The global way of working hasn’t been the same since 2020—instead of buzzing offices with long rows of chairs occupied by employees, we now see people in little video rectangles of video conferencing calls, as they work in the comfort of their homes. This is the new “normal” workplace that employees have settled into.
Surveys find that about 60% of employees want permanent remote work, while 35% call for a hybrid model. Their reasons for the same range from having greater schedule flexibility and less commute to small joys like no dress code.
But meanwhile, some companies find remote work to be hindering their productivity due to limited communication, high TAT for tasks, and loss of collaborative creativity.
The silver lining for these companies is that a significant portion of employees, especially the younger generation, are feeling the distance too and want to return to office and the sense of belonging.
Here are 5 ways to motivate your teams to come back to the office:
Foster a Sense of Community:
When your team returns to office after this long hiatus, they will initially feel awkward and out-of-place in the office, especially those onboarded during the lockdown. But small gestures, such as welcome gifts or back-to-office kits and informal team-building games go a long way in bringing back the missing human connection.
Celebrate Occasions & Make Some more:
A team that celebrates together stays together. Rebuild a thriving workplace by celebrating special topical days and festivals through corporate team-building activities. What’s more, you have the full liberty to create your own special days! Initiatives like Friday Game Night, or monthly potluck Wednesdays can help rekindle team spirit and become a reason to look forward to coming to the office.
Indoor Game Room:
Recreational opportunities are an important part of creating a wholesome work culture, especially when you’re trying to motivate people to leave their comfort zone, aka, their homes.
So, if your office has the space, you can also create an indoor games room (or nook) for hosting exciting corporate team building games. Some indoor office games for employees are foosball, carrom, ping pong, and board games.
In-Office Learning Sessions:
Learning from their peers and mentors is a major motivation for the young crowd.
While your employees get used to the retransition to work from the office, it is important for the company as a whole to be supportive. The most important part of the same is allowing them the flexibility of a hybrid working model, so that they can plan their week and choose the office visit days according to their convenience. As per a CNBC survey, employees who have a workplace mentor are happier with their jobs. Facilitating formal programs or interactions like weekly learning sessions can help increase engagement.
Personalised Employee Experience:
Your office should cater to the needs of all your employees, from those wanting conference rooms for brainstorming and social interaction to focus pods for those preferring quiet rooms to work in. Revamping the workplace to look more physically attractive, bright, and vibrant, will also help make it a place to be in for employees.
Perks like casual dress code and transport/carpooling facilities set up by the company are a few other motivators to consider.
Such office engagement activities not only serve as motivators for employees to return to office, but also help them feel more connected to the company, its people, and its mission.
At ExtraMile, we help your HR teams plan out office engagement activities to attract, retain, and engage your employees. Looking to welcome your employees back to the office? Reach out to us on +91 7400433711 or at contact@extramile.in and our team will help you come up with quick team building activities for the workplace!