Is the tug-of-war over working from home reaching its inevitable conclusion?
With COVID-19 and the work-from-home (WFH) movement puttering out, more and more employees are trading their sweatpants for suits as they are called back to the office.
For the first time since the pandemic started, employers have a leg up over employees who want to remain working from home.
Some leaders have taken this opportunity to issue ultimatums. We’re looking at you, Elon. ????
Luckily there is a more straightforward solution: Make working from the office as easy as working from home (or as close to it as you can get).
Keep reading to learn about the most popular return-to-work perks employers offer to lure employees back to the office.
Return-to-Work Perk #1: Flexible Schedule
Returning to the office doesn’t mean returning to the traditional on-site 40-hour work week. Instead, this could mean designating one or two days as WFH, offering more flextime or a condensed work week.
There is a middle ground between offering a 100% remote environment and requiring employees to spend 40 hours a week on-site. Find the in-between that works best for your business and your staff.
Return-to-Work Perk #2: Work-life Balance Perks
Save your staff time and money with an employee concierge service. This benefit eliminates your employees’ to-do’s, giving them more precious personal time. In addition, some services, like Best Upon Request, offer vendor discounts that will save your staff money on everyday errands.
Return-to-Work Perk #3: Commuter Benefits
Commuting wastes two of life’s most precious resources – time and money. From this perspective, returning to the office can feel punitive.
Proactive companies are avoiding this scenario by offering their employees commuter stipends to subsidize the cost of gas and wear and tear on personal vehicles. From prepaid cards to pay for parking or public transit to cash reimbursements for gas, there have never been more options to choose from.
Return-to-Work Perk #4: Open Vacation/PTO Policy
Time is our most precious commodity because it’s one of the few things we can never get back. Unlimited PTO allows employees to take as many sick, personal or vacation days as they want, as long as they meet deadlines and other key performance indicators. This hot perk is a great way to reimburse staff for the time they’ll lose commuting.
Perhaps employees aren’t rejecting in-person work as much as they are the hardships it causes in terms of work-life balance. When you look at it from this angle, the answer becomes clear; make it easier for your employees to work from the office, and they might be more willing to come back.