Adapt to succeed: tips for a safe and productive return to the workplace

An image of workplace, Business, Adapt to succeed: tips for a safe and productive return to the workplace

Employers are finalising plans for a safe return to the workplace. But given the COVID-19 variants, many employees won’t be giving up remote work entirely. Asam Akhtar, Channel Manager at Envoy, provides tips as to how businesses can adapt to succeed and provide a safe return to the workplace for employees.

Employers are finalising plans for a safe return to the workplace. But given the COVID-19 variants, many employees won’t be giving up remote work entirely. 47% say they would quit their job if splitting work time between home and the office were no longer an option.

Workers still want flexibility, which won’t change anytime soon. And their expectations of returning to the workplace are also high. They’ll want an effortless, safe and gratifying experience. So, to prepare for the inevitable, remain open-minded when it comes to flexible, hybrid schedules. Revisit and strengthen, if necessary, the health protocols that keep everyone safe. And embrace workplace technology that helps employees be productive and do their best work, regardless of where they work.

Prioritise safety and well-being

Health and safety come first. So at a bare minimum, you’ll want to implement regular lateral flow tests, social distancing, and regular sanitisation of office spaces to protect staff and minimise any business disruption.

Many facilities teams are feeling the burden of the new requirements and will need technology designed specifically to ease the safe and efficient transition back to the workplace. Look for solutions that give your team visibility into the foot traffic – who and how many people plan to work on-site each day. This will help administrative teams right-size the space layout, staffing, and resources and prevent the workplace from getting too crowded.

Make sure everyone who comes on-site is cleared to do so. Applications that verify vaccination status or require employees to complete virtual health screenings before arrival on-site are becoming more common. These protocols, when enforced, can give employees in the office the peace of mind they need to focus on work.

Embrace collaboration technology

To help employees thrive across distributed work teams, adopt (if you haven’t already) the ubiquitous cloud tech and work management tools that make collaboration a little easier. For example, business messaging apps such as Slack or work management platforms like Asana have helped many remote workers drastically improve visibility, communication, and coordination among team members in a hybrid environment.

Consider a workplace platform that makes desk booking easy for those who have downsized office space or have hired more employees than you have space for. Most employees plan to coordinate their office schedules around the people they need to work with. Therefore, they will need to see exactly who’s coming in and when so they can book desks near teammates, day-of or months in advance.

Make the commute easier

The traditional commute is expensive and takes a toll on employees. However, since the pandemic and the shift to remote work, more employees are now demanding that employers support alternative methods of travel that are less stressful and more sustainable.

READ MORE:

According to research from DASH Rides, 82% of homeworkers want employers to rethink the employee benefits and perks they offer and include travel subsidies or cycle-to-work schemes. With employee benefits playing an increasingly large role in career decisions, helping employees explore alternative commute options will be key to keeping workers happy.

This is the time to proactively adapt – building solid protocols and adopting the right solutions to lead to a more efficient workplace and happier, healthier workers.

For more news from Top Business Tech, don’t forget to subscribe to our daily bulletin!

Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter

An image of workplace, Business, Adapt to succeed: tips for a safe and productive return to the workplace

Amber Donovan-Stevens

Amber is a Content Editor at Top Business Tech

Addressing Regulatory Compliance in Government-Owned, Single-Use Devices

Nadav Avni • 26th March 2024

Corporate-owned single-use (COSU) devices, also known as dedicated devices, make work easier for businesses and many government agencies. They’re powerful smart devices that fulfil a single purpose. Think smart tablets used for inventory tracking, information kiosks, ATMs, or digital displays. But, in a government setting, these devices fall under strict regulatory compliance standards.

Advantages of Cloud-based CAD Solutions for Modern Designers

Marius Marcus • 22nd March 2024

Say goodbye to the days of clunky desktop software chaining us to specific desks. Instead, we’re stepping into a new era fueled by cloud CAD solutions. These game-changing tools not only offer designers unmatched flexibility but also foster collaboration and efficiency like never before!

What are Multi-core Safety-Critical Avionics?

Wind River • 13th March 2024

A multi-core processor is a type of central processing unit that integrates multiple individual processing units onto a single chip. It supports different cores executing their tasks simultaneously, for quick and enhanced overall performance. Multi-core processors nowadays support safety-critical avionics. Find out more about what multi-core processors are, what multi-core safety-critical avionics are, and how...

Why Transition from 4G to 5G+ vRAN/O-RAN?

Emily Goldshteyn • 13th March 2024

The journey from legacy to 5G doesn’t have to be off-putting. It is a process that, if approached strategically, can make your company a pioneer in the digital age. Virtual and Open RAN, which come with broader choices of technology options and greater flexibility, are giving service providers greater opportunity as they transition their networks....