The R3 Continuum Playbook: Considerations for Returning to the Office After Remote Work

Intro: [00:00:00] Broadcasting from the Business RadioX Studios, here is your R3 Continuum Playbook. Brought to you by Workplace MVP sponsor, R3 Continuum, a global leader in workplace behavioral health crisis and security solutions.

Tyler Arvig: [00:00:13] Hello. I’m Dr. Tyler Arvig, the Associate Medical Director for R3 Continuum. And today, I’m going to discuss an issue we’re all thinking about, which is, bringing workers back to the office after an extended period of time working from home.

Tyler Arvig: [00:00:31] As the world has now normalized work-from-home, returning to the office actually might seem quite far and involves more challenges than we might have anticipated. As with near everything over the past several months, the simplest things can be the hardest to manage. This includes the seemingly uncomplex task of going back to the office. People have become accustomed to working from home with everything that that entails, including spending more time with family, not having to commute, having more flexible work hours, and being in a more casual environment. The routine act of going to the office now takes more time and mental energy.

Tyler Arvig: [00:01:19] As we see some employers opting to allow continued and potentially indefinite remote work for some or all of their workforce, other employers are making the decision to bring everyone back in-house while they’re related to financial considerations, concerns about productivity, outward appearances, or belief that team work is best done on an individual and in-person basis.

Tyler Arvig: [00:01:47] The decision to bring people back to the office was likely not an easy one and required much planning, both from human resources and executive leadership. The decision to bring people back into the office will cut both ways. It will be unpopular for employees who had thrived in a work-from-home environment. For others, however, they may relish the opportunity for human interaction, personal collaboration, and a return to routine.

Tyler Arvig: [00:02:20] There are some things you can expect in bringing people back to the office and advance knowledge of these things will help to make the transition more successful. Business leaders who take a more proactive approach to supporting their employees are going to be the most successful in the return to the office process. Let’s dive into some key areas that we need to be proactively addressed with your employees.

Tyler Arvig: [00:02:51] Perhaps the most obvious issue to be addressed is one of physical safety. We bring people back to the office at this point because the prevalence of COVID-19 has decreased in the population and vaccines are more widely available. With that said, COVID-19 is still present in relatively high numbers, and vaccine access, particularly for younger adults, continues to be a bit of a challenge. Furthermore, fears over variants of COVID-19 still exist. For these reasons, returning to the office will feel differently than it has in the past. The use of personal protective equipment, distancing measures, and other things are likely to be required, at least in the near term.

Tyler Arvig: [00:03:39] As a leader, part of this is going to mean providing extra measures of support as people navigate anxiety. Welcoming people back in a unique way is one way to make the transition a bit easier. It is not just another day at the office, acknowledge that. And provide something enjoyable or meaningful as people return. Frequent communication is another way to ease the transition. Communication is key in this process, so communicate often and in personal ways to help employees feel valued and safe as this process unfolds.

Tyler Arvig: [00:04:20] It is reasonable to anticipate some decreased productivity, at least at first. The same way you might have seen this when folks started working from home, you’re also likely to see this as they return to the office. Anxiety, as we just discussed, may contribute to that decrease in productivity. Working with the use of personal protective equipment and with physical distancing also might decrease productivity, at least temporarily. And personal relationships and conversations, which may have been limited over the past year, may also contribute to that decrease in productivity.

Tyler Arvig: [00:05:02] While it might seem counterintuitive to communicate to folks about the likely blip in their productivity, it also shows understanding of the unique circumstance they’re in. Being supportive in helping people to re-find their rhythm of productivity should be done as well. People will find their way back to their previous level of productivity in short order if we do the right things.

Tyler Arvig: [00:05:30] We also cannot discount further complicating factors for office work that have been silent over the past year, such as reintroduction of the commute, re-establishing child care, and re-establishing other routines that, frankly, we haven’t had to do over the past year. Adjusting to this will take some time. And to the extent that minor flexibilities are available to employees who are returning to the worksite, this could be incredibly helpful, both personally and from a work productivity standpoint. Returning to the office in a less rigid manner is likely to make the experience more successful.

Tyler Arvig: [00:06:12] Lastly, it is important to have resources available to employees who need additional support. One solution R3 Continuum offers is wellness outreach, which reaches out to employees proactively to provide support in the return to work transition process. It may also mean leaning on your EAP for additional support. Or implementing other programs that help your employees adapt to the changes in their work life.

Tyler Arvig: [00:06:41] As always, R3 Continuum is here to help you navigate the challenges of bringing people back into the office, whether consulting with your management team, providing direct employee support, or providing customized trainings. We have the tools and resources you need to be successful. You can find more information on our website, www.r3c.com. Or you can email us at info@r3c.com. My colleagues and I are always available to consult on this or a variety of other employee and organizational wellbeing initiatives. Thank you.