Insight

The top five reasons to bring your people back to the office

A lot has been written about the return to work. But that makes it sound like no one has been working these past two years. What businesses need to think about is the return to the office. Work is an activity, whereas an office is a place that can foster productivity, increase happiness and act as a hub to bring people together and drive a company forward.

Here are five of the top reasons to bring your people back to the office.

1. Most people are happier in groups

Working with colleagues in the same space helps people build friendships, camaraderie and trust. That face-to-face interaction means your employees are more likely to feel part of a team and develop a stronger sense of togetherness. This is especially pertinent for the younger generation who tend to place a lot of importance on making friends and socialising as they enter the workforce for the first time.

Staff collaboration in the office at Anomaly

Anomaly, London

2. The office is a valuable asset for recruitment and retention

We’re in the midst of a talent war and the office can be a decisive factor in attracting and retaining the best employees. Employee loyalty can erode during long stretches of remote working. The office needs to offer something that home working cannot – it must foster a sense of community, drive culture and promote fun, while facilitating different types of tasks to enable productivity. Creating and maintaining a workplace that meets the needs of employees is critical.

Bottomline office feature staircase

Bottomline Technologies, Reading

3. Mentoring is much more effective

In the office, managers can more easily spot the visual cues for when an employee needs that little bit of extra support. Furthermore, a huge amount of learning takes place informally in a workplace, whether through experience or simply observing others. Bringing employees back to the office will ensure they continue to develop and grow.

UK Green Building Council staff breakout area

UKGBC, London

4. The office helps build social capital

Social capital is about relationships and interactions. It’s most easily understood by the three Cs – community, collaboration and camaraderie. This encapsulates shared values, creativity and decision-making, socialising, company culture and creating better business outcomes. Simply put, social capital is a fundamental part of any successful company, and the office can act as the foundation on which social capital is built on.

Royal Navy offices build social capital

BAE / Royal Navy, Portsmouth

5. The office fosters creativity and collaboration

In the office, quick, spontaneous off-the-cuff idea sharing is easy and conducive to more creative outcomes, which can snowball into more inspiration, ideas and innovations. Even planned creativity sessions are much more effective in the workplace. The buzz that is generated when working in the same room cannot be replicated remotely. When great creativity can be the difference between winning or missing out on new business, it’s imperative to do all you can to support the creative process.

These are just a handful of the reasons to bring your people back to the office. For a more in-depth read, check out our insight article.

Anomaly offices foster collaboration

Anomaly, London

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