Page 15 - Leading and managing people in the new normal

2.3 Process to support the return to the workplace
Here are four steps to help you engage your team in their return to the workplace (their principal place of
work).
STEP 1
Talk to your team
Listen and understand
individual circumstances,
concerns and preferences.
Key considerations:
• employee concerns
about returning to
workplace
• nature of work
• vulnerability to COVID-19
• home and care
responsibilities
• remote work set up
(loaned v own
equipment)
• safety and belonging
• perceived sense of loss of
flexibility, work-life
balance.
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Key points
• Everyone will have different responses and
concerns about returning to the workplace.
STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4 • There may be a real or perceived sense of loss
in autonomy, flexibility and work-life balance
Develop individual return Share the overall plan Implement for some employees, which could cause
to work plans with the team strong emotional responses for them.
• Lead with flexibility as you plan for different
Identify a plan that works Share with the whole team Return to the workplace and
for the employee, the team the overall plan moving begin your new way of ways of working.
and you as line manager. forward. working. • Remember that what you develop needs to
benefit both you and your team members, not
Agree on: Key actions: Key considerations:
• a date to return to the • review and update team • balance and flexibility one or the other.
workplace protocols and processes • psychological safety • Understand there will be a period of
• terms or arrangements of • outline your expectations • team cohesion and adjustment and that everyone will adjust
returning to the • check with each team connection
workplace member they understand • time to adjust differently
• work goals and the plan moving forward • growing pains are normal • Agree on a trial period and then review and
expectations • agree on a timeframe for • perfection isn’t realistic
• support requirements. the team to trial the plan straight away discuss what is and isn’t working. Tweak and
and then reassess. • make note of what is try again.
working well and what can
be improved Further resources
• Feeling safe at work fact sheet
• Benestar resources on QHEPS