Navigating the September return to avoid ‘The Great Resignation’.
Across the country many employers are inviting staff to return to office working soon, with almost three-quarters of London businesses are planning a return to the office in September, a new survey by Addison Lee has revealed (Thicknesse, 2021), with some not so confident about their return and others looking forward to a sense of normality - it is apparent that ‘normality’ has changed, and is continuously adapting.
Yet many employees are anxious about going back to in-person work. According to a recent PwC survey, 70% of over 1000 workers said that several factors are preventing them from wanting to return to work; From fear of getting sick, apprehension around using public transportation and having no reliable solutions for childcare being main concerns (Castrillion, 2021).
As we’ve seen in previous articles, executives want staff back in the office for more time than employees had anticipated, but workers like their setup and even doubt bosses’ motives - causing resistance. A recent news story reveals Apple employees pushed back with their own letter challenging what they called “a disconnect between how the executive team thinks about remote/location-flexible work and the lived experiences of many Apple employees” (O’Connor, 2021). In what is being named ‘The Great Resignation’ - a high proportion of talented employees are eyeing the exit at work, with some in the country’s best-paid jobs soon to be on the move unless they’re taken good care of; there is big concern that September will see a rush of people handing in their resignation (O’Connor, 2021; Burton, 2021; Clark, 2021).
For the individual employee, it is a daunting time. There are many articles discussing how to prepare for the return to work by monitoring anxiety, stocking up on patience, and reaching out for support. Although true, telling someone to take note of when they’re anxious and to be patient, isn’t going to make it any better; this responsibility lays with the business - yes, some patience is due - but strategy and business focus should turn on employee wellbeing for the time being.
Clark (2021), suggests the organisations that succeed in this next stage of returning to the office will be the ones who understand their workers in all their different behavioural guises, and provide the tools they need to stay healthy, productive, and motivated. Pointing out this should not be segmented by role, as individuals have different behavioural workstyles.
Our five top tips on how to provide for your employees during this time:
Listen - Survey your teams to understand their concerns, their needs and put in steps to address or acknowledge these. What new ways of working do they want and what options can you provide them with?
Communicate - Have an open door, let employees discuss their anxieties with you - You’re not always going to find a solution, but your employees knowing that you’ll be open ears and take in what they have to say will relieve them a lot initially.
Engage - Having open office hours for a few weeks prior to the set return, for employees, to have a feel for the office again, ready for a fresh start.
Support - Provide quiet spaces for people that want a time out and not to be around others - It can be overwhelming, and allows people to have little ‘breathers’.
Focus - On attitudes, there are a lot of people that have a ‘tough-love’ approach to the ‘new normal’, words such as “you can’t put your life on hold forever”, “you need to get on with it”. Although there is a truth to it - it doesn’t help anyone. Be aware of your employees attitudes and ensure that no one is creating a coercive environment by making anxious employees feel small and invalid. This can be through regular talks about how people are feeling and reminding employees that not everyone feels the same as you and that's okay.
The September return to work is an anxious time for many, and the next few months will put the modern workforce into perspective for a lot of businesses. We are helping businesses to build equitable and transparent hybrid working models, policies and guidance, providing support for managers and new ways of working for employees. Contact us to find out about how we have helped other businesses at hello@workwellpcs.co.uk
References:
Burton, L. (2021) Return to the office risks stirring a rush for the exits. The Telegraph [online]. 26 July. Available from: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/07/26/return-office-risks-stirring-rush-exits/
Castrillion, C. (2021) How To Prepare For The Return To Work. Forbes [online]. August 1st. Available from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecastrillon/2021/08/01/how-to-prepare-for-the-return-to-work/?sh=5861e3f6765c
Clark, P. (2021) Bracing for September: how the return to office will change work as we know it. Business Reporter [online]. Available from: https://business-reporter.co.uk/2021/08/16/bracing-for-september-how-the-return-to-office-will-change-work-as-we-know-it/
O’Connor, B. (2021) The workers pushing back on the return to the office. BBC WorkLife [online]. Available from: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210618-the-workers-pushing-back-on-the-return-to-the-office
Thicknesse, E. (2021) Exclusive: Three-quarters of London firms set for office return by September. City AM [online]. Available from: https://www.cityam.com/exclusive-three-quarters-of-london-firms-set-for-office-return-by-september/
