Going back to the office is a reality. The truth is that teleworking has fallen a lot throughout this 2021. According to data from the National Observatory of Technology and Society (ONTSI), teleworking fell to 9.4%, in the second quarter of 2021, which represents a drop of 1.8 points compared to the first three months of the year.
Despite the decline, the figures are still above the data prior to lockdown, since in the second quarter of 2019 only 4.8% of employees teleworked. However, the data for occasional teleworking, in hybrid models, remains above those of 2020.
The return to the office, positive news for employees and companies
This return to the office is very positive news for all those workers who missed personal contact with their colleagues, a greater sense of community and / or working in an appropriate environment.
In fact, 53% of teleworkers consider that working from home has weakened their relationship with their colleagues, something that was not detected a year and a half ago.
One of the key factors for teleworking to function is that the worker feel comfortable in the place where he works and in this way can give the best of himself. Something that is far removed from the reality of thousands of workers. In fact, according to a report on Back to the Office by InfoJobs, 23% of people who have returned to the office have done so of their own accord.
Companies also celebrate the return to the office because they have experienced how the absence of a common workspace has negatively impacted aspects such as the connection of the workforce with the purpose or vision of the company.
Aspects to take into account when returning to the office
The return to the office is not only the return to a physical space. For many companies, it means stepping into a new culture and new ways of working. Because the pandemic has changed everything. It means a new model of work relationship based on trust, and that really puts the focus on people. For this reason, the management of aspects such as work-life balance, flexibility or diversity is unavoidable in the HR areas. And, of course, the policies for both physical and emotional well-being of employees.
Back to the office, safety first
In those wellness policies, worker safety comes first. Companies are implementing different prevention and health programs in their organizations, and we could say that for the first time they have become aware of the relevant role of the office in these guidelines.
Hygiene protocols and distancing measures in the office are key for workers to feel safe. In this challenge, we have the help of technology that allows us, for example, to reserve and manage spaces for safe use of the office, such as the software that Bookker offers us. Also with equipment solutions such as Vetrospace office booths or protection screens, which delimit the space and protect the workers.
When returning to the office, to attract a staff accustomed to working from home, the space has to be attractive, and above all it has to invite collaboration and spontaneous communication. Because today the role of the office is social. It is also important that you provide spaces for those who have virtual meetings and / or need privacy or areas of concentration.
Ultimately, the workspace must ensure our health and facilitate flexibility. These are the points of greatest interest in the return to the office.
