Page 2 - The MIL Leadership Line: April 2022

Creating psychological safety & the return to office

Main ideas taken from HBR article, “Don’t Let Returning to the Office Burn Out Your Team” by Rahaf Harfoush.

After two years of working remotely, returning to the physical workplace will be overwhelming for some of your
team members. According to a study run by McKinsey, one out of every three employees surveyed said returning to
the workplace has a negative impact on their mental health, citing feelings of anxiety, depression, or general distress.
Many of these team members already experienced increased stress levels and mental health challenges during
COVID and the return to the office compounds that stress. As a leader, you can help manage the anxiety around
this change by giving your team a chance to ease back into office routines in a way that maintains or improves team
member’s level of engagement and productivity.

Here are five ways to help your team members successfully
reintegrate into the office environment:

Ease into Socialization Slowly. Many people have been isolated since COVID started. Holding large, in-person
meetings could be overwhelming and emotionally exhausting. Given that most team members are working just
a few days in the office and the remainder at home, Teams meetings are still the best option for now. Attending
virtually gives team members that are in the office some breathing space and it ensures that employees participating
from home are still included.
Establish Team Rituals. Most of us experienced a major life disruption during the pandemic. Some people are
still reeling from the stress of worrying about catching COVID or passing it to a vulnerable family member. Offering
opportunities for team members to share their reflections on the past months can create a sense of community and
feeling connected once again with their team which also increases trust. Zendesk holds “empathy circles” where
employees can come together and share. Ninety-five percent of their employees who participated rated the event as
a positive experience that increased their sense of safety at work.

Rein in Scope Creep. Going back into the office will add time to your employee’s workday due to the commute,
which for some will be substantial. Many team members have worked longer days from home because it’s hard to
“turn off” the workday when your work area is within reach. Many may have taken on additional administrative
tasking during the pandemic. It may be challenging for team members to adjust to a healthy schedule when they
return to the office causing burnout. If the burnout is not addressed, team members will leave. Ask your employees
to compare their current workload with pre-pandemic levels. A thorough audit will help you assess changes needed
across the team.
Create Space for Uninterrupted Deep Work. During the pandemic, all of us relied more heavily on digital
communications. The average office worker added an hour to their workday and spent more time answering emails
and in meetings than before the pandemic. On average, we are interrupted every three minutes and it can take up to
23 minute to get back on track. Promote a culture that supports uninterrupted worktime for your team. Re-evaluate
who really needs to attend a meeting. Would their time be better spent elsewhere? Facebook, Airbnb, and Asana
have implemented “no-meeting Wednesdays.” Citi has “Zoom-Free Fridays.” Consider directing your team members
to block off two-hours of focus time each day.
Create More Recovery Time. Over the past two years, many of us cancelled long-awaited and anticipated vacation
plans. Instead of taking that time to relax at home, we worked. It seemed like a good idea at the time to save our
PTO but taking time away from work is vital. According to research from Deloitte, Employees who don’t take time
off experience a decrease in their ability to learn and perform critical thinking and empathy skills. These skills
directly affect performance and retention. Encourage your team to use their PTO. High performance requires regular
periods of downtime and recovery. Help them determine who can cover their work when they are out. If team
members come back to two weeks’ worth of work, the restorative benefits of their vacation fades quickly.

Experiment with these tips to help your team successfully reintegrate into office-life. Work with each
team member individually to understand what he or she needs to reduce stress, burnout, and anxiety.
Your efforts will positively affect the wellbeing of your team, which will also support your wellbeing and
overall success and productivity.