While the year 2020 brought consecutive lockdowns and despair, to say the least, 2021 already shows promising signs of positive hope.
The world finally is opening up and for most, it’s a piece of good news.
A transition from your living room turned into an office to return to your actual office is indeed a welcome yet challenging transition.
When Will Offices Reopen?
Although vaccination drives are taking place all over the country, no one still knows for sure when offices shall reopen.
Most offices have gradually started opening up and calling in employees back to work.
If you have your apprehensions about returning to work, then you are not alone who has such thoughts.
As per a survey by Economic times, survey by Economic times
about 83% of employees in India are still nervous about going back to the office while there is no vaccine and restrictions are still in place.
The survey also suggested that Indian employees were more likely to want to work completely from home (66%) than any other country surveyed.
70% of people reported their job satisfaction is better than before COVID-19 restrictions.
61% of employees find it manageable to effectively work from home during the COVID-19 restrictions.
However, it depends on individual companies to take a call on such decisions.
In case your office decides to open, here is a list of things which you need to do to prepare yourself to return to the office.
How to Prepare Yourself to Return to Work after WFH
1. Acknowledge Negative Thoughts:
In this uncertain moment of history, many of us would have conflicting thoughts about stepping out once again to restore normalcy in our lives.
It’s absolutely fine to have such thoughts after what we all have experienced in 2020.
However, it’s important that you try to control any negativity or anxiety that you are feeling.
From being over-concerned about the sanitization of the office space, constant policing to use sanitizers, or over cautiousness in talking to office colleagues, there can be a lot of things on your mind that makes it hard for you to resume normal day office.
The first step to overcome these fears is to acknowledge them. Acknowledge these thoughts and find the right people to talk to.
Talk to someone around whom you feel comfortable. They can be your colleagues, friends, or your HR. Ignoring such thoughts or mismanaged fears can lead to serious health troubles.
2. Be Open to Change:
Remember the last time you walked out of your office before the lockdown started?
Well, be assured, when you return to the office, your workplace would also not be the same.
The Covid-19 Pandemic has forced everyone including the whole workplace ecosystem to undergo drastic transitions to survive.
Many practices that might have been normal in the past have been made redundant. Against the backdrop of such changes, you might find it a little hard to fit in.
Rather than being critical about these changes, be a part of the transition process. Be open to changes which your employer might find necessary to apply.
Be positive about any such transitions and have faith. Looking at the brighter side of things always helps.
Take an example of your everyday cup of coffee at work. Maybe your company decides to cut down on costs by removing coffee machines from their office cafeteria.
Rather than being upset about your coffee routine, think about the so many such decision every employer had to take to survive in this economy.
Try to be a part of the solution and not the problem.
3. Be Compassionate:
Every person who walks into that office has survived in his/her way during the previous year. The memory of this pandemic is fresh in everyone’s mind.
Some may have lost their loved ones, someone may have had financial troubles, while some may be nervous or anxious.
Everyone has fought their own battles in 2020. We need to be much more compassionate towards each other, especially when everyone went through a lot in all these months.
A kind word may help someone get over their nervousness, a patient ear may help someone find relief.
Be patient with your office colleagues, after all the vibe of any workplace depends on how the employees feel.
4. Spread Joy:
Most of us haven’t had a social get together in literally a year now. As humans, we tend to crawl back into our shells once something like this happens.
As rightly said, be the change that you want to see in the world. Lead from the front and make people comfortable around you at your workplace.
Have light-hearted conversations with your office colleagues, tell them things that may lighten up the mood.
Do your bit to bring some joy to the people around you.
Find innovative ways to replace the usual handshake. Let it be the source of a smile for everyone who is a part of it.
5. Share WFH Experiences:
One of the best ways to make the transition easy is to share your personal experiences with your office colleagues.
WFH had made all of us convert our living rooms into makeshift offices, there must be so many experiences worth sharing.
Gather around your office mates during lunch breaks or small coffee breaks and share each other’s good and bad experiences while WFH.
6. Focus on Productivity:
The financial hiccups due to COVID 19 pandemic sent tremors to businesses throughout the world.
Companies are now focusing on productivity to ensure a positive rate of growth.
The main focus point has mostly shifted to the productivity of every individual working in an organization.
The most important thing which should focus upon in times like these is being on top of your game.
Any kind of carelessness towards your work may end up having serious consequences.
Most of us are all set to get back to work, however, the transition from WFH to returning to the office won’t be that easy.
Although we are gradually turning a page of history, one thing is certain: humanity shall triumph.
We will look back after some years at this moment of our lives and know that we came out stronger than before.
Best of luck!
