Ask the expert: Who’s playing the office hokey cokey?

Whilst we’ve been meeting up fortnightly online with a whole host of business owners during our Three at Three discussions, we’ve increasingly seen a return to the office. That said with new government guidance of ‘work from home only if you can’ coming into play, who is in, out and shaking it all about? Here are some of our recent discussions which we hope give you some ideas.

Do you even need a bricks and mortar office

Some are seeing this as an expensive and unnecessary commodity. Instead of leasing a large space, some companies are opting for co-working. Also there are options to have a smaller space just to be used for staff for meetings and larger workshops or creative sessions. Business as usual desk work can carry on from anywhere else.

Some sectors or industries are more office focused

Due to the nature of their work and the necessity to be physically present as a team, some sectors have more of a need than others. If you’ve got construction site visits and approval or sign off processes which are time sensitive, it can be difficult to be fully remote. Creative industries are being innovative with virtual collaboration tools but nothing beats sharing ideas in the same place. Add in large media files which need to be moved around regularly and you’ll feel the frustrations of working via a VPN.

Who should be in and who should be out

There are also concerns over wellbeing and staff welfare – specifically those junior staff who are perhaps in shared houses so are working in their bedrooms. The need to get these employees back to some semblance of an office environment is pivotal for the leaders in these practices. Perhaps these staff have priority over others in a tiered priority system. Prioritise those who have to be in the office versus those who would like to be in the office.

Is there a perfect approach?

Are you mixing both remote working and office working or fully staying at home? A number of businesses are somewhere in the middle and offering a rotating staff policy in the office so that each person gets the opportunity to mix up their remote and office working. And this seems to be working. Creating small working bubbles of staff who can meet up together is also helpful. Many people are missing this interaction, the water-cooler moments and sitting down with someone face to face to discuss issues.

Keeping it local

The benefits of not commuting to London all the time are huge. Aside from the family balance and wellbeing aspects, the benefit to our local shops and businesses is positive too. Can we reap the benefits of being local in Sussex after this is all over? We hope so.