It’s finally here: 19 July 2021, or what many have been referring to as ‘Freedom Day’. It marks the final stage of Covid unlocking in England. 

Bear in mind that you’ll still need to self-isolate if you test positive for coronavirus or come into close contact with someone who has.

However, this will end from 16 August for under-18s and those who have received a second Covid vaccination at least 10 days before the contact. 

So, what’s changed?

All domestic legal restrictions have now ended, more or less, and all businesses are able to reopen without capacity limits.

Other measures such as social distancing and wearing a mask are now people’s personal responsibility. Inevitably, cases are expected to rise in the coming weeks, so Boris Johnson is still urging people to exercise caution. 

Wearing masks in busy places is recommended, and businesses are being asked to be vigilant when it comes to returning to the workplace. 

The also government recently published workplace guidance relating to different sectors of the economy, much like they did following the first lockdown.

The government expects organisations to implement a phased return.

The hybrid office—what to look out for

Hybrid working allows employees to work from different locations. It combines working from the office with working from home, or from a ‘third space’ such as a satellite office.

You might be planning to utilise the hybrid model in the short-term as you bring people back in a phased way. Or you may be one of the thousands of businesses that have decided to run with hybrid working for the foreseeable future. 

Whatever you decide, you’ll need to factor in the following issues:

• Fairness – Who will you be offering flexible working to? If you can’t provide everyone with the option, what could the impact be?

• Inclusivity – How will you make sure everyone in the organisation is ‘heard’? Be aware of behavioural biases such as the Psychological Distance Effect, “a cognitive separation between the self and the workplace that leads to employees developing a low sense of belonging to their companies or organisations.” (LSE)

• Collaboration – Zoom isn’t always the best facilitator when it comes to creativity and innovation. How are you going to ensure that collaborators are in the office at the same time when they need to be?

• Equality – This is really important. Some people may not want to work from home at all because they live in a flatshare or don’t have access to superfast internet. Or perhaps they simply don’t like it. Will you allow them to return full-time now?

5 tips for transitioning back to the office

Once you’ve identified the potential pitfalls, it’s time to start thinking seriously about your return to the office. Here are First Office Hub’s tried and tested top tips. 

Tip 1: Figure out WHY you need an office in the first place

What’s the purpose of your office?

It’s a simple question but one that will help you plan your return more effectively. 

Perhaps your teams are finding it hard to come up with new ideas and think creatively when working in isolation at home, and Zoom meetings just aren’t cutting it. 

Or maybe you’re worried about your team’s wellbeing. Humans are social creatures, after all.

It might be that you’re concerned that your workplace culture is deteriorating, and you think a return to the office could provide the cure. 

Tip 2: Update your office in preparation for the return

After so much time away, be aware that you might have to update some of your technology to ensure that your workplace is ‘tech-ready’. 

You also need to work out who is going to come back into the office and under what circumstances. Although mask wearing is no longer mandatory, are you going to encourage people to wear masks in communal spaces?

Also, how are you going to incentivise people to come back, especially those who would rather work from home full-time?

Tip 3: Create equal opportunities

In an ideal world, everyone who wants to come back to the office will be able to do so. 

However, there may be some exceptions, such as people who are shielding or those caring for dependents. Do your utmost to ensure that remote workers aren’t excluded from decision making processes and social occasions.

Tip 4: Ensure information is shared consistently

Another top tip is to make sure remoters and in-officers have access to the same information, such as internal job vacancies and training opportunities.

Projects and tasks also need to be communicated clearly to remote workers using all the channels at your disposal, including email, Teams groups and hybrid meetings. 

Tip 5: Figure out how much flexibility you need

Last but not least, ask yourself whether your current office is going to provide you with the level of flexibility you require moving forward. 

If you have an office agreement in a flexible workspace, your landlord (or operator) is more likely to accommodate your changing needs at short notice. 

If you don’t currently have an office because you’ve been operating remotely during Covid-19, you might be able to sign up for an office on a 3-monthly or even monthly rolling basis. This gives you the freedom to upsize gradually during your phased return. 

Fortunately, there are lots of flexible workspaces to choose from at the moment.

Whether you’re looking for a few desks in a coworking space or a managed office for a team of 100+, it’s a renter’s market and you’re likely to find what you’re looking for.

That said, we’re expecting enquiries for flexible workspace to increase significantly following in the weeks following Freedom Day. Get in touch with us today to talk through your requirements or take a look at some of the available office options on our website.

We’ll get some viewings booked in for you asap!