The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced many people to reevaluate their personal priorities and professional lives. Some are hesitant to re-enter the workforce in person. Others—like deskless workers and essential office workers—have continued to work onsite and have had to adapt.
But with vaccination campaigns well underway and case counts decreasing in certain U.S. states and different parts of the world, more people are returning to work after more than a year away.
According to a recent survey by staffing firm LaSalle Network, 70% of business leaders plan to have employees back in the office in at least some capacity by the fall of this year. In comparison, 77% say they’ll be using a hybrid work model over the next 12 months.
WorkForce Software’s home is in the Greater Detroit Metropolitan area. As offices open back up and workplaces experiment with hybrid working models, ClickOnDetroit recently spoke with a few organizations that are returning (or planning a return) to work.
In it, they share their experiences getting “dressed up” and out of the house for two to three days of in-office work a week, their return to work plans for the fall, and how they’ve adjusted so far.
Despite the difficulties of the past year and a half, WorkForce Software CEO Mike Morini explains how recent events have prompted business leaders to reflect on the role workers play in their organizations and how they can better the lives of all employees and their experiences at work.
“If we can get anything positive out of COVID, it’s bringing the humanity back right and listening to our employees,” says Morini. “Doesn’t mean we don’t hold them accountable to deliver. We need to do that. To do that, though, you’ve got to give them the latest tools.”