Focus‌ ‌on‌ ‌flexibility‌ ‌

If‌ ‌there's‌ ‌one‌ ‌thing‌ ‌professional‌ ‌teams‌ ‌have‌ ‌collectively‌ ‌learned‌ ‌to‌ ‌value‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌past‌ ‌year-and-a-half,‌ ‌it's‌ ‌flexibility.‌ ‌Giving‌ ‌employees‌ ‌a‌ ‌voice‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌kind‌ ‌of‌ ‌office‌ ‌environment‌ ‌that‌ ‌works‌ ‌best‌ ‌for‌ ‌them‌ ‌can‌ ‌help‌ ‌remove‌ ‌any‌ ‌barriers‌ ‌to‌ ‌productivity‌ ‌they‌ ‌are‌ ‌experiencing.‌ ‌Having‌ ‌more‌ ‌autonomy‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌agency‌ ‌to‌ ‌choose‌ ‌has‌ ‌also‌ ‌been‌ ‌shown‌ ‌to‌ ‌reduce‌ ‌burnout.‌ ‌While‌ ‌there‌ ‌may‌ ‌not‌ ‌be‌ ‌a‌ ‌one-size-fits-all‌ ‌solution‌ ‌for‌ ‌every‌ ‌workplace,‌ ‌some‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌benefits‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌flexible‌ ‌plan‌ ‌include:‌ ‌

More‌ ‌dedicated‌ ‌energy‌:‌ ‌For‌ ‌some,‌ ‌not‌ ‌having‌ ‌to‌ ‌commute‌ ‌to‌ ‌work‌ ‌provides‌ mental‌ ‌health‌ ‌relief‌ ‌because‌ ‌employees‌ ‌feel‌ ‌more‌ ‌comfortable‌ ‌in‌ ‌their‌ ‌own‌ ‌space,‌ ‌with‌ ‌fewer‌ ‌distractions‌ ‌and‌ ‌external‌ ‌stimuli.‌ ‌In‌ ‌other‌ ‌cases,‌ ‌employees‌ ‌may‌ ‌welcome‌ ‌the‌ ‌separation‌ ‌between‌ ‌work‌ ‌and‌ ‌home‌ ‌life—they‌ ‌may‌ ‌thrive‌ ‌off‌ ‌the‌ ‌energy‌ ‌of‌ ‌an‌ ‌in-office‌ ‌environment‌ ‌or‌ ‌view‌ ‌their‌ ‌commute‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌built-in‌ ‌way‌ ‌to‌ ‌mentally‌ ‌transition‌ ‌between‌ ‌their‌ ‌personal‌ ‌and‌ ‌professional‌ ‌modes.‌ ‌Empowering‌ ‌employees‌ ‌to‌ ‌find‌ ‌the‌ ‌right‌ ‌path‌ ‌for‌ ‌them‌ ‌is‌ ‌beneficial‌ ‌to‌ ‌both‌ ‌the‌ ‌individual‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌team.‌ ‌
Personal‌ ‌accommodations:‌‌ ‌Whether‌ ‌they're‌ ‌working‌ ‌parents‌ ‌or‌ ‌caregivers,‌ ‌or‌ ‌simply‌ ‌require‌ ‌time‌ ‌to‌ ‌take‌ ‌care‌ ‌of‌ ‌their‌ ‌personal‌ ‌needs‌ ‌and‌ ‌wellness,‌ ‌employees‌ ‌have‌ ‌life‌ ‌responsibilities‌ ‌that‌ ‌can‌ ‌take‌ ‌them‌ ‌out‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌office‌ ‌on‌ ‌a‌ ‌somewhat‌ ‌regular‌ ‌basis.‌ ‌A‌ ‌flexible‌ ‌work‌ ‌plan‌ ‌can‌ ‌help‌ ‌them‌ ‌stay‌ ‌responsive,‌ ‌while‌ ‌reducing‌ ‌the‌ ‌stress‌ ‌and‌ ‌guilt‌ ‌many‌ ‌workers‌ ‌feel‌ ‌about‌ ‌trying‌ ‌to‌ ‌balance‌ ‌work‌ ‌and‌ ‌personal‌ ‌requirements.‌ ‌ ‌‌

Preparing‌ ‌for‌ re-entry‌ ‌

From‌ ‌a‌ ‌planning‌ ‌perspective‌ ‌alone,‌ ‌the‌ ‌return-to-work‌ ‌phase‌ ‌has‌ ‌a‌ ‌huge‌ ‌advantage‌ ‌over‌ ‌the‌ ‌shutdown‌ ‌phase,‌ ‌in‌ ‌that‌ ‌we‌ ‌actually‌ ‌have‌ ‌time‌ ‌to‌ ‌prepare‌ ‌and‌ ‌ensure‌ ‌we‌ ‌have‌ ‌the‌ ‌best‌ ‌systems‌ ‌in‌ ‌place‌ ‌for‌ ‌both‌ ‌employee‌ ‌productivity‌ ‌and‌ ‌workplace‌ ‌wellness.‌ ‌ ‌ One‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌key‌ ‌things‌ ‌to‌ ‌keep‌ ‌in‌ ‌mind‌ ‌is‌ ‌making‌ ‌sure‌ ‌that‌ ‌the‌ ‌team‌ ‌still‌ ‌feels‌ ‌connected,‌ ‌regardless‌ ‌of‌ ‌whether‌ ‌they're‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌office,‌ ‌working‌ ‌from‌ ‌home‌ ‌or‌ ‌following‌ ‌a‌ ‌hybrid‌ ‌model.‌ ‌Many‌ ‌teams‌ ‌have‌ ‌gotten‌ ‌used‌ ‌to‌ ‌this‌ ‌over‌ ‌the‌ ‌past‌ ‌year,‌ ‌but‌ ‌as‌ ‌things‌ ‌transition,‌ ‌it's‌ ‌a‌ ‌good‌ ‌time‌ ‌to‌ ‌review‌ ‌whether‌ ‌the‌ ‌current‌ ‌practices‌ ‌are‌ ‌still‌ ‌working‌ ‌and‌ ‌what‌ ‌might‌ ‌need‌ ‌to‌ ‌change.‌ ‌ ‌ It's‌ ‌also‌ ‌crucial‌ ‌that‌ ‌your‌ ‌benefits‌ ‌package‌ ‌is‌ ‌ready‌ ‌for‌ ‌what‌ ‌comes‌ ‌next.‌ ‌Some‌ ‌important‌ ‌questions‌ ‌to‌ ‌ask‌ ‌are:‌ ‌

Are‌ ‌mental‌ ‌health‌ ‌benefits‌ ‌easy‌ ‌for‌ ‌employees‌ ‌to‌ ‌access?‌ ‌Does‌ ‌your‌ ‌plan‌ ‌offer‌ ‌an‌ ‌intuitive‌ ‌user‌ ‌experience‌ ‌that‌ ‌gives‌ ‌employees‌ ‌the‌ ‌ability‌ ‌to‌ ‌reach‌ ‌providers‌ ‌without‌ ‌a‌ ‌hassle?‌ ‌ ‌
Do‌ ‌employees‌ ‌have‌ ‌sufficient‌ ‌support‌ ‌for‌ ‌navigating‌ ‌their‌ ‌benefits?‌ ‌(This‌ ‌isn't‌ ‌always‌ ‌easy—particularly‌ ‌when‌ ‌an‌ ‌employee‌ ‌might‌ ‌be‌ ‌struggling‌ ‌with‌ ‌their‌ ‌mental‌ ‌health.)‌ ‌
Are‌ ‌you‌ ‌considering‌ ‌the‌ ‌outsized‌ ‌impact‌ ‌the‌ ‌last‌ ‌year‌ ‌has‌ ‌had‌ ‌on‌ ‌people‌ ‌of‌ ‌color?‌ ‌Are‌ ‌you‌ ‌choosing‌ ‌solutions‌ ‌that‌ ‌will‌ ‌be‌ ‌able‌ ‌to‌ ‌speak‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌unique‌ ‌needs‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌diversity‌ ‌of‌ ‌your‌ ‌employee‌ ‌population?‌ ‌
Are‌ ‌you‌ ‌promoting‌ ‌your‌ ‌company's‌ ‌mental‌ ‌health‌ ‌benefits‌ ‌with‌ ‌an‌ ‌anti-stigma‌ ‌approach?‌ ‌Perhaps there's an opportunity to launch a promotional campaign with your mental health benefits vendor that is personalized to your team's needs and focused on encouraging more team members to explore their options. Are there senior leaders who are willing to speak up about their own challenges in order to model vulnerability?

Follow up and check in

Just as the pandemic shutdown was an ongoing learning process, the return-to-work phase will be as well. It's important to regularly check in with your team to see how they're feeling about the transition, and perhaps do a follow-up survey within a few months to determine if there's anything that needs to be revisited or revised. You could also hold group listening sessions to provide a place for people to share their experience as they are returning to the office.

Instant Insights /

4 key steps for HR leaders navigating the return-to-office phase

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