A lot of people have been away from their place of work for a while now. They might have had periods when they went back to the office or perhaps they’ve been at home the whole time. Whether your employees have been working from home or they’ve had some time off, you’re probably thinking about how to get them back into the office. This can leave you with a lot of things to consider to make sure the transition to working in an office again goes smoothly for everyone. Before you bring everyone back into the office, here are some things you should do.

Get Maintenance Done

Your office might have received essential maintenance while everyone was gone, but there could be some important issues that need addressing. If some things have been neglected or there are some tasks due to be completed, it makes sense to get them done before people start to come back in full-time. You might need to make sure you get an air conditioning repair service to keep the office cool. Keeping the office a good temperature is crucial to employee work ethic, so if your air conditioning is looking a bit old and past the stage of repair, look into getting a replacement appliance. You can research into companies that provide this service (https://siriuspac.com/ for example) and find a local company that will get the job done ASAP before your employees come back to work. Maybe there are just some light bulbs that need to be replaced. Or perhaps the office could benefit from a thorough clean to prepare it for everyone returning.

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Put Safety Procedures in Place

Although it might be time to come back to the office, it doesn’t necessarily mean that things will be the same as before. People will still have concerns over hygiene and safety, and you might be required to put certain safety measures in place. Consider how you can make sure that your office is safe for everyone, which might include things like maintaining social distancing as much as possible, asking employees to wear masks, and having handwashing stations. Not only will this make your office safer but it will also reassure your staff.

Think About Who Needs to Come Back

If you want to start getting people back into the office, it doesn’t have to be everyone coming in straight away. A gradual transition may be better or some people could even remain working remotely for an indefinite period. Who are the core people who need to be in the office? Perhaps some of your managers benefit from being in the office while managing their teams who are working from home.  Who are the most important people who should come back first (not necessarily the most senior people) and when should others follow?

Provide Help with Mental Health

The last year or so has been tough for many people, especially when they have been stuck at home. While getting back to the office will feel like a positive for some, it may still be overwhelming. Not only will it feel strange after being away for so long, but there are still plenty of other things that employees may be dealing with. Offering mental health support can help to create a healthier work environment for your employees.

Don’t rush to get everyone back to the office at once. Take your time so that you can do it right.