{"id":623,"date":"2024-06-12T22:32:27","date_gmt":"2024-06-12T22:32:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/?p=623"},"modified":"2026-03-13T22:42:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T22:42:30","slug":"seven-considerations-for-staff-returning-to-the-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/seven-considerations-for-staff-returning-to-the-office\/","title":{"rendered":"SEVEN CONSIDERATIONS FOR (STAFF) RETURNING TO THE OFFICE"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"570\" src=\"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic-1024x570.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-624\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic-1024x570.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic-768x427.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic-1536x855.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic.jpg 1696w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As restrictions start to be cautiously lifted and we are seeing businesses opening up after many months of enforced closures, it\u2019s important to think about what impact the past year has had on those employees who have been forced to work from home or furloughed. There are so many considerations for businesses, balancing the health &amp; safety imperative while ensuring business viability, employee wellbeing and customer\/stakeholder satisfaction. &nbsp;Priorities don\u2019t always align and the needs of individual employees may sometimes get lost in the mix. Here are seven considerations for employers navigating today\u2019s complex workplace conundrums. &nbsp;Note: these exclude compliance with health &amp; safety requirements. &nbsp;For more information on HSE requirements please refer to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hse.gov.uk\/coronavirus\/working-safely\/index.htm\">https:\/\/www.hse.gov.uk\/coronavirus\/working-safely\/index.htm<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Vaccination stance<\/strong>\u2013There has been much debate around the right of employers to mandate that employees have a Covid vaccination. \u00a0The reality is that there is currently no legal basis for this. \u00a0As yet the Government\u2019s stance is that whether or not to have the vaccination is a personal choice (although recommended) and it is likely that employers should adopt the same approach. \u00a0That is to encourage and recommend that their employees are vaccinated. \u00a0Being accommodating and flexible around vaccination appointment times during working hours is a simple and effective way to demonstrate commitment to the vaccine programme.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Anti-vaxxers<\/strong>\u2013 Everyone is entitled to their opinion. \u00a0Where this becomes an issue is when having an opinion crosses a boundary and becomes disruptive and\/or impacts negatively on your company stance. \u00a0Consider managing disruptive anti-vaxxers in the same way you would manage other employees who are negatively disruptive; through your disciplinary procedure. \u00a0Check your procedure to ensure it is up-to-date and fit for purpose.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Work location and flexibility<\/strong>\u2013 As is evidenced in the media, different organisations are taking a varying approach to their return to the workplace where employees have been required to work from home. \u00a0These approaches range from permanent home-working, to a return to being 100% office-based, with a range of hybrid options in between. \u00a0Ultimately, this decision rests with the employer, however it is worth considering whether increased flexibility could benefit the organisation, through reducing the cost of office space and fuel costs as well as promoting your business as a flexible, inclusive employer. \u00a0Bear in mind that this is likely to be a change to contractual terms &amp; conditions and may affect your business insurance.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bereaved employees<\/strong>\u2013Given the events of the past 12 months, sadly it is likely that someone in your organisation will have been bereaved in that time. \u00a0Returning to work following bereavement is difficult under \u2018normal\u2019 circumstances. \u00a0With the added impact of a prolonged period away from work, restrictions on funeral numbers and on visiting loved-ones in hospital, many individuals are finding things even more tough. \u00a0It\u2019s really important that line managers are encouraged to talk to their team members, to get to know what\u2019s going on and provide support where needed. \u00a0If your organisation has an Employee Assistance Programme this would be a good time to remind your employees about this or other support services available.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Long Covid and post-Covid sufferers<\/strong>\u2013 Your Company\u2019s sickness absence processes, including return to work meetings, should have continued remotely so you should have a reasonable handle on who has been directly affected by Covid. \u00a0If you are looking to bring employees back to the workplace, consideration should be given to what adjustments might be needed for anyone who continues to suffer longer term symptoms, which can include both physical and mental health impacts. \u00a0Further return to work meetings and risk assessments may be required to ensure a safe and appropriate return to the workplace.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Anxiety and mental wellbeing<\/strong>\u2013 The impact of the last 12 months on mental wellbeing has without doubt gone beyond those directly affected by Covid, with many charities such as Mind and others reporting surges in calls to their helplines. \u00a0Employers can\u2019t and shouldn\u2019t take the place of mental health professionals but can take steps to make their workplace a safe and positive environment. \u00a0Training Mental Health First Aiders and mental health training for line managers could be a great investment. \u00a0Check out:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mhfaengland.org\/\">https:\/\/mhfaengland.org\/<\/a>\u00a0for more details. \u00a0It\u2019s also worth reviewing your sickness absence policy to consider whether it reflects the needs of those with mental as well as physical health problems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Motivation and engagement<\/strong>\u2013 Your employees are individuals and recent events will impact them in different ways. \u00a0Many of your employees may be excited about coming back to the office and keen to get back to some face-to-face interaction. \u00a0There may be others who are less keen to return. \u00a0This might be as a result of concerns about their safety, a desire to continue working from home or some other reason. \u00a0For many, the past 12 months have provided opportunity for reflection and stock-taking and we may see a bit of movement from employees looking to make changes as things start to open out more. \u00a0Consider your approach to engaging with your employees. \u00a0Is it still fit for purpose? \u00a0Have you provided opportunities for employees to talk about their experiences and share any concerns? \u00a0Have the adjustments you\u2019ve made in response to the Covid pandemic proved successful in motivating and engaging your employees in the longer term? \u00a0If something good has come out of this experience, it\u2019s a shame not to harness that benefit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s so much to think about for employers bringing employees back to offices, either from remote working or furlough. &nbsp;This is just a brief summary of some key considerations which I hope is thought provoking. &nbsp;<strong>Sarah Marrow FCIPD, Director, Mahler Marrow Consulting Limited&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>Tel: 07950 863981<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(c)Mahler Marrow Consulting Limited April 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As restrictions start to be cautiously lifted and we are seeing businesses opening up after many months of enforced closures, it\u2019s important to think about what impact the past year has had on those employees who have been forced to work from home or furloughed. There are so many considerations for businesses, balancing the health [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":624,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic.jpg",1696,944,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic.jpg",1696,944,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic.jpg",1696,944,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic-300x167.jpg",300,167,true],"large":["https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic-1024x570.jpg",800,445,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic-1536x855.jpg",1536,855,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic.jpg",1696,944,false],"owl_elementor_thumbnail":["https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic.jpg",600,334,false],"owl_elementor_team":["https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic.jpg",350,195,false],"owl_elementor_testimonial":["https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dont-panic.jpg",100,56,false]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"mmadmin","author_link":"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/author\/mmadmin\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/category\/uncategorized\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Uncategorized<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"As restrictions start to be cautiously lifted and we are seeing businesses opening up after many months of enforced closures, it\u2019s important to think about what impact the past year has had on those employees who have been forced to work from home or furloughed. There are so many considerations for businesses, balancing the health&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=623"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":625,"href":"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623\/revisions\/625"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mahler-marrow-z48z.temp-dns.com\/MM1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}