Tips on returning to the office

Thousands of staff are now returning to the office after almost eighteen months of working from home. This undoubtedly will cause concern for many whose routine will once again change. Employers must consider everything from their staff’s commute, well-being upon return, workload, risk assessments and their comfort. 

Carrying out DSE assessments on homeworkers, we have seen that staff have been setting up their workstations in unconventional settings. This has made for uncomfortable working at dining tables, the sofa, floor and even the bed. Over time this leads to poor posture and aches and pains which are difficult to rectify. 

With this, it’s important to ensure that your employees feel looked after when they return to the office. A DSE assessment for your colleagues allows us to look at their existing workstation, chat to them about any concerns and for us to make any suitable adjustments. We also provide a fully written report and record any equipment recommendations if necessary. 

If you have a team of people, we can carry out company-wide DSE assessments whereby we can assess up to 30 people in one day. If you have more employees, we have an online DSE platform which works for larger staff numbers. 

Comfort is so important when it comes to working. Aches and pains such as a bad back, sore shoulders, aching wrists or stiff neck can quickly lead to time off work. This can of course be costly for businesses. Employees who feel looked after at work have boosted morale and are also more likely to be productive. A simple DSE assessment can therefore not only improve comfort and well-being but save costs and improve productivity. 

A study carried out by LCP found that employees rarely become unhappy and leave solely over money. Feeling valued and having opportunities to grow and develop are significant factors in employee’s well-being at work. For 16–34-year-olds, just over 30% of employees felt unhappy in their career with this only slightly dropping for 35–44-year-olds. 

The study found the same when it came to well-being. When people are happy, they enjoy life more, have stronger relationships and a greater sense of purpose. If staff members are happy with their physical, mental and financial health, they will be more resilient. As a result, happy employees will also have a more positive impact on the companies they work for. Almost 40% of 16–24-year-olds and almost 30% of 25–44-year-olds were unhappy with their mental health at work. Addressing this issue in the workplace and looking after your staff members can transform the way employees behave in the workplace. 

It’s clear to see that looking after your employee’s well-being makes all the difference when it comes to productivity, happiness and output. A DSE assessment can contribute towards that. To help with the transition back into the workplace, we have pulled together some helpful tips that we feel will help. 

Work together 

Returning to the office after working on your own at home for months will take some adjusting to. Working and interacting with your team however, will make this easier. A survey of over 1,000 team members found that when honest feedback, mutual respect and personal openness were encouraged, team members were 80% more likely to report higher emotional well-being. Happy employees are also up to 20% more productive than unhappy employees. 

Stay healthy 

It goes without saying that looking after your physical health has great benefits on your mental health. Getting outside more, taking a walk on your lunch or starting a new sport will not only make you healthier but, improve your mental well-being which will help you adjust and feel more comfortable at work. 

Take breaks 

Taking regular breaks throughout the day, especially when in a new environment helps to improve memory, stops you feeling overwhelmed, reduces stress, improves your health and boosts performance and creativity. 

Be comfortable 

The last thing you want when returning to work is to feel uncomfortable. It is already difficult enough to adjust to a new environment and a different structure to your day. Ensuring your workstation is ergonomically friendly and set up well will help you avoid niggling aches and pains. Ask for a DSE assessment so that you can make sure you are able to work comfortably when you return to the office. 

Plan your day 

Having a well-planned out day helps you stick on track. When everything else feels off kilter, having your work organised will help with your return to the office. It will stop you feeling overwhelmed and will help you stay on track with your tasks. 

Returning to the office will of course be daunting for many. Making this transition as smooth as possible will help wonders with well-being and productivity. If you’d like our help with supporting your employee’s return to work and ensuring they can do so comfortably, feel free to reach out, we would be more than happy to help.