5 ways to welcome back your staff after furlough

There’s no doubt that it’s been a tough eighteen months for all due to the Coronavirus. From having to adapt to staying in and working from home for a large number of people, the thought of stepping back into the workplace after furlough ends can be a daunting task.

With this in mind, it’s important for employers to understand how they can make this transition easier for their staff. Here are the 5 ways to welcome staff back after furlough: 

Clarify how the workplace has changed: 

Due to the safety measures that have been put into place since the start of the pandemic, new and potentially unfamiliar procedures will have been introduced into the workplace. These new procedures might be overwhelming and feel alien to some.

Keep your returning employees informed and up to date with these changes, by going through all the changes and making them as comfortable as possible. 

Listen to what your staff want: 

While some of your staff members may have enjoyed or quickly adapted to furlough, others might have struggled and will be feeling anxious towards the return of face-to-face work. Take this opportunity to listen to what your staff need from you and consider implementing these requests where possible.

Try and understand why these concerns are being raised and maintain an open conversation to make the transition easier for your employees. 

Put yourself in their shoes: 

It’s important to be empathetic towards your employees who might find the return to work more difficult than others. Although we’ve all been affected by the pandemic, not everyone will have had the same experiences.

Put yourself in your employees shoes and take time to consider why they may struggle with the new routine or changes that have been put in place. 

Be flexible: 

As a large number of businesses had to adapt to the changes caused by the Coronavirus by working from home, flexible working is now common in some businesses. You can encourage flexibility by offering the option to work from home instead of working from the office, to make the transition easier for your employees. 

Have an office re-warming party:  

While your employees have been working from home, there is a good chance that previous staff members have left the business or that new starters have joined. Take this opportunity to throw an office re-warming party and let your employees become comfortable with each other again.

Make this as fun and interactive as your staff would be comfortable with and implement safety procedures where possible, to ensure that all employees would feel safe to attend. 

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