The recent Return-to-Office (RTO) Roundtable brought together industry professionals to explore strategies for managing the shift back to in-office work. The conversation covered effective communication of RTO policies, balancing flexibility and cultural differences, incentivizing attendance, and designing office spaces that cater to hybrid work.

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👉 Communicating and implementing RTO policies

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TLDR: Clear communication, leadership involvement, and flexibility are crucial to implementing successful RTO strategies.

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Key strategies for RTO communication

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• Top-down communication: It is vital to ensure leadership is visible and involved in delivering RTO messages. When executives are part of the communication process, teams are more likely to engage with and comply with new policies.‍

• Providing ample notice: Employees need sufficient time to adjust to RTO requirements. A clear communication plan, including advance notice via town halls or all-hands meetings, allows for a smoother transition.

• Customizing for different needs: Flexibility in RTO policies is essential, particularly for employees with family commitments or challenging commutes. Open dialogue between managers and employees about flexibility can ease the burden of returning to the office.

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👉 Addressing flexibility and cultural sensitivity in RTO

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TLDR: Flexibility and cultural awareness are key to creating equitable RTO policies across diverse teams.

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Flexibility and cultural considerations

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• Balancing schedules: Hybrid work policies should offer flexibility, especially for employees managing family responsibilities or long commutes. Managers need to discuss and adjust schedules based on individual needs to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach.

• Cultural differences: Global organizations face challenges when implementing RTO policies across regions with different work cultures. Recognizing and addressing these differences fosters fairness and avoids creating a sense of double standards among employees in different locations.

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👉 Incentivizing employees to return to the office

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TLDR: Engaging in-office experiences, leadership presence, and creative incentives are critical to boosting office attendance.

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RTO engagement strategies

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• Meaningful office experiences: Purpose-driven events such as town halls, team lunches, or opportunities to connect with leadership are powerful incentives to draw employees back into the office. These experiences should offer more than just free food and foster genuine engagement.

• Leadership visibility: Employees are more likely to follow their leaders' example. Teams are more inclined to attend when executives and managers are consistently present in the office. Leadership visibility is a strong motivator for office participation.

• Creative incentives: Traditional perks, like free food and happy hours, have become less effective over time. Companies need to evolve their incentives to include opportunities for networking, professional development, and clearer communication about the purpose of office events.

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👉 Redesigning office spaces for hybrid work

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TLDR: Office spaces must adapt to support hybrid work models, with a mix of collaborative and private spaces for focused work.

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Strategies for effective office design

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• Flexible workspace design: Open-office layouts no longer serve the diverse needs of hybrid employees, many of whom spend their in-office time on calls or doing focused work. Designing spaces that offer a mix of quiet zones and collaborative areas can better accommodate this new dynamic.

• Framing downsizing positively: Some organizations are downsizing office spaces to save costs, but this can be presented as an opportunity for more meaningful team-based activities or offsite events. This reframing can help employees see the benefits of smaller, more flexible spaces rather than feeling it as a downgrade.

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👉 Building a new office culture

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TLDR: RTO policies should align with the company’s evolving culture, with clear culture champions and leadership involvement driving engagement.

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Rebuilding workplace culture post-pandemic

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• Culture champions: Appointing culture champions across departments can help reinvigorate office culture in the hybrid work era. These champions ensure that both in-office and remote employees are engaged and feel a sense of belonging.

• Reimagining the office experience: Employees need a reason to feel excited about returning to the office. Thoughtful office design, leadership presence, and engaging in-office activities are all part of rebuilding a positive workplace culture in a hybrid environment.

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Want to be part of the next conversation?

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Join the Epoch Employee Experts community, an exclusive, invite-only group for professionals navigating hybrid work and employee experience. Gain access to private discussions, expert insights, and event invitations. Apply here to become part of future conversations!

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