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When Return-to-Office Initiatives Stumble, Don’t Apologize. Strategize.

If the response of GM’s CEO Mary Barra is any indication, some return-to-office (RTO) mandates are backfiring. The recent string of high-profile mea culpas is an echo of when fits and starts of RTO initiatives clashed with employees’ worries about sharing airspace with their coworkers again at the height of Covid. While in these cases, it may have been too soon to ask employees to return, what is holding employees back now, well past the worst of the pandemic?

Each employer faces this core riddle to interrogate and resolve. Even with the threat of recession, the voice of the employee is powerful, and an exodus of talent hurts companies in any climate. For companies with a strong desire to make their office culture thrive again, getting the balance right with RTO may mean a few missteps along the way. If things don’t go right the first time, we say: save your apologies – and push forward in a spirit of discovery.

For any employers who might have had a recent stumble or two, we offer below a few ways of re-framing the concept of RTO, starting with leadership’s mindset, to communication, the office environment, and how to proceed in pilot mode.

 

Let go of the past.

“You can’t use an old map to explore a new world.” – Albert Einstein.

Einstein’s quote should serve as the foundational philosophy of any RTO strategy. It is indeed a new world of work after Covid, and in that sense, the “return” in “return to office” is a misnomer. The pandemic caused a psychological shift, and a prolonged experience of working from home is not something that will be reversed or forgotten. Expecting, or worse, coercing people to revert to a pre-Covid status quo may not be a realistic way to cultivate enthusiasm about office life in 2022 and beyond.

We advise employers to regard RTO not as a true “return” to anything, but a step into the possibilities of the future. “Regenerate the Office” – accommodating or conceptualizing new ways of working – is what RTO should embody.

Let go of the past, and view what lies ahead as a period of experimentation that should make your company, office, and business teams stronger. What that looks like as far as your in-office policy may evolve over several iterations.

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Find an intersection of needs.

Just as “return” is a misleading concept, there is another word we think employers would be wise to toss out altogether in RTO strategy: “mandate”. The word “mandate” has a vastly different semantic interpretation than “encourage” – and employers should adopt a mindset of encouragement in any RTO initiative. This means that buy-in and consensus need a place in the overall plan.

Fostering buy-in among employees will require thoughtful communication about where the company’s mission intersects with employee needs. “Because I said so” is a line that may have worked with your children – adults, on the other hand, need to comprehend a greater sense of purpose, especially if they have felt productive working from home.

Where might the intersection between business and employee needs lie? For one example, consider that some people may need the office as much as it needs them for company culture to flourish. A recent study found a link between working from home and higher rates of depression, anxiety, sleeping difficulties, and feelings of loneliness. The benefits of working from home are many, but the side effects may be something employees have not consciously come to grips with yet. Communicating the wellness benefits of social interaction at the office is a healthy nudge. It shows employees empathy and demonstrates how an office presence is in their best interests – no mandate necessary.

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Create a commute-worthy office.

Working from home can save employees anywhere from $6,000 to $12,000 a year, largely in commute-related costs, by one estimate. In this high inflation environment, what would inspire someone to forgo such savings and come into the office? Ideally, a “commute-worthy” workplace.

A recent Leesman paper on RTO advises employers that “in an age of experience, you must magnetize, not mandate.” In other words, the in-office experience is the draw, and to build that experience, you must develop a better understanding of what your employees need to be productive in a workspace. Many employees simply do not have the infrastructure they require at home, such as printing equipment, a large enough monitor, reliable internet, and more. Choice of space is most likely limited. And as we have established, social connections can suffer working from home.

Being strategic about physical office features, including investments in the right technology and infrastructure, and incorporating a range of choice in flexible and functional spaces, offers employees an experience they will be hard-pressed to replicate at home. Comfortable and ergonomic furniture is something else that is commonly absent in the home office and a corporate office can more easily provide.

Beyond space enhancements, employers can take steps to enrich the community aspect of the office, from curating professional development opportunities to social events or volunteer work for local charities. The workplace connects people well beyond everyday work tasks, and this is an undeniable differentiator from the home office.

Employee experience matters. When the workplace is optimized for use and provides the social connections people need, the commute, even if only a day or two per week, will prove worthwhile.

 

Embrace pilot mode.

Navigating a new hybrid model does require leaving the “old map” behind. Therefore, employers should approach any RTO plan as a pilot program or beta test. It’s a first step, not a prescription for all time. And if that first step doesn’t fit, pivoting is the logical next step.

Pilot programs can take on many different forms. Some examples include:

  • Using one site or location as a type of incubator space to test how the office supports a specific hybrid mode
  • Rolling out programs using minimal upfront investments in new equipment and furniture types to test effectiveness, and if successful, allocating budget for expansion
  • Offering multiple hybrid schedule options concurrently and studying employee preferences over a fixed period to determine a more permanent direction going forward
  • Strategically staggering in-office schedules to promote collaboration between key groups for a fixed period and studying its efficacy

These are just a sampling of worthy experiments, tailored to specific needs. In pilot mode, looking to other industries for inspiration is a great idea. But the most insight should come from within – from the preferences of your own employees, and the uniqueness of your company mission and culture.

 

Don’t get stuck – move forward.

If backlash or other obstacles arise in the first steps of your RTO plan, retracting, reverting, or moving backward is counterproductive. There may just be a solution out there that hasn’t seen the light of day yet. As we are seeing more companies adopt hybrid models, it is clear that no two solutions look exactly alike. The number of employers large and small proceeding with new operational models shows just how far we have come since pre-pandemic times. There is a new spirit of compromise and willingness to adapt to different expectations that will lead to better ways of working. It does, however, take boldness to move forward.

What is exciting about the current climate is the opportunity to explore, innovate, and become a leader in regenerating the office experience – not to return to anything, but to make the workplace far better than ever before.

Opinions expressed by the author are their own.

 

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