This blog post is by guest blog author Silviu Costea
With a ramped up vaccine rollout, Europe appears to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The pandemic’s end is in sight, and some sigh with relief. But not everyone. Most companies are eager to bring employees back into offices as infection rates drop. But not all employees share their companies’ enthusiasm. In fact, some employees are more than reluctant to return to the office buildings. Some 30% of workers would go as far as changing jobs if forced to return an office permanently. These employees appreciate the flexibility, lack of commute, and other benefits associated with working from home.
Employees and employers will have to work together to find a win-win solution. Here are some ideas to support you if you are an employee and you can see a challenge coming.
My manager says I need to return to the office, but I don’t want that. What do I do?
What you need to know right off the bat is that communication it key. But before you can communicate your needs, you first need to know what those needs are.
1. Think about what the ideal scenario looks like to you. And then think about what an acceptable scenario would be. It is important for you to have a clear understanding of your own wishes and needs. You can write down lists with pros and cons of working from home and working from the office. Then you can weigh those lists against each other and figure out what you are willing to sacrifice, and what your non-negotiables are. Starting from there you can imagine your ideal situation: how would you like your work-day to look like, where and how would you be working and why is that important to you? Then you could imagine an acceptable scenario: what would you still be okay with, if your employer asked you to give up some elements from the ideal scenario?
2. Now, having a clear vision of what is important to you, you can more easily have a conversation about this with your manager. Talk to your supervisors about what your concerns and wishes are. Do not be afraid to bring this up even if your manager has not invited you for a conversation around this topic. Sometimes we tend to assume that others think and feel the same way that we do. And when caught in a whirlwind of emails and policies, managers might overlook consulting their employees about the changes that occur. So be brave and ask your manager to have a conversation with you about returning to the office.
3. Focus on working together with your team and manager, not against them. You are all in this together, and most people are trying to achieve the best outcome for everyone involved. However, when a lot of interests must be met (your interest, your colleagues’, your manager’s, your company’s), things can become complicated. However, adopting an open and inquisitive attitude can help you go a long way. Ask questions to those around you and try to understand their goals, wishes, and needs. For example, some employers do not necessarily want their employees to be in the office. What some employers really want is the certainty that their employees are engaged and focused. Therefore, in this case you could shift the discussion from “working from home vs in the office” to “how can I show you that I am engaged and focused while working from home?” Ask questions, listen to the answers, and guide the conversation towards that win-win solution.
Want to read more about the future of work? Check out this article: “Where will your staff be working a year from now?“
Silviu Costea
Silviu is a social psychologist in formation, completing his master’s degree from Utrecht University in The Netherlands. Using the insights he gained and the skills he developed through his social and organizational psychology education, he is dedicated to helping individuals, teams, and companies succeed.
