The need to work from home is long gone now, yet many people are still choosing to. The truth is, before COVID hit, many businesses didn’t allow remote working because they simply didn’t think it would work. And guess what? It did work! Millions of people took their work equipment home and successfully managed to work in a safe environment while the virus took over the world.

However, because it was so successful, employers are struggling to get their employees back into the office at all. And while it can be great for running costs, it’s understandable that they want to see their employees and work together face to face. If this is something you’ve been struggling with, take a look at these tips on how to encourage your employees to return to the office.

Give them incentives to come back

While you might want everyone back in, you need to give them a reason to come back too. For them, it’s easier to stay at home rather than commuting or needing to find childcare, so why not offer incentives like paid transport or some money towards childcare as an incentive? Or, you could offer other types of incentives like money off vouchers or a free coffee on you every morning. It will be different for every kind of office and the type of people that work there, so you might need to get a little creative.

Be honest

Sometimes it might just come down to being honest with your employees. So, if you want them back in the office because you’re planning some projects that will require you all to be together, then simply tell them that! Being honest is more likely to get a better response than simply saying “because I said so”.

Consider serviced offices

If you gave up your office space when everyone started working remotely, then you’ll be looking for a new space to buy or rent. Another way you could get employees back into the office is by using a serviced office where you’ll often find perks like air conditioning, free parking, fast internet, and delicious food and drinks as refreshments while working. Not only that, but the meeting rooms are often stylish and professional, meaning you can optimise how effectively you’re all working.

Offer a hybrid work schedule

The problem you might be facing is that your employees have got used to the benefits that come hand in hand with working at home. For many people, being able to be at home for children is a bonus. For others, it’s a comfortable place where they feel they can get a lot of work done without being interrupted. Whatever their reason for wanting to work at home, they’re going to be reluctant to give that up. So, why not find a happy middle ground instead? By offering a hybrid work schedule, everyone wins. You get to have your employees in the office with you, and they get the luxury of working from home a few days a week. And, you could even add in the option of working from home if they need to be there for childcare or home repairs.

Make the office an engaging place to be

We’ve established that working from home has many benefits, so why not make it so that working in the office has them too? Invest in new furniture in the break room, install speakers so you can listen to music while you’re working, and consider upgrading your meeting room with new coffee and tea machines so that those long meetings are much nicer to sit through.

You could also split your office into different areas for different activities to make working much nicer for your employees. For example, those that want to work in peace and quiet can have their own secluded area, and you could have another area for huddles and standing desks for those that want to collaborate and move around a little more.

Many employers have also found success by creating an area of recreation in their office too. Having a room or space dedicated to having a bit of fun and relaxation can really help tempt people back into the office. And, when offices have these spaces and allow people to blow off a little steam, they often return to their desk and produce their best work.

Conclusion 

It might not be easy getting your employees back into the office, but with these ideas, it’s definitely doable. Remember to ease back into the routine of coming to the office, and that you’ll need to be patient as your employees adjust to their new working schedule.

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