“The art of life is a constant readjustment to our surroundings.”

~ Kakuzo Okakaura

First we had to adjust to the inconvenience and strangeness of working from home, and now, all these months later, as so many people head back to the office, we have to adjust to the inconvenience and strangeness of that. It would be wrong to expect an easy transition when so much has changed, so go in with a plan.

Give yourself time and flexibility to figure out new best practices in your old office environment, for both you and your colleagues. Reconnect in fun and creative ways, have conversations about expectations, and ensure your needs get met. Watch the video below or read the transcript that follows, for four tips to smooth the transition back to the office.

Well, we have finally reached that stage of the pandemic Corona-coaster where so many of you are exchanging your comfy slippers for work shoes, putting on work clothes, and heading back to the office. Industry experts have estimated that moving forward, only about ten percent of the workforce will continue to work from home full-time. Thirty percent will go back to the office full time, and sixty percent of you will be splitting your time between working from home and working in-office. Now whether your organization is implementing a full time in-office model or implementing some sort of hybrid, I think it’s safe to say that in the first few days and weeks back to the office, things will be, well, kind of weird.

Hey, Michelle Cederberg here sharing a few ideas to make that transition back to the office a little smoother, and maybe a little more fun.

1) Number one, schedule in ample time for your team to reconnect. I know they’ve been online for the better part of two years but that’s very different from being in person, and you’ll especially want to take care of those new hires that haven’t even been in your office space since the pandemic began.

Schedule a total team meeting, have ample opportunities for catch-up meetings, and maybe  implement something like a ‘Get to Know’ Bingo or other team building game where people can get to know about each other in a fun way. Establish what being back in the office looks like now, and find out what peoples’ needs are. And, don’t forget to make sure to give those new hires a meet and greet, office tour, or maybe a buddy system so they feel comfortable being back in the office.

Download my Get to Know BINGO (Back to Work) michellecederberg.com right here.

2) And speaking of comfort, number two, recognize different comfort levels amongst your staff. Some of your people will be completely comfortable with hugs and handshakes, closed-quarter meetings, and everything going ‘back to normal’, but there’s also going to be those people who will be more comfortable wearing masks, who might avoid the break room, and who would prefer to meet outdoors or in bigger spaces. Recognize those different comfort levels and make sure everybody’s needs are being met.

3) Number three, talk about how to communicate. I know it’s a lot easier to have a video call or do chat or email when we’ve been doing that for two years, and we know that we can, but don’t forget about face-to-face interactions. Acknowledge that people will have to get comfortable with face to face again, and remind them that it is a convenient way to bottom line certain situations.

Find out the needs of each team member and encourage in-person communication when warranted, even if it takes a bit more time.

4) And finally, encourage people to take their breaks. Encourage people to do their workouts so they’re managing their stress and they’re managing their energy through the day. And, encourage flexibility as people make this transition back to the office.

Until next time, I’m Michelle Cederberg reminding you, you’ve got one chance to do this life. I say Dare to Live It Big, and if you’re heading back to the office dare to create a new reality that works for today’s new world of work. It can be fun, it can be safe, and it can be engaging.

Share with me the things that you’re doing to re-engage at work, don’t forget to subscribe to my channels to see what else I’ve got going on, and share this post with anyone who might need some ideas for transitioning back to the office in a fun and smooth way.

And by the way, I am available to provide in-person team building events, presentations, and keynotes around resilience, life balance, stress management, and productivity at work … all of the things that are going to help you be better on the job every single day. Connect for more information.

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Michelle Cederberg, CSP, MKin, BA Psyc

CEP, CPCC, ORSC

Empowering today’s dreamers, leaders and go-getters to create the life and career they want.


www.michellecederberg.com
403-850-5589

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