How To Deal With Office Returns — The End of Remote Working

People all over the world are making their office returns as full remote working comes to an end. It is an intimidating prospect for many employees and employers. How will the return to the office be managed? How will everyone adjust to being back in a structured environment?

The process is not as scary as it may feel. In this blog, we will go through all you need to know to prepare yourself for the great migration back to the office! 

Defining Remote, Hybrid, and Office-Based Roles

Remote, hybrid, and office-based roles are relatively new terminologies in our modern work lexicon.

What Is a Remote Job? 

A remote job is a role that you can fulfil from home using just a computer and an internet connection.

What Is a Hybrid Job? 

A hybrid role is a job where you can work from home some days but you need to be in the office the rest of your work week.

What Is an Office-Based Job?

An office-based role requires you to be at the office, in person, for each of your work days.

Preparing for Your Return to the Office

Practical Steps To Ease the Transition

Get Into Your Morning Routine Early: Three days before you are due for an office return, start waking up early to acclimate yourself to the routine.

Prepare the Night Before: Take 10 minutes at night to set out your clothes and work items. When you wake up, you won’t have to think before your first coffee!

Make Your Office More Like Home: There may be unique equipment or practices you have developed in your work-from-home routine. We must make these things part of our office returns to smooth the transition.

Addressing Anxiety and Stress About Office Returns

The most important thing to remember is that the majority of people have some kind of stress or anxiety about returning to office environments.  

Share Your Feelings on Work Chat Groups: Work chat groups are a powerful source of support for anyone worried about the return to office. Share your worries and concerns and you will see that co-workers feel just like you do.

Seek Professional Advice: Expert opinions and mental health strategies can give us further tools to help our office returns be less stressful and anxiety-inducing.

A few sources of professional help include:

• Psychologists and psychiatrists
• Occupational health professionals
• Life coaches and counsellors
• Your doctor

Navigating the New Office Environment

Adapting to Changed Workplace Dynamics

Do Not Rush Yourself: You are not a machine that can be switched on and off. It will take you, and the majority of people, some time to adjust to office returns.

Rebuild Your Office Relationships: Take some time each day to reconnect and bond with your co-workers.

Rethink Your Routine: Remember, you now have a strict 8- or 9-hour window to get your work done. You may need to adjust your work routine.

Health and Safety Considerations in the Post-Pandemic Office

• Wear your PPE during your daily commute.
• Prioritise personal hygiene like washing your hands.
• Social distancing may still be enforced; familiarise yourself with the rules at your office.
• Make use of mental health support through workplace wellness programmes or counselling.

The UK Perspective on Returning to Offices

The UK in many ways has been leading the charge for the modern remote working model, especially the implementation of hybrid working models.

We have seen a push from both the government and employees to adopt flexible working hours in the return to office in the UK. This is both to promote individual mental health and to reduce congestion on the road.

Many prominent British voices have also pushed for everyone returning to offices. These include Andy Hornby, Emma Walmsley, and former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Balancing Work-Life Integration After Remote Work

Managing Commutes and Personal Time After Working From Home

Use your commute to take a break and centre yourself. Try to avoid continued work conversations or sending that one last email. This will help you separate work from home life.

Create a wind-down period for yourself in the evenings. This means a break from your phone or computer. Use this time to centre yourself so you are ready for bed and get a good night's sleep.

Employer's Guide to Facilitating Smooth Office Returns

Strategies for Maintaining Flexibility in Office-Based Roles

• Implement hybrid work models featuring core hours where everyone must be on duty.
• Use flexi-time work models where employees simply need to meet a set amount of work hours per week.
• Leverage modern communication technologies like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom.

Creating a Supportive Environment for Returning Employees

• Open up communication with regular employee check-ins.
• Flexible work models are viable, so make use of them and watch productivity grow.
• Reintegration programmes make a big difference — not necessarily retraining but more refamiliarization. 

Implementing Effective Communication Strategies During the Transition

• Use in-person communication to reintegrate staff.
• Encourage employee collaboration and feedback.
• Recognise good work and achievements.

The Rise of Hybrid Work Models

Hybrid work offers:

• Better work-life balance for employees
• Increased productivity due to fewer distractions

Hybrid work models are a challenge when it comes to:

• Effective communication and collaborations
• Management and supervision as task-tracking can become more difficult 

Managed Offices Can Help With In-Office Problems

If office returns are causing you stress and anxiety, it may be time to switch to a new space. Storage King’s managed offices offer an all-in-one affordable, professional environment to conduct business.

If you are seeking to change your business to a remote work or hybrid model, our managed offices offer the flexible solution you need for your workspaces.

Our offices also include prime business storage, secure document shredding services and even a specialised packing shop.

Visit us online to learn more.