Understanding the changes in the workplace
Once you set foot back in the office after almost a year, it might take a minute for you to adjust. The staff might already have placed your chairs six feet apart with a bottle of hand sanitizer on every table. Masks have become an everyday accessory, and you may be expected to dine in separately during lunch hours.
You might feel skittish before using the doors and even the fingerprint sensor that works as an ID in many workplaces. The worst part is that you can’t even hug your office bestie when you meet them after what feels like ages. However, you need to understand that this is how it is going to be like at least for a while.
Ways to Adapt to Changes in the Workplace
Adjusting to the changing workplace can be challenging, especially if you are someone who thrives on face-to-face conversations. The remote work culture might have already prepared you for a part of it, but things are going to be much more different from what you imagined. We are not trying to scare you but are rather helping you with a few tips to follow to adapt to such changes:
Explore new ways of working
For some of us, work-from-home was the best way to be productive. If you are someone who loves to work in silence, the best thing to do is to move to a canteen or secluded space in the office. And if your boss allows, sit in a cafe nearby your office. This particularly applies to introverts, who need minimal human interaction to get the work done better when they are alone.
You can set up a meeting with the colleagues where you can brainstorm together or simply bounce ideas off each other. It could be a socially distant meeting in a large space. This will give you a chance to think out loud, present your ideas and get feedback from the team. You can even have a small get-together with your colleagues after the meeting once you strike off everything on your agenda.
As a manager, be more receptive
If you hold a managerial position in the company, listen and acknowledge the needs of your colleagues. The least you can do is try to ameliorate the situation for them. The workplace can be made more flexible. You can allow more work-from-home days to the employees if they are more productive at home. Try to make them feel comfortable at the office to show you care. This can boost morale and efficiency.
Focus on your well-being
If you like to work in a team and interact with others from time to time, you might feel lonely in the office. This can affect you mentally and even lower down your morale. Talk to your manager and try to communicate with people present in the office to ease the feeling of loneliness and anxiety. If you are sick or are not feeling fine mentally, take the day off. Take time to adjust and do not be hard on yourself.
Connect with your teammates
As many workplaces allow a minimum number of employees, chances are that your office bestie might not be assigned to the day that you are supposed to come in. However, this might give you a chance to bond with your other colleagues. It might take off some stress from the work and make you feel as normal as before. Connecting with your team members can also help increase productivity, but do not forget social distancing measures while you’re at it.
Even if you’re working from home right now, you might have to rejoin the office someday or the other. We suggest you start preparing yourself mentally and take all the necessary precautions once you get back.
Till then, you can read about the ways to deal with work from home blues. For more such content, sign up on the Fuzia website or download our app.
Image credits: Pixabay
Originally published at https://www.fuzia.com.