You can’t have a conversation these days without asking, “So are you back in the office or still working from home?” The answers vary and every company has a different set of guidelines and standards they’re using to reimagine how they’ll work best post-pandemic. Leaders are asking some tough questions and gearing up for getting employees back into the office. Here at Business Furniture + Choreo we’re practicing what we preach and working to find new ways to work better all while re-igniting our company culture.
Over the next several weeks, we’re taking you along with us and behind the scenes into the science of change management as we ask the same questions leaders are posing from all around the world.
Should we go back full time? Is a hybrid method here to stay?
Our Choreo team of workplace strategy consultants are diving in and asking the hard questions to find out what our teams think?
One way we will start measuring this next change is by using ADKAR. This is a tool, which is part of the Prosci process, to help you understand where your employees have road blocks and then guide you on how to overcome them.
ADKAR stands for: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement. Here’s where we are checking in to gauge where employees are about returning to the office:
Awareness: Do you understand why we want to return to the office?
Once you roll out the expectations, make sure your employees understood it clearly. It’s important your messaging includes where there have been performance gaps over the last year and why the time is now to get back into a new normal.
Desire: Do you personally want to be back in the office?
This is one of the biggest barriers to overcome. Some employees with long commutes or were not happy in the office before may not be so keen about coming back. If your office space isn’t that desirable to begin with, it’s maybe time to consider what Back to Better might look like for your company.
Knowledge: Do you have the knowledge of expected behaviors, technology, and space to return to the office?
“So can I wear my hoodie on Friday?” Employees have had a full year to develop new behaviors, and it may take time to remember what’s acceptable in the office again. Especially if your company is moving to a Hybrid approach, there may be some new expectations of spaces.
Ability: Do you have the ability to return to the office?
The “Exhausted Care Taker” is real – those who have survived may be burnt out. Even if they desire to be back in the office, they may still be struggling with finding care for their family that meet their safety and financial needs.
Reinforcement: Do you expect that you can sustain this change?
This is about setting managers up for success to keep employees accountable. If one employee is still not showing up, it’s important for the manager to address it sooner rather than later.
Watch below as Rita Schaefer, Choreo’s Senior Workplace Strategy Consultant starts to break down our process.
Follow along with our team as we find new ways to get #BacktoBetter.
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