Every Vistage group is having the same discussion: how/ who/ when to go back to the office? Those who never stopped going in – the essential in-person company leaders roll – their eyes. They have been masked up and in the office/field the whole time, but what about the rest of us????
If I were to categorize the thinking among business leaders, I would say there are
- The boomerangs
- The CDC followers
- The end of summers
- The never returners
The boomerangs are requiring all staff be back in the office by June 15th (in California when we open up completely). Some are requiring everyone be vaccinated, some are continuing with masking. Already, some team members have announced that they are resigning.
The CDC followers are letter of the law on whatever the CDC says, so they are asking people to come back. The number of days/week is under discussion. Team members seem to be mulling their options and not rushing back to the office.
The end of summers are saying they will be back in the office 100% by September when all schools are open. It seems to be negotiable before that.
And the never returners are planning on off-premise and remote work from now on. Hard to gauge if they will slowly slip away or stay delighted with their jobs. In person meetings likely are better for bonding to other team members and the company.
Obviously, no one size fits all companies, nor all team members. This creates the possibility for your team to maximize its effectiveness across job functions and stages of life.The optimal working situation for a new hire is not the same as for a seasoned professional. We also know that in person meetings afford better communication and bonding than remote interactions.
Ask yourself: Am I going down the path that is most comfortable for me and how I work, or the best way to serve my customers going forward? Assess the culture/people you have now and who you want on your team 3 years from now. We were forced to make a lot of changes due to the pandemic. Let’s keep the spirit of flexibility and the willingness to fail forward that sustained us through the last year as we regroup.
And, have a lovely Memorial Weekend.