Returning to work from breaks, vacations, or leaves may be disorienting. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to workforces around the world.

7 Ways To Support Your Returning Workforce

Many businesses have had to develop ways to navigate this interruption. They have adopted working from home models and have virtual meetings when necessary.   

Tips Managers Can Use To Ensure A Smooth Comeback  

Employers face challenges integrating staff back to work after they’d been away. It’s because there’s friction between resuming routine and adapting to new realities at the same time.

Often, there is a lot of planning, teamwork, and adaptability efforts that go into account. 

Re-introducing returning workforce will require you to:  

• Make contact with each employee to assess their current situations. Circumstances will vary for different employees. Some may have difficult situations at hand, while others may not. Discuss the present state of each worker as it will help you determine how best to help them.
• Confirm that the employees are ready to come back to work. It’ll help you know whether you need to hire new personnel or not. If they are coming back, is there anything they require so they can work efficiently? A discussion with your employees would further provide a clear picture. It’ll show what the future looks like for both parties.  
• Talk to your employees who haven’t returned to work. This is if you have resumed or you are working in flexible shifts. This action will ascertain if they’ve got issues that deter them from getting back to work. For example, they may be sick or are experiencing hard times. Communication will help you to understand better how to assist them.  
• Encourage team and peer-to-peer support. It’s because returning to work after some time may cause anxiety. Additionally, this provides a great platform to build relationships.  
• Examine which is the best strategy to welcome and support returning workforce. You can achieve it through holding meetings or workshops with management.

It might be challenging and overwhelming to re-introduce staff to work. However, the above steps will help to ensure a seamless comeback.   

Seven Ways To Re-orient Staff 

There are several factors to be reviewed when resuming work after a long time. When considering a full recovery to work, you may need more funds if you had completely closed down. However, if you work in shifts, you’d require more space to accommodate the extra staff.  

To identify everything you need, look for credible information. You’ll discover that these resources will help identify suitable ways to reintroduce your staff into the work area.  

Ultimately, every firm has to welcome and inspire staff once they are back to work. Having said this, here are seven ways to support your returning workforce: 

1. Encourage A Get-together Communion For Reconnecting   

After a long break from colleagues, a get-together party can be suitable to reconnect. It’ll also help them refocus their energies on work when they get back to their workstations.

Additionally, reacquaintance will bring forth new familiarity between employees. It’ll help create a healthy work environment.  

2. Provide For Workshops And Seminars  

Workers who have been away for a while may feel disoriented. An excellent way to bring them back to the fold is by organizing workshops and seminars. These events will remind them of the company’s procedures. They can also learn new policies or skills needed in the new work environment. 

Seminars and workshops may also keep them engaged and motivated. The two could help them feel like they hadn’t missed a lot when they were away.   

3. Promote Flexibility At Workspace  

Many employees may have adopted new habits. The staff may have a difficult time adjusting to a routine they had stopped following. Hence, employers will require to be flexible and more understanding.

It doesn’t mean productivity will be undermined because there’s a compromise on operations. When management is more accepting of new adjustments, there’s more employee engagement. Thus, more productivity is witnessed.  

4. Reduce Anxiety Through Transparency  

To many employees, returning to work may cause them anxiety. It can be in terms of what the company’s fate looks like or their own.

Employers are encouraged to talk to their workers and be transparent to them on how the future looks. It will, in turn, clear any fears and boosts concentration in the workforce.  

Making the welfare of your staff a priority removes any doubts or tensions they may have. A good example would be providing allowances or medical benefits.  

5. Allow Autonomy  

One way to boost your employees’ trust and confidence is by giving them the freedom to make decisions. It’ll help employers gauge the workers’ performance.

It can also aid in identifying leadership qualities. Moreover, the bosses will gain trust from their workers.  

6. Reshaping The Vision And Confidence  

Employees resuming work may have pressure resuming an old workplace. It’s because workers may have been used to another environment. Others might feel like they are starting afresh, and thus they may experience some anxiety.   

As an employer, it’d be an excellent idea to reground the vision. It’ll motivate the employees to feel like they are starting in a better place and not the same old area as before. It’ll also help the business capitalize on bringing more enthusiasm.  

7. Nurturing Healthy Competition  

A great way to encourage returning workforce is by promoting healthy work competition. By creating benchmarks and rewarding performance, employees will be more focused and result-oriented.

Additionally, they’ll develop new ideas and practices. An excellent way to achieve this is by introducing recognition programs. Team-building activities may also be helpful. 

These seven ideas are some of the most important things to think about when supporting your resuming staff. Regardless, it’s wise for employers to recognize that returning to work is a huge adjustment. Your staff may already have been used to new routines by now.

Therefore, any firm should apply caution when implementing these strategies. It’d help if you addressed all employee needs as well. It’ll ensure to build a positive work environment for everyone.  

Final thoughts  

It’s therefore evident that supporting your rejoining workforce can be a difficult task. All the parties need to be patient with each other to navigate this adjustment.

The relationship between organizations and staff is symbiotic. Hence, it should never be compromised for smooth administration and functionality.  

You can help your resuming employees by promoting flexibility at the workplace. Also, allow autonomy, offer workshops, and reground the company’s vision.

Moreover, you can be helpful by nurturing healthy competition, and allowing flexibility and transparency would be beneficial too.