Back to work, a paradigm shift of returning to the office.

Back to work, a paradigm shift of returning to the office.

We’ve been to the future and tasted what the digital economy may be shaping up to be. We have liked a lot of what we have seen but have also learned that facets of our work lives won’t – and shouldn’t – change. 

Working from home at the start of Covid-19 was welcomed. Still, the novelty and productivity for some people have worn off, and many feel it’s time to get back to work at the office. 

Getting back to work doesn’t have to be a drag, and we believe there will be a blend of the old and the new; it won’t be either/or; it will be a hybrid of working from home and working from the office. 

We, humans, connect in extraordinary ways

One of the most essential facets of getting back to work is our connection with each other. Teamwork at RocketNet is dreamwork, and it’s a value we hold dear. We cannot be the team we want to be from a distance. Look, we don’t need to be together 24/7, but we are creatures who thrive on human interaction and wither away without it. That’s true for even the most introverted among us.

Learn from sports.

To be the best at any sport takes teamwork. Teamwork is the vehicle used to get the best out of an individual. Even tennis or Formula One racing needs teamwork. In Formula One, for example, you have personal trainers, doctors, engineers, a pit crew, a team manager, etc. You even have a team driver who pushes his counterpart to peak performance. The team feeds off of each other’s expertise, passion and energy. Watch Drive to Survive on Netflix to see what we are talking about.

Seven advantages of getting back to work at the office.

1. We need team energy in the office to feed off each other’s brilliance and spark creativity when brainstorming and collaborating. New, diverse and spontaneous ideas come from being together and may not happen when working from home.
2. To uplift each other when one of us is down (and we all have our down days). 
3. Be there for those off-the-cuff communication moments, perhaps in an emergency or when dealing with a demanding customer. 
4. Efficiency levels are improved as team members assist each other with day to day tasks.
5. More learning and mentoring moments happen when working from the office.
6. Ideas flow significantly improves when people are working together. One person may have 2 or 3 ideas, but with 5 people, there may be 10 or 15 views.
7. Better working relationships are forged when working in person than when working online. 

These are some of the most important reasons for getting back to work at the office. The atmosphere of team culture and support pushes all to be their best when working at the office. The culture created can be a competitive advantage and infuses a brand with values that sets businesses apart.

As one of our sales support consultants says: “Getting back to the office has helped me rediscover a routine of leaving the house and having somewhere productive to go. 

And another said the physical and social interaction has helped to stimulate me emotionally and mentally. We are all able to relate and feed off of each other’s energy which is something a lot of us craved during lockdown”. 

Stimulating teamwork.

It isn’t always rainbows and butterflies when people get back to work at the office, and sometimes teamwork needs a push in the right direction.

If teamwork at the office begins to feel a bit stagnant, then break away from routine and monotony. 

Introduce brain-stimulating activities outside of working that offer escapism from daily tasks. When these tactics are employed in an office environment, it makes people feel valued, welcomed and part of a family.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

If budget allows, purchase a game of table tennis for the office. These games spur creativity, morale, team building and focus one’s brain on one goal to win the game. Besides, it’s a lot of fun, and employees may be bursting at the seams with laughter.

If the budget is a bit tight, then purchase a board game like 30 Seconds. You can even change some of the topics on the cards to suit your industry. Fun and educational at the same time.

Set aside a space for reading for those who like a bit of quiet during the day to get their minds right. Make the room comfortable and relaxing, so it is easy to settle down quickly and get stuck into a good book. Reading stimulates creativity, and who knows what ideas may come from out of that space.

Motivate employees with flexibility.

The stigma of having to be in the office from 9 to 5 Monday to Friday has died. Our feeling is that it’s a good thing. It has alleviated pressure on the earth as fewer people commute during the day. It has placed less stress on infrastructure as maintenance needs have subsided. 

Getting back to work at the office doesn’t have to go back to normal. There has been a paradigm shift in being productive, loyal, and valued as an employee. 

Family life has taken on a new meaning as people have spent more time together working and schooling from the comfort of their own homes. Although this has brought its own challenges, it is clear that work-life balance has forever been changed. 

We believe this is a good thing. Offering employees the option to work flexible hours has improved loyalty to a business as one knows they can fetch their own kids from school and be with them more throughout the day than in the past. A happy life at home means a happy life at the office.

People also spend less time in traffic, which reduces stress and anxiety and allows them to ease into their workday with a clear mind. 

Businesses, managers, CEO’s and the like would do well in adopting a new approach for work back at the office. There is an opportunity to explore new ways of doing things beneficial to all involved, including the environment.