In March 2020, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. This is when most workplaces across the country decided to move to hybrid and fully remote daily operations. We’re now, more than a year later, finally beginning to enter the post-COVID world.
As the pandemic continues to fizzle out and more and more restrictions are lifted across the country, employees are finally starting to make their transition back into the office. Nationwide, business leaders are readily and (probably excitedly) preparing for their staff’s return, prepping their office spaces to run at full capacity.
Soon, the sounds of typing, chatting, and productive work will be ringing out throughout the office once more. So, today, we would love to walk you through 10 of our best tech-based tips for returning to the office.
Let’s take a look at these tips through the eyes of a business leader, manager, or owner, and through the eyes of the employees returning to work.
5 Tech Tips For Business Leaders Welcoming Their Employees Back
1. Make Sure That Your Office Tech Is Up-To-Date
In the world of technology, especially digital business technology, a year might seem like eons. Before your employees even set foot back into the office, it’s a good idea to make sure that your business tech, such as computers, laptops, printers, routers, and other devices, are up-to-date, fully functional, and upgraded.
2. Continue To Utilize Collaboration Apps
If remote work finally convinced you to implement the use of office-wide collaboration and communication platforms and applications, don’t let the return-to-office stop you now! These tools, such as Slack, Monday.com, Podio, etc., are useful in and out of the office, as they help employees effectively communicate, coordinate, and collaborate on multiple projects in an organized manner.
3. Check Your Internet Capabilities
We all know that internet service providers can be fickle entities. Before you welcome all of your employees back into the office, be sure to check in on your network capabilities and design. As previously mentioned, over a year is a long time for tech companies and ISPs, and changes may have occurred within your internet plans without you knowing, such as Comcast’s attempt to enforce a 1.2TB data cap on unlimited internet subscribers. So, a quick phone call and speed check can’t hurt.
4. Rethink Your Current Use of Technology
For many, the post-COVID business world represents more than a return to normalcy, it’s an opportunity to start fresh. Now may be the perfect time to not only upgrade your business tech, as explored above, but to also rethink how your company makes use of its technical tools. Were your operations dependent on nearly outdated software and hardware pre-lockdown? Well, those technical tools might as well have been invented in the Stone Age at this point. The best way to stay competitive in this rapidly growing digital economy is to prioritize your business’s tech.
5. Outsource Information Technology Support
Pre-return-to-work may represent the best time to address and outsource your technology leadership, consultant, and assistant needs. Before the hustle and bustle of daily office life, juggling multiple projects, and putting out various fires, having a qualified IT consultant audit your office, filling in the necessary technical gaps may just be the solution to give your business, small and large, the competitive edge it needs. This allows your business to hit the ground running, instead of dealing with technical mishaps, as soon as the office opens back up.
Top 5 Return To Office Tips For Employees
1. Share Your Self-Taught Tech-Based Productivity Tips!
Many remote workers, if they hadn’t before, have had to learn their way around various software and hardware (such as home dual monitor setups) during the lockdown. While this may have seemed stressful or overwhelming at the time, you shouldn’t forget everything that you’ve learned now that you’re heading back into the office. In fact, we think that you should share the essential tech tips and techniques that you’ve learned during your time working remotely and maybe they will become standard around the office.
2. Prepare For The Transition
While this may seem self-explanatory, it’s essential that you do whatever it takes to properly prepare for your transition back to the office. If your workplace doesn’t allow outside computers due to security concerns, this may mean backing up your essential documents, pdfs, and other types of work-based files into a cloud-based service or external hard drive. It’s best to find out this information early and plan around it so that you’re not scrambling the day before your grand return.
3. Communicate With Your Team Leaders (Ask Questions!)
The transition back to the office may be overwhelming, both technically and mentally. Be sure to transparently communicate your needs and concerns with your team leaders, so that any problems can be addressed quickly and effectively. An effective team leader will be receptive to your questions, comments, and concerns, especially when it comes to your business’s technical capabilities.
4. (If You Can) Bring Your Tech To The Office
The pandemic forced us all to rethink our technical processes when it comes to completing our work. Whether that involves adding an additional monitor to your setup, rethinking your browser choices, utilizing cloud-based computing, or splurging on the stand-up desk addition to promote your physical health, these techniques have made a tough time a little easier. So, shoot your shot – see what your employer is comfortable with you bringing into the office and what they are not. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be able to recreate your at-home set up in the office.
5. Practice Waking Up Early
Okay, we know – not exactly tech-based but this is super important! You can’t be the tech-savvy, incredible employee that you know you can be without getting the proper amount of sleep. Remember, you can’t wake up 15-minutes before you start work anymore. Practice waking up early, accounting for your morning commute or office start time, and you will be sure to effectively readjust your sleep schedule, making the back to office transition a breeze.
Categorised in: Business Management, employee issues, home office, office, remote employees, remote work, remote workers