Given the increase in vaccinations, companies may continue to return to more of a sense of normalcy, however returning to work may trigger a number of feelings. For some, after working home for so long, there is unease with not knowing what to expect and what precautions will be taken by your company. Some employees already returned to the office full time while others are assuming a hybrid role or possibly full time remote. Either way it probably took some time to adjust to working from home and now there is an adjustment period to this new normal.

What You Might Being When Returning To Work

There are a number of adjustments you may see when reentering your place of work. It may be feeling strange for a number of reasons. Change typically sparks a range of emotions. You probably had to change the way you worked to adapt to the new circumstances during the pandemic. Some companies are staggering workdays to have less people in the office. You may notice some changes in the office configuration in order to allow for social distancing. Workspaces may be separated further, they may have adjusted gathering spaces like conference rooms, lounges and cafeteria areas. They may promote more frequent hand washing and provide disinfectants on site. Given the new CDC guidelines, the companies will determine how to handle that with regard to mask wearing. For instance, mass retailers are establishing guidelines regarding mask wearing in their stores.

Some companies may continue with COVID testing and contact tracing. Individuals that have returned to work earlier in the year may have already adapted. Some are still feeling anxious or stressed about the new circumstances.

Hybrid Roles

There is a flexibility that comes with a hybrid role. It may help employees ease into returning to work. For some roles it’s possible, for others it is more difficult. It may also depend on what the company has seen in terms of productivity during the pandemic that may influence their decisions. Feedback from employees was probably given as well that generally gets factored into the strategy. Companies are considering temporary and more permanent hybrid roles depending on job responsibilities and a variety of other factors.

Other Concerns

There are concerns about taking public transportation, not knowing what precautions colleagues have taken and a number of other things that affect your feelings about work. Some are still struggling with childcare challenges. There are certain things within our control in terms of what measures we take. We make decisions every day on how to keep our family and those close to us safe.

The pandemic has affected the way we view work and the workplace. It has changed how we see things and what we expect from our employer. It has been a troubling and difficult time for so many. Adapting to changes is a part of life. Knowing that does not necessarily make it any easier. Things will look different, and we will continue to focus on adapting. We are seeing progress during these unusual times.