How to Navigate the Post-Pandemic Return to the Office

Cellestine Olilo: “The thought of returning to the office after two years of remote working can be discomfiting for anyone. This article lays out how to get your feet properly under the table and focus on meeting objectives, regardless of where you are working from.”

CO: “Working from the office means you can no longer take breaks to walk around the neighbourhood as you did while working from home. You’ll be happy to find out that there are options to avoid the back pain and fatigue, including creating a standing work desk.”

CO: “The great return to the office has definitely taken away the luxury of a daytime siesta during work days. If you try to suddenly adjust your sleeping pattern and expect it to work, you are bound to fail. Here’s how to adapt gradually as you transition back to the office.”

CO: “Did you enjoy working from home, or is it better to return to the office where there are fewer distractions? Find out how other workers around the world feel about this, and how their reasons to either stay home or return to work compare with yours.”

CO: “What are the chances that the wave of mass resignations in the UK will someday be replicated in Africa? Already multiple statistics and surveys have shown that a majority of staff don’t want to return to working from the office. In South Africa, a new crop of workers is emerging. This class is resisting plans to return to the office, with reasons to back up their sentiment.”

CO: “Surveys have shown that most people don’t want to return to the office. The question across the board is, what is an actual, concrete reason they need to return to the office if they’ve proven they're capable of working from home through the pandemic?”

CO: “Apart from convincing employees to return to the office after they had already been accustomed to working from home, organisations are grappling with finding that fine balance between physical presence and employee safety. What are the legal implications of forcing employers back to the office, particularly those with chronic illness?”

CO: “The flexibility of working from home brought with it fresh challenges for business owners. Because employees were working remotely, many office spaces were left underutilised, with desks unoccupied, forcing them to come up with creative ways of using their office space, or to find ways of attracting new tenants.”

CO: “We all know a boss like this. They can make you resign, especially if the culture at your workplace empowers such behaviour. If you dread returning to the office, not because you enjoyed the comfort of working from home, but because your boss always takes the energy out of you, read on to find out what you can do to circumvent this challenge.”

CO: “For generations, employers have been faulted for only seeing their staff as work machines. Peter Cheese, an HR expert, explores how the pandemic opened our eyes to new ways and forms of working, and how we can harness this shift for the benefit of both staff and organisations.”

CO: “You know how it goes. The West catches a cold, the whole world, starting with Africa, sneezes. East African countries have recorded low uptakes of Covid-19 vaccines, despite the availability of various brands. If you need an extra push to go get jabbed, read this. Because an employer is reading this, and sooner or later, an East African company may decide to do away with all unvaccinated staff.”

CO: “One thing that remains indisputable is that even as more workers return to the office post-Covid-19, we can never completely go back to the old normal. After two years, staff have learnt that their 8am-5pm jobs can also be 6am-1pm jobs, and more importantly, the virus is still with us. This article contains insights into how office planners are reimagining the workplace, where social distancing for workers, unnecessary touching of surfaces and better ventilation will take centre stage.”

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