Preparing employees for the return to full-time work

Productivity

The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a lockdown that compelled many organisations in Uganda to implement remote working for business continuity.

Both employers and employees reaped several benefits, with the former saving money on brick and mortar expenses such as rent, utilities, and security and so on, while the latter saved money on fuel or transport expenses, saved time with no traffic jams, recorded better productivity and could spend more time with family.

As such, a 2021 Ipsos survey  commissioned by the World Economic Forum among 12,500 employed people in 29 countries found that a majority of employees want a hybrid working model, with almost 30 percent saying they would consider looking for another job if they were forced to go back to the office full time. Taking this into account as the Ugandan economy is now fully reopened.

The mostly conservative nature of Uganda’s white-collar job environment has seen many employers either implement a hybrid office/home working model or require all their employees to return to work.

If, as an employer, you will be implementing a full-time return to work, it is going to be prudent for you to help your employees readjust to the return to the office. Here are a few ways you can do that;

Allow employees time to adjust. A sudden shift from working from home to working at the office might present some challenges to employees that have been working from home for an extended period.

They will need time to readjust to the daily schedule, and this can cause late coming and fatigue from morning traffic jams and school runs, both of which they have most likely not been doing while the economy was still under curfew.   This can be addressed by allowing an incremental requirement for staff to come to the office, for example, three days a week with a certain percentage of staff working at the premises and others at home to meet the Covid-19 SOPs for spacing and occupancy capacity.

Prioritise mental health. While working from home offered many benefits, the workforce, in general, suffered a notable rise in mental distress from, among others, anxiety over Covid-19; frustration over frequent power blackouts; poor internet connectivity; distractions from other family members; back pain due to the quality of office furniture; some employees simply could not manage the loneliness of remote work, and others failed to know when to stop working, resulting in burnout.  Many employers prioritised employee wellness with mental and psycho-social support sessions to help employees cope with these pressures, and with the return to work, it is going to be critical for employers to maintain or deepen these interventions to create psychologically safe workspaces. 

Conduct Covid-19 awareness.  So many people have worked from home for almost two years now, and as such might walk back into the outside world believing that the Coronavirus is not as much of a threat now that the economy is reopening.  To counter this, conduct Covid-19 awareness sessions to further sensitise staff of the dangers that the virus still poses and to keep observing the Covid-19 SOPs such as sanitising, wearing masks and maintaining social distance.  Additionally, encourage staff to get vaccinated against the virus.

To ensure minimal disruptions, employers should promote safe work environments by investing in modified spaces to ensure social distancing and keeping non-vaccinated employees at home and/or requiring regular testing.

While some of the steps might seem drastic and almost discriminatory, employers must communicate the organisation’s stance to their staff, giving clear reasons as to why that direction is necessary for the safety of everyone.  The reality is that the return to work has a domino effect that will contribute to the recovery of the economy, and as such, might be unavoidable.  This is because as more people return to the office, businesses that had closed shop or slowed down like restaurants, clothing boutiques, bars and so on, will end up employing more people to meet the increasing demand. As an employer, you must continue to assess your ability to provide efficient services to your customers while helping your employees readjust to the return to work and keeping them safe.                                           

Ms Sylvia Mulomi is the People Function Director at Absa Bank Uganda.