How to get employees back to the office?

  Everyone seems to be asking the same question over and over again, "How to encourage employees to come back to the office?" Before the Covid-19 epidemic, the best office spaces had been able to offer people more and more choices of office furniture and an increasing variety of amenities.

  However, Weworth has found that ideal office furniture and working places that create the most value are often closely tied to people's needs and are tied to innovation, manufacturing, and collaboration. After more than two years of telecommuting, new needs are surfacing for office furniture in modern office space.

  So how to get people back in the office? Weworth has summarized the following 4 points:

human-centered

  The role of the office and workplace has changed, with Gensler's Workplace Surveys showing that workers think that working face-to-face with their team and colleagues is one of the most important reasons for returning to the office. 

  In addition, regardless of the point in time during the epidemic, this is the most important reason for workers to return to the office whether from different perspectives, like an industry or a national perspective. 

  In the United States, one of the essential reasons for workers to return to the office is that they can connect and socialize with colleagues again. Getting along with people may become a new office space amenity. For those companies that have not yet returned to work or people who still work from home, it is also an attraction for employees to return to the office. 

  Besides, companies also need to pay more attention to employees’ health and encourage them to promote healthy behaviors. What can a company do? Companies can offer their employees ergonomic office furniture, like ergonomic chairs, standing desks, etc. that can help them work more comfortably and healthier. 

provide focused workplace

  Focused spaces should allow people to have a deep concentration without noise, visual distractions, or interruptions. Some companies are trying to set up fixed times without phone or meeting distractions for employees so that they can work on tasks that require deep concentration during this time. Other companies are asking employees to complete work that requires concentration at home before back to the office. However, not everyone can give their full attention to their work at home. Employees also are longing for new work patterns and working spaces that can support their productivity. Providing employees with private spaces and helping them use them easily has been more important for companies.

  For most companies, office pods are good choices. Office pods are perfect office furniture for employees that can provide a comfortable sound environment to help them to focus on their creativity, and work, or have a good relaxation. For more information on the office pod, please kindly check our article before: All You Need to Know About Office Pod.

  It may be time to make a change. On one hand, companies should provide employees with open spaces that can facilitate collaboration. On the other hand, people also need some private spaces to help them focus on their work. Focused places maybe not be an amenity, but a key attribute of the post-epidemic office space.

provide shared facilities and shared spaces

  A suitable office furniture is no longer an option, but an essential attribute of great office space. Good office furniture is critical to the office experience and is an integral part of daily work. Companies can provide employees with providing shared facilities and shared spaces. Such as a private, enclosed, focused office pod, innovation centers for team interaction, and opened areas with comfortable sofas for people to communicate or relax with colleagues. These are part of the workspace ecosystem that drives people to choose the office.

  Younger generations, especially Generation Z, consider shared spaces as important office spaces, where they often can socialize, get or receive feedback on project work in person, hold unplanned meetings, etc., rather than in a meeting room. 

try some new office working way

  Now is the perfect time to hit the reset button on your office space. We can take this opportunity to shift our focus from space performance to employee performance and from a focus on efficiency to a focus on the experience! The hybrid office model is here to stay - companies should take the opportunity to rethink their workspace culture, create a more inclusive hybrid office model, and respond positively to new ways of working and a people-centric approach to space management.

  Get your individual office solution, welcome to find Weworth.