4 Ways to Make Going Back to the Office Worth It
In a talent-driven economy, 21st-century leaders need to ensure the office is worth the $5000 to $25,000 of hard-earned, rarely reimbursed transportation and childcare costs your talent pays to do what they know they can do better at home. The old-school, 20th-century idea of "the office" is nothing short of the ultimate "man cave," the great escape from the messiness of domestic life. People of color even joke that the office is the evolution of the plantation where CEOs can comfort themselves overseeing the work.
If you’re a company leader longing to get everyone back to the office, you’ll need to create more intention around in-office interactions starting with asking employees what they want.
Ask Them What They Want
As you onboard talent and introduce them to the company’s culture, find out how they do their best work, in and outside the office. One of our clients, desperate for the comfort of seeing his employees back in the office, is frustrated that employees aren’t returning to the office at the rate and volume he hoped. An empty office tells you your employees don’t see a compelling reason to return, so now is the time to ask them what would make returning worthwhile. More teaming space? More exposure to senior management? More training opportunities?
Reframe Your Relationship with Talent
Too few CEOs and C-suite executives network with their employees, treating the relationship like a highway and a bike path rather than a two-way street. My previous experience as an employee put me at odds with the CEO, who resisted closing the office due to Covid. He asked, “If they’re at home, how do I know they’re working?”
There’s enough to unpack here for another article (especially about the low opinion many CEOs seem to have about their talent force). But I never saw him walk the halls, so I asked, “How do you know they’re working now?”
If you want your employees to return to the office, change how you think about and interact with them. You’d be surprised how much talent at all levels would appreciate a chance to interact and converse with the company leaders. Plus, you might gain some insight that will help make their work more effective, efficient, and profitable.
Make The Office A Place They Want To Be
Once you know what your employees want, focus on creating talent gravity through intentional office design. The design should incorporate the impact of new policies and technologies around flex time and remote working. Whatever you do, make sure you're making changes to improve your employees' experience in the office.
Encourage Their Development
Too many interactions around learning, development, promotion, and succession happen serendipitously. Creating intentional spaces to help talent do their jobs better is one of the most compelling reasons for returning to the office. But company leaders will need to leave their offices for scheduled time with employees to increase fairness and reduce the bias and exclusion that typically accompanies advancement and promotion decisions.
Learning and development programming is critical to unleashing the potential of your talent force. Spaces should be created for training, coaching, mentoring, and sponsorship discussions, giving emerging leaders the time and space to advance their careers. Designing spaces around purposeful management shows employees you're committed to their job success—and that will improve their experience in the office.
In the 21st-century, talent-driven economy, it is critical for CEOs and corporate leaders to make the office place where employees actually want to be. This begins by asking them what they want and making changes accordingly. It also means investing in their development and providing growth opportunities. By taking these steps, you can improve employee experience in the office—and make your company more successful.