How to make your office more appealing as people return to work.

In recent years, the global pandemic forced us to isolate ourselves and work from home. The result is the largest remote workforce in history. But things are starting to return to normal, people are returning to the office and hybrid working is the next major trend.

However, the return to the 9 to 5 is proving to be a challenge for many people who spent the last two years working from their lounge. So, what can you do as an employer to make returning to the office easier?

Hybrid working and flexible working

The pandemic has been hard on everyone. It was such a huge change it was incredibly stressful for most people. But there is no need for the return to work to be as stressful. Instead of requesting that everyone come back to the office full time, studies show that offering flexible working and a hybrid work set-up can boost employees' mood and productivity.

Allowing people to manage how much time they spend in the office provides people with the flexibility and time management control that they are used to when working from home. Your employees will thank you for letting them ease back into office life, and a phased return to work will enable them to still work from home some days each week.

Welcome people back properly

Coming back to work doesn't have to be a big deal for everyone, but it is a big deal for a lot of people. So why not celebrate it? A small welcome back party where your employees can chat in a relaxed setting will help everyone loosen up and remember that working in the same place as your colleagues can be fun and stimulating.

Let people know that as a welcome back, the cafeteria will be 50% off for the first week, or they don't have to dress in formal wear or can finish an hour early. A small gesture to show people that coming back into the office is a big change (but a good one) can make a big difference.

Create a welcoming office space

After working from the comfort of home, returning to a bland, sterile office space can have a huge impact on our employees' mental health and, therefore, their satisfaction levels and productivity. Making sure the office is a welcoming, safe space will make a big difference to anyone returning to the office.

You should also consider bringing a bit of nature into the office as this has been shown to reduce stress and improve your mood. Aquariums, plants, improving natural lighting and incorporating green colours can help bring some nature inside and make sure your employees enjoy being back in the office. The research found that natural colours such as green and blue can increase productivity, so an aquarium, repainting a wall or adding soft furnishings in these colours could be the difference between people wanting to be in the office and people wishing they were at home.