Bringing remote teams back to the office: A manager’s guide to a successful transition

As many companies are shifting to in-office or hybrid work models, team leaders and managers are facing the challenge of reintegrating remote employees back into the office environment. 

In this article, you’ll find actionable strategies for creating a smooth and productive return-to-office experience for your team. We’ll cover the different aspects of returning to on-site work, such as proactive communication, productivity, employee wellbeing, and helpful digital tools to support the transition.

1. Start with proactive and meaningful communication

Like any significant change, returning to an in-office work mode can create different feelings and reactions in employees, like confusion, excitement, anxiety, relief, and resistance, to name a few. For such transitions to happen smoothly, clear communication and responsiveness to employee concerns are highly recommended. 

Team leaders should proactively communicate the reasons behind the return-to-office strategy, whether it’s to boost collaboration, strengthen company culture, or improve team performance. A meaningful narrative will boost employee morale and help them overcome the temporary frustrations and discomforts of adapting to new routines and environments.

Here are a few hands-on tips to navigate this communication:

• Explain the vision to employees in meetings and one-on-one discussions. Address their concerns openly, such as commuting challenges or work-life balance, and emphasize the benefits of the office environment, like access to on-site resources and stronger teamwork.
  
• Regular, consistent, and timely updates during the transition period are also important. Be proactive and use internal communication channels like Slack or Microsoft Teams to keep everyone informed about upcoming changes ahead of time.
  
• Create anonymous feedback opportunities via online surveys or dedicated emails—this will allow you to collect and address employees’ challenges and concerns before they escalate.
  
• To see if your efforts are working, measure employee productivity throughout the transition and beyond. That’s where using time-tracking and productivity tracking software like DeskTime comes in handy. DeskTime offers detailed insights into how employees spend their time, both individually and as a team. 

2. Manage distractions to protect and boost employee productivity

Shifting from remote to office work will affect everyone differently. Some employees and teams may benefit from being in the office as it can offer the stimulation, motivation, and productivity they lacked in remote work. Others may suffer a performance dip as they benefited from the solitude and flexibility of remote work. 

Each person and team will react differently to on-site work, so make sure to inquire about individual needs and tailor the work environment in ways that support the strengths of each individual and team.

Here are some strategies to help you build a productive work environment that respects individual needs and brings out the best in your employees:

• When establishing what type of office environment will make your employees feel supported and productive, don’t assume or go with what’s on trend—ask them! Have discussions and do surveys with multiple options to choose from and leave space for suggestions.
  
• If you work in an open-space office, implement practical tools to manage ambient noise and visual stimulation. For example, install sound absorbing panels throughout the office and offer everyone noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs. To help minimize visual distractions, add tall desk separators.
  
• Normalize setting boundaries with chatty colleagues to help sustain focus and respect one’s mental and emotional capacities. One way to encourage healthy boundary setting is to create a one-pager with respectful and kind phrases for employees to communicate their limits. Another way to respectfully ward off well-meaning desk neighbors is to use fun desk signs to indicate availability and busyness.

3. Upgrade your office space for seamless collaboration

One of the core drivers and values of returning to on-site work models is collaboration. Make sure your office is well-equiped to support team work, group discussions, and meetings of different forms and sizes. 

Take inspiration from these ideas to get started:

• For seamless hybrid collaboration, equip meeting rooms with advanced video conferencing tools—both hardware and software. This will allow remote and in-office team members to connect effectively, encouraging inclusivity and equal participation in discussions. Use tools like Zoom Rooms, Cisco Webex, or Microsoft Teams for safe video calls, and enhance hybrid meetings with big screens and quality microphones.
  
• Depending on your employee feedback and the nature of your organization’s work, consider adapting your office environment to support different modes of working. For active team discussions, add tall round tables for stand-up meetings. For individual focus work and calls, install noise-absorbing phone booths. To encourage idea sharing and creativity, install a quality whiteboard wall with magnets, post-it notes, and color markers. Spruce up the office with these 20 productivity gadgets for work and life.
  
• To boost the team spirit, make space for informal and fun interactions in the form of a cozy sofa corner, a big kitchen table, or a dedicated game room. Pay attention to where and at what times the team naturally gathers for relaxation and connection and add supportive objects like extra comfy chairs, a tea and coffee bar, and encourage fun activities with board games, a set of juggling balls, or a balance board.
  
• Introduce office perks to motivate in-person attendance, such as free snacks, comfortable break rooms, a fitness or mindfulness room, subsidized meals, or even pet-friendly policies.
  
• Make sure to inform employees about cybersecurity and workplace safety measures as well. Do refresher trainings on in-office safety practices, such as secure Wi-Fi usage, password policies, document handling, and fire safety.

4. Prioritize employee emotional well-being

The return to the office may cause anxiety, resistance, and even frustration and resentment for some employees, especially those who have thrived in remote settings. To help your team navigate these feelings and minimize their impact on performance, normalize discussions about their concerns through workshops, open forums, or anonymous surveys. 

Here are a few ways to build a supportive environment for your employees’ mental health as they acclimatize to in-office work:

• As a manager, you can make the most positive impact by demonstrating your own healthy work habits such as taking breaks, setting boundaries, and prioritizing your own well-being. Experiment with different productivity and self-care strategies yourself, share your experiences and outcomes in meetings, and encourage your employees to try out new habits and tactics themselves.
  
• Develop clear procedures and lines of communication to minimize any chaos—clarity and consistency will bring your team members a sense of safety, which is the foundation of good mental health.
  
• Provide access to resources, such as employee assistance programs or mental health professionals, to support employees during this period of change.
  
• Make sure to follow up on employee feedback with kindness and personal accountability, even if some of it won’t be realized. Implementing their requests little by little will encourage a culture of emotional safety and trust.
  

Choose your tools mindfully and be flexible

Acclimatizing remote employees to the office environment requires a thoughtful and multi-faceted approach. There are many ways to ensure a smooth transition, from transparent communication to leveraging productivity tools like DeskTime. Choose what works for you and remember—every employee is different, and flexibility will be your greatest tool.