FACING FACE-TO-FACE FULL TIME AGAIN

With the recent lifting of COVID-19 restrictions it seems likely that South African employers will start to require a return to office-based work – if they haven’t already. For many of us, this means transitioning out of blended work where, even if you’re in the office, your colleagues aren’t (which still means mostly Zoom or MS Teams interactions) into a more formalized hybrid model with full-on face-to-face again.

In chatting to clients who are returning to face-to-face engagement, this can take some adjustment.

Over the past 2 years, we’ve become very used to being behind a screen. When emotions run high or we get annoyed, it’s easy to mute ourselves or the speaker on a call and take a quick time out to reframe – which is impossible in face-to-face interactions. It’s normal that, as a result, our usual coping mechanisms and social skills have dwindled. In the interests of our mental health, self-actualisation and career development (and for the success of our companies), we will need to make a conscious effort to redevelop the interpersonal and social skills that, for the most part, came naturally before the pandemic.

While some may be raring to get back into the office after months of being isolated at home (with limited people interaction), it’s important to acknowledge that others may not feel this way.

Your colleagues may be feeling anxious, nervous or even dreading the prospect of returning to (even part-time) in-person work again. And, even if you’re keen to be back on site, you may have mixed feelings about giving up some of the benefits of working from home – like saving commuting time and costs or spending more time with your children.

So, how do we all survive the ‘Great Return’?

A good start is to view your return to the office as a fresh start – remember how you felt when you started your first job! It’s a good idea to keep the following in mind too:

GO EASY ON YOURSELF (& OTHERS)

Pandemic stress is real and won’t magically disappear when we all return to the office.

Understanding that tempers may be frayed, and emotions run high (more so more than usual) is key to the transition. Try not to take too much personally or harbour a grudge if you find yourself on the receiving end of a short-fused colleague. Don’t allow petty squabbles or annoyances to fester. Allow yourself and others grace and understand that this is a period of adaptation and transition for everyone – including yourself.

MAKE AN EFFORT TO COMMUNICATE

Make an effort to communicate with your colleagues, even if it feels forced initially. It’s going to take a little time to get to know each other again, especially if you didn’t interact much during the WFH phase. Communicating is a muscle that must be exercised to develop. The old ‘if you don’t use it, you lose it’ adage comes to mind, so try to find some touchpoints between yourself and colleagues every day. It also helps to remember that being in-person can spark renewed creativity. ‘Shooting the breeze’ is often where new and fresh ideas arrive and is hard to replicate in online meetings.

SORT OUT YOUR STRESSORS

Ahead of your return on-site, speak to your line manager about your concerns and discuss how you can handle the logistics of your move back. Most managers are very aware of the challenges facing employees and will welcome open and honest conversation and suggestions about ways to improve working.

BE STRATEGIC IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING MOVING ON

If your return to the office does confirm to you that you are no longer in the right place or role, don’t immediately turn in your resignation (or worse, burn bridges on your way out). Rather start by looking at how you can leverage your current skills, your existing network and the experience you have built up with your current employer and see if there is a possibility of a move internally (which is usually easier than making a move outside the company).

Perhaps the most important thing to remember now is the importance of looking after your physical and mental health. If we’ve learned any lessons during the pandemic, it’s the importance of health. Your company has probably put in place support services that didn’t exist before, so if you find yourself battling, it is worth seeking out additional support and assistance. And if you haven’t yet started taking care of your physical health, now is the time to do so.