After six months of working remotely, employees are finally returning to their offices. However, business operations have had to significantly change
After six months of working remotely, employees are finally returning to their offices. However, business operations have had to significantly change because of coronavirus restrictions. For example, social distancing measures must be implemented at all times and there needs to be sufficient ventilation in the workspace. Many project managers are unsure about how to effectively coordinate their employees whilst also implementing these new regulations. As such, we’ve written this article to help business owners who are currently struggling to manage their staff as they rush back into work despite the pandemic. So, keep reading to find out some helpful tips and tricks that will keep everyone safe and productive.
Stagger Their Return
Rather than have everyone return to the office on the same day, we think it’s wise for project managers to stagger out who is coming back and when. This will prevent the office from becoming flooded with workers and getting overwhelmed. Focus on reintroducing the employees who actually want to return to the office first and be mindful of those who are shielding. You should also keep an eye on what’s going on in the news regarding coronavirus. This will make sure you don’t inadvertently break any rules.
Schedule the Workdays
When bringing your employees back into the office, we recommend scheduling different workdays for different people. Once again, this will prevent too many people coming back to the office at the same time. By being a little more tactical, it’ll be easier to manage your employees and implement the new regulations for coronavirus.
Rearrange the Office
To ensure you are complying with social distancing measures, project managers should rearrange their workspaces to ensure that everyone is safe. This also means that you can immediately get on with the project. If there is room in your office, place your workstations apart. Use tape that can direct everyone where they need to go and in what directions. Making hand sanitiser readily available would be beneficial, too.
Appropriate Tools
Project managers need to supply their employees with the appropriate tools so the team can collaborate effectively, even as some people work remotely and others work from the office. Task management software like Trello is ideal for this. Anyone can upload and share documents on this platform, plus organise and allocate tasks. This means it’s easier than ever before to coordinate a project.
Employee Benefits
Your employees might be feeling demoralised or anxious because of coronavirus and the prospect of working from home indefinitely. To counteract these problems, project managers could implement employee benefits. For example, you could use these schemes to reward those who choose to work from home. Employee benefits can also provide your staff with things like health insurance, which is pertinent in the pandemic. This might ease their worries and boost their morale. We recommend using Zest Benefits’ employee benefits platform to effectively implement these reward schemes into your business.
Support Them
Employers should not only be prioritising their workers’ physical health during the pandemic but also their mental health. As we’ve mentioned before, coronavirus has been incredibly anxiety-inducing for some people. They may need additional support from their project manager to ensure they’re staying on track. And so, it’s a good idea to regularly reach out to your employees. Find out if they are struggling and show them understanding. Consider the fact that some people need the office for routine and socialisation.
These are the best ways to manage your employees as everyone rushes back to work during the coronavirus outbreak. We recommend being tactical but flexible, considering everyone’s individual needs. Don’t forget about motivating them and providing them with the correct tools to ensure productivity.
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