Remember the first day of kindergarten? If you were like many kids, it was likely fraught with emotion, uncertainty, and excitement all at once. According to a recent survey of professionals by organizational consulting firm Korn Ferry, 50% admit they are fearful of going back due to health concerns, even though 75% believe their employer will create a safe and healthy work environment.
“The fear out there is real,” says Brad Deutser, CEO of Deutser Clarity Institute, a leadership and organizational learning services provider. “Psychological safety is lacking. Prior to COVID-19, employees had a lot more control. Today it’s shifted, and coming back can increase their fear not just due to health and wellness with interactions, but about the financial stability and future of the company.”
Easing employees back slowly can help, and employers can even take a few tips from kindergarten teachers to prepare their team for a successful transition.
START COMMUNICATION NOW
In kindergarten, some teachers contact families before the first day of school to calm nerves and help the student know what to expect. Employers should do this too.
“Reach out long before they come back to work, and tell them what you’re doing to make the environment safe,” says Deutser, adding that you should be more open than before. “Messages should come from the CEO and the direct manager. Establishing a cascading communication platform can help build a bridge from where they are, which is fearful, to where they need to be, which is productive and engaged.”
Prepare employees for the new normal with pictures and descriptions of the updated environment, letting them know how the workplace will look and feel. Employees want information, says Deutser. If employers don’t give it to them, they’ll find it somewhere else, and that information could be inaccurate.
“If they have to wonder, it creates a barrier, and they’ll wonder if they still fit,” he says.
But don’t ask for opinions, advises Deutser. “Some companies are doing that prior to having employees return, and it can create a mess,” he says. “Employees need to trust your expertise and knowledge. They want you to have done the thinking and work.”
START ON A WEDNESDAY
For many of us, working from home made the days start to blur, with no distinction between weekdays and weekends. While it can seem natural to start back on a Monday, Deutser is in favor of “kinder-starts,” starting the workday for employees on a Wednesday.