It’s been over a year since we traded morning commutes and conference rooms for home offices and Zoom calls. Employees everywhere learned to not only adapt to remote environments but also to accept and embrace work-from-home flexibility. While company culture may never be the same, thanks to pandemic-era innovations, there is a spark of excitement to return to in-office normalcy. “As much as workers have enjoyed the benefits of telecommuting, many wouldn’t mind returning to the office – as soon as possible,” reports an article by Jessica Dickler for CNBC. “After a year of working from home amid the COVID-19 outbreak, employees miss in-person conversations most of all according to a recent report by management consultancy Seyfarth and Work.”
Amidst this anticipation, there is a unique focus on the generation of office employees who, despite celebrating a work anniversary, have never stepped foot into their company office. “With working from home for so long, it’s easy to isolate and feel overwhelmed. It’s key to lean on coworkers, ask more questions, and reach out if you need help,” said Anna Milecki, Account Executive. “The pros of transitioning into an office include more social interaction and collaboration with coworkers, having more of a structured day, and lastly, less time to snack like I do at home!”
The return of working in-office also means the return of in-office events, such as company-provided meals and after-hours social events. “I am looking forward to meeting all of the new team members and collaborating more easily with one another!” said Alexis Mazanec, Account Executive. “Social gatherings like happy hours are also a big plus.”
Switching from in-office to remote environments and back again has bolstered communication skills and proven employees’ adaptability and resiliency. Despite the challenges of the past year and a half, these skills will follow employees as companies develop new hybrid policies to make the best of both worlds. “Going from full-time in the office to fully remote so quickly felt like it could rock the boat, but a lot of team members showed they can easily pivot and adapt to any situation,” said Christina Washington, Senior Vice President of Campaign Operations. “It’s good to know that everyone works well in their environment and is a lot more flexible than you think.”
Information for today’s blog came from CNBC. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends!
