With COVID-19 vaccines becoming widespread, many offices are opening their doors to allow or even require their workers to return. At the moment, some companies have decided a completely or mostly virtual existence works for their business and employees. On the other hand, others bring back all or most of their employees into the workplace, while many choose something in the middle.
In fact, decisions about how often employees will come back to the workplace vary upon companies, leaders and businesses. However, the whole concept of returning to the office is not a positive scenario for plenty of employees who prefer working from home.
A year or more after we first made the leap to working from home, employees like to work from home and returning to the office will be hard.
… Shivani Taneja Research Fellow, School of Economics, University of Nottingham, said.
As a new survey by Envoy revealed, 66% of people say they are concerned about going back into the workplace. What is more, nearly half (47%) of people surveyed say they’d look for a new job if their employer didn’t offer hybrid work.
In light of the situation, workers return to the workplace, may find it difficult to readjust especially if they have been away from work for some considerable time. “Some people may be worried about returning to the workplace. Managers should talk people on an individual basis if they have concerns. Depending on your business plans, some form of hybrid working, or a ‘phased’ return might be suitable” … as Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, which represents HR professionals, stated.
One thing is for sure, if you find yourself anxious about going back to the office, getting back to normal, or to a new normal, will take some time. Office life has its own challenges; therefore, it is of vital importance to easily adapt again under such environment, by taking into consideration the following:
- First of all, be kind to yourself. It’s ok to feel uncertain and distressed. This is an incredibly challenging time for everyone.
- Maintain a good daily routine and try to stick with it.
- Don’t try to go from 1 to 100 on your first day back at work. Keep things simple at first, so that you don’t become overwhelmed.
- Speak with your manager or employer and get as much information as you can about how the workspace will be adapted under the COVID-19 measures and how people will move around within it.
- Look for the good in returning to work to boost hope and optimism and quiet worry and anxiety.
According to psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD and Cleveland Clinic it’s not weird to feel apprehensive about returning to work. “It’s normal considering we’ve been safe in our pods for so long. Remember that a lot has changed in a year, so expect that things are not going to look or feel like they did a year ago.”…she concluded.
