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Last year saw businesses use virtual communication more than ever before. Largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the vast majority of office workforce members began remote workflow as a routine protocol. However, with both large and small business owners welcoming those remote team members back to regular office hours, companies now face a new digital landscape. Remote working found its fair share of enthusiastic employees, with many preferring to work from home. With that in mind, employee retention strategies have become more important than ever.
Business owners now have the new job of increasing employee morale. For both consistent retention and lower turnover, strategies to ensure recognition for productivity have become a top priority. If you’re currently welcoming your team back to an office building atmosphere, the good news is that numerous options exist to help you boost employee retention. Here we will look at just a few simple employee retention strategies for keeping your valuable team intact and onsite.
The New Office Landscape
Nearly all major business owners headquartered within an office building are facing a new challenge. They now have to address a workforce that has developed a preference for working remotely from home. While technology has allowed virtual office platforms to be integrated into routine workflow for the past few years, only now are the conveniences wholly apparent to most staff members. Remote employees no longer have to factor drivetime and elongated sick leave into their daily schedule. As a surprise benefit, this has actually boosted overall productivity. So where is the happy medium for guaranteeing employee retention, while keeping workflow and morale high?
Many companies now offer frequent remote workday options among their ongoing best practices and routines. Throughout the pandemic, companies that had never utilized virtual office platforms tested the waters out of necessity. However, with advanced options in cloud-based file sharing and encrypted virtual data rooms becoming industry standards, offsite collaboration and teamwork are more efficient than ever. Offering employees a split workweek between in-house workflow and remote hours can go a long way in building trust and morale among your team.
In-House Conveniences and Upgrade Options
Although there are numerous reasons that office employees have enthusiastically adapted to a work-from-home model, the single greatest benefit is its overall convenience. However, there are also many employees who enjoy the privacy and indoor comfort that comes from working at home. As a way of welcoming those team members back to the office and securing employee retention, certain aspects of remote working can be integrated into the workplace. Making a commercial building atmosphere comfortable can always make staff members enthusiastic about returning to work.
As simple as it may seem, the addition of water coolers and a proper breakroom can go a long way in making employees comfortable and productive during a routine workday. Some companies have even started offering employee events or group activities, such as yoga or fitness challenges, to combat the lengthy stay-at-home work period. However, certain office conveniences can be mutually beneficial to the business itself. For example, if you improve commercial HVAC efficiency and the proper functions of your office’s air conditioner unit, you can provide comfort to your staff and energy savings to your location.
In recent years, HVAC maintenance ventilation has been cited as a primary source of healthy air quality. Routine maintenance of your commercial HVAC, including professional cleaning of the ducts and filters, can greatly increase the unit’s airflow and guarantee fresh, cool air for employees. Likewise, changing out the dirty air filters every few months will purify the office’s indoor air quality and boost energy efficiency. This can save your company a lot of money on utilities. Increasing your staff’s comfort while also demonstrating the company’s commitment to lower energy consumption is a great way to welcome the workforce back to a new and improved office environment.
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