6 ways to get employees back into the workplace in the era of hybrid working

Are you still trying to get your staff back into the workplace? Covid opened the eyes of many to the convenience of working from home. Yet, despite all of the benefits that can be gained from having your staff in a central workplace, many employees are still reluctant to return to full-time office life. Benefits such as:

• improved teamwork
• enhanced loyalty
• greater creativity
• brand connectivity
• heightened communication among teams and departments and
• convenience in collaboration
  all make a pretty convincing case to return to the office, yet employers often overlook the significance of office appeal.

What is office appeal?

We all talk about the importance of kerb appeal when selling or buying a house, but often office appeal gets overlooked.

Essentially, creating office appeal is all about making the office more appealing than working at home. Whether this is because it’s warmer (as most frequently was the case last winter), or whether it’s about making a big statement with your office space to inspire and welcome staff, office appeal is a critical factor when persuading staff to choose to work together rather than work alone.

Here are six ways you can drive desire among your staff for returning to an office environment:

1. Create a pleasant environment to work in

Do away with the clutter. Make space for the creativity. Think about the environment you want to create for your staff and then bring it to life. Light, air and space can all help promote creativity. So, ditch any broken blinds, replace any humming lights, and while some barriers may be necessary for privacy, to create a more tranquil working area, or to reduce noise, getting rid of any unnecessary screens or partitions will help open up the office and the light within it.

Consider whether you need desk stations for everyone, or whether some more free-flowing areas with bistro tables or poseur tables where informal gatherings can be encourage may be more effective.

2. Ensure your office is conducive to work

Provide quiet work areas where people who need peace and quiet to focus can retreat to.

3. Consider your entry to your place of work.

You can make a big impression, whatever your office size with some strategically placed items of furniture used as a focal piece and some smart interior design. Having a central desk or table where guests can be welcomed is always a good addition to an office space. Whether the desk is in the same space that everyone operates within, or whether the area is screened off from the main office with partition screens, or even an entirely different room, you can find a desk or unit that serves as a focal point. Some smaller businesses choose to have a small table like one of our poseur or bistro tables, that hold a vase of flowers, business cards and a bell or buzzer to get attention, alongside a signing in book. Other, larger offices, may have space for an impressive desk such as our Boardroom Table where a receptionist can greet guests from an ergonomic chair or operator chair, with a smile.

4. Make the room more homely and inviting.

The difference you can make to a central desk or table with a carefully placed vase of flowers, or a sculpture or model, is vastly understated, but a focal point can really help to elevate the ambience in any office environment.

5. Make your office fun and funky.

No one aspires to be in a dusty and boring environment, so ditch the magnolia and find a focal point for at least one wall and opt for neutral colours on the other. Stylish storage solutions such as this shelving room divider can turn bookshelves into a fabulous backdrop for your focal point and, with the right books, can also create an aura of expertise and confidence. This particular unit is modern, with geometric metal profiles interspersed with wooden shelves, to create a modern, yet natural look and, because it is modular, it’ll fit any space that you have.

Other backdrops that can make a statement in your office include a feature wall using a wall decal. Whether you adopt carefully selected words, your company slogan, a picture or a dramatic geometric design, you can get some impressive results.

6. Ensure that your workspace is more conducive to an enjoyable working day than home is.

This may mean ensuring that there are decent food options available at lunch time, or a free fruit bowl every Monday, or it could simply mean ensuring that each member of staff has a stylish and convenient working space where they can be free from interruptions. Break out areas with a ping pong table could offer staff a welcome break if you have the space.

For more information on any of our products mentioned in our blog, please call us on 01295 565001 or chat with our friendly advisors online.