emails to work through, all on different platforms. Companies have definitely got trigger happy over the pandemic, signing their workforces up to a whole host of different apps in an attempt to make the best out of remote working. However, using a multitude of apps is not embracing the digital age, it’s creating a nightmare for your employees. Too many apps can result in a loss of communication and is not a solution for moving away from WFH. It is important to streamline your digital platforms, making sure that apps are synchronised, organised and will work well as your team returns to the office.
Make sure there’s a route out. The greatest demotivation arising from WFH comes from the dreaded feeling of a lack of a way out. With the new vaccine, it’s important for all companies to not only plan for a way back into the office but communicate this exit strategy effectively.
At AW, we want the transition away from WFH and back into the office to be smooth, cost-effective and well-planned. Our free trials for December and January have given and will keep giving your company a chance to test the waters and figure out how you want to return to the office. Perhaps a scaled-down team in a co-working space suits your 2021 needs better? We guess there’s only one way to find out. Get in contact today to start 2021 brightly and embrace a post-coronavirus world.
