It’s no secret that firms are struggling to encourage their staff to come to the office in the post-Covid-19 era. With flexible working policies and work-from-home becoming more common, plenty of workers are deciding not to make the commute and to avoid the office. For those firms that are interested in encouraging more staff to make the journey to the office or those that are simply trying to make their office a more pleasant and productive place to work, this article offers four tips that’ll help you improve your workspace in the coming year.
Temperature and Ventilation
One of the main complaints you’ll hear from many office staff is that they find the place that they work too warm, too cold, or poorly ventilated. This is something that can drive staff to stay home, where they’re in charge of the thermostat and they can add or subtract layers of clothing at will. To make your office more comfortable for staff, consider investing in appropriate temperature control systems, such as air conditioning and heating. If you already have these systems installed, make sure you’re using a commercial air conditioning maintenance service to get the most out of your systems, cooling your staff in those sweltering summer months.
Free Goods
Your staff may need enticement into the office in different forms. One reason that working from home has become so popular is that staff are a short walk from their kitchen, where they can make cheap meals and refrigerate cheap drinks. If you can provide some of this in your office, and make it free of charge, you might encourage more of your staff to come in and do work from your designated workplace. Hot drinks and fruit are great places to start.
Machinery
Most office work is conducted on computers. These computers should be fast and relatively new, otherwise, there will be a strong incentive for your workers to simply stay at home and use their superior personal laptops. Meanwhile, another attraction of the office is the use of dual screens, which have been proven to boost productivity and can make your staff’s working lives easier. Make sure that everyone in the office has access to a second monitor, and any other equipment they might need, for them to work fast and without frustration when they’re in the office.
Transport
Finally, you’ll know that it’s the commute that many workers are relishing not having to do anymore. Many workers spend at least an hour a day getting to and from work, and that costs money as well as taking time out of their day that they might otherwise spend with their children or on an after-work hobby. To make the commute more attractive, consider paying for bicycles for more local staff, putting on a shuttle bus service, adding parking spaces to your facility, or giving those who commute from afar access to a travel fund so that they can get into work on the cheap.
These tips will all help you encourage workers to enjoy their time in the office, especially enticing those who might otherwise prefer to work from home.
