The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on social activities around the world. The entire world changed all of a sudden, with people being confined indoors and managing their work from their homes. This had a huge impact on the office culture, as we know it.
With most workplaces and offices being shut for close to two years, there has been a sort of revolution in the working culture around the world. Each organization has had to adapt to the circumstances to some degree.
Along with providing necessary resources to employees so they can continue working from home, companies have had to work harder to maintain the sense of belonging and team spirit in the organization. It is now harder than ever to attract and retain talent since there are so many flexible work schedule options available to get hired.
While some offices have made the decision to convert to a fully remote work culture, others are looking forward to resuming normal workdays. If you belong to the latter category, you face additional pressure in bringing back the productive office culture after returning to the physical workplace after months.
What is office culture and why is it important?
Office culture or work culture is the environment you create in your organization for your employees. It is a combination of teamwork, interpersonal equations, organizational values, leadership, company traditions, etc.
The right office culture leads to work satisfaction, employee progression, and work-life balance. The goal of an organization should be to instill an attitude in employees that is receptive to personal and professional growth by working in harmony at the office. The unspoken norms in the office form the base of relationships between the employees.
After an extended work-from-home stint, it is more important than ever to bring back the office culture if you want your employees to remain motivated and productive after resuming regular office attendance.
A positive office culture:
- Attracts and retains talented and efficient people
- Drives employee engagement
- Builds a sense of ownership and belonging in employees
- Creates a healthy work environment devoid of unfair competition and politics
- Increase productivity and work satisfaction
- Drives up financial performance by keeping employees happy
- Makes workforce management easier
Even though you might feel your office already had these qualities and you are good to reopen as earlier, it is undeniable that these new circumstances require certain changes to be made for better engagement and productivity.
5 Ways to Drive Up Employee Productivity and Retain Positive Office Culture
Getting people to start working efficiently from the office again will be difficult after so long. Hence, you must create an engaging environment and renew their sense of shared purpose before expecting them to commit to this new arrangement. Here are some ways you, as a company owner or manager, can do this.
1. Recognize and Fulfill New Demands
After the pandemic experience, your employees may have new demands regarding office maintenance. Keeping their safety and comfort in mind, you must ensure the following.
- Get the office premises properly cleaned and sanitized.
- Keep common areas like gymnasiums, break rooms, cafeterias, etc. well-maintained and germ-free.
- Keep employee workstations as well-distanced as possible, depending on space constraints.
- Since most offices are getting rid of full-occupancy, the workspace is expected to be emptier than usual. Make sure empty chairs do not affect employee morale by rearranging desks or cubicles, making the office brighter, and merging seating arrangements at a common place to reduce loneliness.
- Let team members coordinate their work schedules according to demand. They should have a level of freedom to decide their in-office days and plan absences accordingly.
- Invite new hires to the workplace to build a connection with the company. Invite them to work in an informal setting, like from an atrium, cafe, or casual seating in conference halls.
- Make leaders and managers more accessible to the staff. Since most people have not seen their superiors for a long time, they might feel disconnected from their job role or team. Ensure leaders remain in touch with employees and check in regularly, even if it is not always about work.
2. Bring Your Team Under a Consolidated Vision
To maximize productivity, your team members must be on the same page, in terms of work patterns, turnaround times, and regular goals. To do that, it is a good idea to schedule periodic meetings, conduct peer reviews, and encourage suggestions regarding new work methods.
A basic understanding between employees is absolutely essential if you want to keep operations smooth. Otherwise, it may lead to disagreements, delays, and ego tussles.
3. Be Flexible
It is great to keep company interests at the top of the priority list. But an efficient manager knows how to manage organizational requirements while taking employees’ needs into consideration. Your employees may sometimes fail to turn up owing to personal issues. They may also choose to take periodic time-off and vacation days.
Employees should not be penalized for prioritizing their life and personal emergencies overwork. Instead, you should help struggling employees by giving them tailored options to balance their work and life. This way, your employees will love and respect you, which will lead to higher retention and efficiency.
4. Seek Employee Feedback
During the pandemic time, there have been several changes in the ways people work. Their working hours, communication methods, crisis management, etc. have changed and evolved based on their working conditions.
Now, when they undergo another change by being back in the office, there will be new challenges in re-adapting. To prevent dissatisfaction and discontentment among employees, gather their feedback. Take their suggestions into account and accommodate their new work values as much as feasible. Your employees should not feel that their preferences or problems are being ignored.
5. Put Employees’ Health First
No organization should force employees to sacrifice their physical or mental health for work. Be an exemplary manager by putting the health of your employees on priority, offering them hybrid work options, and letting them take time before committing fully to the office culture.
You can organize webinars, sessions, and activities that address this aspect. This way, employees will feel more motivated and productive while resuming work from the office.
Final Thoughts
According to projections, remote opportunities are expected to increase at a high rate in 2022 and in the future. Hence, retaining productive and skilled employees will be harder for traditional offices if they do not change their office culture to cater to employees’ new demands.
To reduce work-related stress and burnout in employees after rejoining the office, you must take adequate measures to keep their well-being at the forefront. Only when you provide a secure and engaging atmosphere at the workplace, the productivity of employees will keep rising.
****This is a guest post from Ashwini Dave. Ashwini works as a SEO expert at Time Doctor. She is a free soul and adventurous scholar who enjoys spending time with her loved ones as well as listening to music and watching or playing sports. She loves the ocean and is a thrill-seeking traveler who looks at life as a work of art.****
