It’s been a chaotic and anxious time for most, pushing us into a new world that no one was expecting (and certainly hadn’t asked for). And it’s changed the way we work, for good.
Across the board, the demands of the virus have required flexibility on all fronts. But for Ireland’s knowledge workers, what will the office look like when it’s time to go back?
After all, we’re not really going ‘back’ – we’re simply stepping into a ‘new normal’. There’s much we’ve missed in our offices, but there’s plenty we’ve learned away from them, too.
As a key strategic enabler for business, HR has a significant role to play in helping us adapt. Here’s what I believe Ireland’s HR leaders must keep front of mind as we eventually look to head back.
Go at your own pace
It’s tempting to head back to the office at the first sign of a rosier outlook – but, as the arrival of the second wave of the pandemic has shown us, you may find yourself having to backtrack.
It's important to remember that you don't need to make rapid decisions in response to every new change. By consulting the relevant protocols, looking beyond the everyday, and making decisions based on the individual needs and choices of your business, you remove the pressure of having to make contingency plans for every development.
At ServiceNow we have deliberately taken a slow follower approach. This allows us to be more agile, leaves our employees feeling more supported, and provides a greater continuity of service for your customers, too.
Make an effort to debrief and reconnect face to face
When we do return to work, there’s a fair deal of housekeeping that will need to happen – and I don’t mean just rescuing office plants. But in the rush to get back to normal, it’s important not to gloss over everything that’s happened.
Planning an in-person event or team-building exercise is a great concrete step you can take to reconnect and come back together as a team – or perhaps even connect for the first time. After all, some employees have never even seen their offices before, having started jobs in lockdown. Since March, my team has welcomed a large number of employees that have been onboarded, integrated and already excelled as part of their teams without ever setting foot in one of our offices.
You might also consider getting people to share their stories and open up about the experiences they’ve gone through over the past year.
And bear in mind, it’s just as important for leadership to reconnect and refocus, too. We need to get back into the field, meet our clients and teams, and show that we’re aligned and ready for what’s next.
Keep health as your priority
It almost goes without saying, but health and safety must remain the number one priority – both mental and physical. And the HSA has published guidance on its website for employers in Ireland to ensure standards are upheld.
We’ve all dealt with this crisis in very different ways, and everyone will have different priorities and concerns. Some may miss the social aspects of office life, for example, but others may worry about commuting with the virus still in circulation.
It's important to offer employees choice where possible and equip them with the tools they need to work, wherever they are. For those who do choose to go back, crisis management and safety apps, like our Covid-19 Response and Safe Workplace apps, ensure we return in a safe manner.
Maintain culture
It’s vital we keep culture alive in our workforce. Many companies have stepped up social offerings to keep spirits high and help team bonding from afar.
At ServiceNow, we pride ourselves on being like an extended family, having offered wellbeing activities not just to our employees, but their families, friends, and acquaintances, too.
That sense of belonging is vitally important to a successful business, and it’s something that we should continue as we return to our offices. We’ve seen people’s authentic selves – and they should be encouraged to bring those back to the workplace.
Look to the future
The past six months have seen a mass-customisation of work by the employee, and that will put immense pressure on HR departments to work differently. Any HR team or organisation will have to double down on how they manage talent.
There’s a range of things to consider: how do you set goals, objectives, and expectations of how teams and individuals are going to work? How do we want to use our offices? And how do we operate effectively on a local level, whilst remaining aware of the greater, global issues that impact our businesses?
Every company will have a different answer. But at the very least, we’ll all need to take a fresh look at KPIs and training programmes to ensure we’re getting the most out of our employees, so that they – and we – can succeed in the new normal.