4 Main challenges of returning to work after the pandemic
There’s no doubt about it; 2020 was a very difficult year for the entire world. In a blink of an eye, people suddenly were required to work from home in order to reduce the spread of covid-19. At first, the move was difficult for many who were so used to interacting with their co-workers, but after a year, it became almost normal. Flash forward a year, and the introduction of new vaccines has begun to allow certain employers to bring back in their staff. However, coming back to the office has surprisingly uncovered a few issues. Read on to learn about the four main challenges of returning to work after the pandemic.
1. Concern Over Covid Protocols
Perhaps the most common concern shared amongst employees is their lack of trust for employers to care for them. This is often because most employers are simply asking staff to wear masks and clean their hands. This, of course, is seen as not enough by some people. Fortunately, innovations in technology have helped to ease the burden on companies and place some peace of mind within employees about their safety. One of the most popular options at the moment is the inclusion of apps that both welcome employees back but also serve as a preventive measure for keeping sick employees at home.
2. Scheduling
One of the areas that employers are looking towards when deciding how to bring their employees back are schools. This is because schools across the nation have implemented certain scheduling techniques that would bring students back to the classroom without having everyone on top of each other at the same time. This is done by scheduling one part of the school to remain at home while the other comes to class. Employers see this technique as a way to bring back employees little by little. However, scheduling these kinds of workdays can be extremely challenging.
3. Commuting During a Pandemic
Commuting has been a problem for many even before the pandemic hit. However, now that employees understand just how precious those extra hours are to a person’s day, it can be difficult to return to commuting. In many cases, employees may even seek to terminate their own employment to find positions that are closer to their homes.
4. Addressing Refusal to Work Issues
The fact is that some employees are not going to be comfortable coming back to the office just yet. If you are a business owner, it is important to avoid jumping to conclusions. If the refusal is a matter of not feeling confident in coming back to an enclosed office, you should search for solutions to their concerns to see where you can improve on. However, some will cite that they are simply earning more in unemployment. This not an excuse and should be reported to your state workforce agency and inform them that the employee has been given a chance to return to work.
As you can see from the information above, there are several reasons why coming back to the workplace is going to be challenging. However, if those challenges can be met with the proper communication in place, working in an office should quickly begin to feel like before the pandemic.
