2020 will be remembered as the year that COVID-19 changed our world and workplace reality in record time. The pressure on the healthcare system has now begun to ease, lockdown measures were relaxed and are once again becoming stricter. Employees are tentatively returning to offices, even if numbers are not the same as before.
Reboarding: Getting to grips with the new normal
So, how do you ensure that this return goes smoothly and everyone remains safe? And how do you make sure that employees are still able to work well, even when they are no longer in the office every day? We share with you practical tips for reboarding employees in “the new normal”.
A new reality in the workplace
Before the COVID-19 crisis only 5.4% of employed in Europe usually worked from home, according to figures of Eurostat. This changed when we suddenly had to switch to working from home en masse and, as a result, innovation progressed at a rapid pace. Organizations made their systems suitable for remote access and also changed their attitudes. Work took on a completely new form and everything kept “working”.
Checklist: 5 tips for Reboarding Employees
Are your employees still working at home or at the office again? Or a combination of both? We are happy to share practical tips for reboarding employees.
DownloadWhat do employees think of remote working?
How have employees found this situation? Effectory’s COVID-19 Workforce Pulse surveys, conducted among 141,000 employees across Europe between the end of March 2020 and now, indicate that they found it challenging at first.
At the beginning of the crisis, an average of 60% of employees struggled to find a good work-life balance and 30% could only perform at a limited level. Twenty-six percent did not have a quiet working environment and found it difficult to concentrate due to their living situation or environmental noise.
This situation changed in June. The most recent data from Effectory’s COVID-19 Workforce Pulse survey indicates that the majority of workers are now able to work well, including those working at the kitchen table or in the attic. Employers have made their systems suitable for remote access and agreements on accessibility have been improved. From the beginning of June onwards, 73% of employees reported that they were able to work effectively.
To work from home, in the office or both?
However, employees seem more critical of having to come to the office and of scheduling meetings, says Guido Heezen, Director and Founder of Effectory. “Do I have to come to the office to do this or can we handle it online? The daily commute during rush hour is no longer a matter of course.”
People are asking themselves whether they really need to be in the office every day to do their job. The answer is often no. Working from home, whether or not it is combined with working in the office, seems to be here to stay.
Effectory COVID-19 Workforce Pulse
Use our COVID-19 Workforce Pulses to gain insights in employees’ wellbeing, enablement & communication to bounce back faster and stronger.
Request informationReboarding: Five tips for ensuring employees have a smooth return.
To ensure that the transition to this new way of working goes smoothly for everyone, it is important to work with your employees during this process. It is important to pay extra attention to alignment: guide your employees into this new reality and help them to stay successful during this transformation.
Right now it’s important to stay in contact with your employees at all times. Keep your finger on the pulse and keep any eye on how they are doing. Employees want to be heard and taken seriously. Organizations that continue to panic and spout meaningless statements about employees are most severely affected by weakening motivation and engagement.
How do you make sure that employees are still able to work well, even when they are no longer in the office every day? And how do you ensure a safe and smooth transition to this new way of working? We share with you five tips for reboarding employees in “the new normal” as part of our reboarding checklist. Download the free checklist and get started right away!
Checklist: 5 tips for Reboarding Employees
Are your employees still working at home or at the office again? Or a combination of both? We are happy to share practical tips for reboarding employees.
Download