We’re still in the middle of a really huge change:
- Everyone has been working remotely for over a year. And many employees have been working longer hours.
- This has made building community and collaborating more difficult.
- Burnout has become more of a problem.
- And just when we think there is a plan to ‘return to the office’, there’s a new change in the pandemic, putting those plans on hold.
- Plus, the definition of ‘return to the office’ keeps changing.
- Most employees have gotten used to the flexibility of working remotely; and may want to continue to have that flexibility in some for moving forward. Not every organization is ready for that.
- Returning to work may not work for some employees; if they don’t embrace the return plan, will they still have a job?
- And once we do return, will it be safe – physically and psychologically?
When humans are faced with a big change, and they have very limited information about the change, or the information keeps changing, they get stressed and start making up their own facts. Which are usually negative. The purpose of change management is to engage people – your employees – by consistently and authentically providing information and assurances, therefore, helping to alleviate the unknowns and the stresses of the change.
And it’s important to start the change management process as soon as possible. As we said, because of the pandemic, we’ve been working remotely for nearly 2 years. We initially focused discussion about change management associated with the early stages of working from home. Now we’ve added information about ‘return planning’ and the unique challenges that involves. We’ve organized these points into 3 main categories – before employees start to return to the office, as the return to the office begins, and Day 2 – after they have returned to the office. And we’ve addressed the challenges of ongoing changes to the definition of ‘return to the office.’
Change Management Processes
Everyone is still working from home; what is going on now:
How to communicate:
- Use online media – email, social media, company intranet – for the day-to-day details
- Use leadership webcasts for major updates and announcements
- Don’t be too technical – while this is a business issue, uncertainty and stress are at the individual, personal level
- Be consistent to reinforce sense of order and normalcy; create a regular cadence of communications so employees know when to ‘be on the lookout’ for new information.
- Be candid, honest, and positive
- Provide FAQs to leadership and managers so they can answer employees’ questions correctly
What to communicate:
- Status update: What is going on now.
- What sources of information is leadership continuing to review, and how might that impact the return plan.
- How have employees been included/consulted in the planning process?
- Return timing update: When will we come back to work? And will we go back home again?
- Never use the phrase ‘return to work’ – everyone has been working very hard over the last 20+ months.
- Define ‘return to the office’:
- How it will work
- What options does it include – full time remote, part time remote, full time in the office, daily schedule flexibility, alternate locations to work – coworking, etc.
- Guidelines for determining which options are best suited for which jobs
- What will be different about the workplace when I go back?
- What is being done to make the workplace safe – cleaning/sanitation, social distancing? How will I know this is being done?
- What do I need to do that is different?
- How to provide feedback and ask questions.
The return to the office begins:
How to communicate:
- Continue the communication processes, schedule, types and protocols already in place – this represents consistency to employees
- Be candid, honest, consistent, and positive
- Use multiple media – posters, handouts (using gloves), video, social media
- Use video instead of large group meetings or town halls.
- Provide regular updates:
- Status of returning to work – who is back, when did they go back
- What is working, what may need to change
- Regularly update leadership FAQ’s
What to communicate:
- Welcome back! This is a good thing.
- We’re all learning; what training is available
- At this point, here’s who will be working in the office, who will be working remotely
- Changes in work schedules/patterns
- Changes in the workspace – individual, team, community spaces, technology
- Employee safety: what is being done, how it will be communicated, what your individual role is
- Protocols: definition, review, update
- How you can share feedback and input
- How updates and information will be shared
- What sources of information is leadership continuing to review, and how might that impact the return plan.
Day 2: We’re working!
How to communicate:
- Be candid, honest, consistent, and positive
- Be as specific as possible
- Continue the communication processes, schedule, types, and protocols already in place – this represents consistency to employees
- Focus on individual physical safety, effectiveness, and changes to the workplace
- Regularly update leadership FAQ’s
- Provide regular updates - What is working, what may need to change
- Facilitate internal team focused communication
What to communicate:
- Current status – cleaning, safety, remote work program, working in the office
- Upcoming changes – workspace, remote work, technology
- Feedback: how to give it, answers and outcomes from feedback received
- Overall business successes
- Protocol review and updates
Planning and implementing a change management processes in these uncertain times can feel like a lot of work. However, implementing change management processes will help employees feel they are engaged, trusted, and ‘cared for’, all of which can minimize the impacts of the ‘Great Resignation.’ If you’d like more information about change management, check out our Managing Workplace Change white paper.