Remote Working Accountability Issues; How A Workplace Consultancy Can Get People Back In The Office

With the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic bringing into focus the value of working from home,many firms are delaying the return to work. While the decision to do this for most may be born out of a specific reason (such as a workplace consultancy revealing that the office facility isn't suitable for the new safe working guidance), others may only need a slight adjustment for their office layout to be safe. If a business is able to return to work safely but doesn't actually make the move, they may be missing out on the benefits that working from a central office brings. One of these is employee accountability.

Let's take a look at how returning to work can manage this aspect, as well as how a consultancy can make the return possible in the first place.

What are the accountability issues of working from home?

Working remotely isn't a new concept; even before the pandemic it was growing in acceptance. Even despite the technology we have at our disposal making the process easier than previously thought, many managers still approach the idea of remote work with scepticism: How can I ensure my team is being productive?

• Brings people closer (socially distanced, of course!) While video and voice calls are great to keep the camaraderie up between teams and individuals during home working days, it will never be better than doing it in person. Communications over the web are also prone to breakdown, whether through poor connectivity or technology; being in the same space avoids all that.
• Provides the right tools. Dependent on the type of business, it may already be essential that they get people back in the office to use any specialist tools or equipment they might have. There are other beneficial accountability aspects that being in the office may have over home working; being connected to a particular server or having meeting room access, for example.
• Measures output more effectively. Being in the office provides businesses with the best opportunity to measure its output and therefore, its success. By getting a better handle of what's happening in the physical workplace, managers can see if teams are meeting their deadlines, if members are producing work at a high level and whether they support and rely on each other.

Great reasons to return to the office; but where does a consultancy for a workplace fit into it?

What is a workplace consultancy?

Fundamentally, a workplace consultancy is a process undertaken by office design experts to help businesses understand how their current space is being used, presenting an opportunity to see how it can be optimised to support their preferred ways of working.

In the post-COVID world, this will obviously involve aspects such as social distancing, possible installation of protective screens, the introduction of one-way traffic systems and realigning of meeting rooms.

Specialist workplace design consultants will also spend time learning how the business operates to understand how the space can be improved. They will look at how different departments communicate and relate this to the design (this also includes the mechanical and electrical infrastructure and whatever else is required for progress).

Interested in learning more? Perhaps your business is looking to return to work soon? Then create a strong working environment with us here at Oaktree Interiors.

Choose Oaktree Interiors for innovative office design solutions

If the back-to-work situation creates operational challenges for you, the Oaktree team are here to offer help and support. We can advise on everything you need to welcome your dedicated team back into the office; whether it's re-planning concepts, the installation of acrylic desk-mounted screens or just suggestions on how extra space can be liberated. Having undertaken a vast range of different office design projects over the years, you can feel rest assured that our team have all the expertise and skills to help.

In a post-COVID-19 world, being able to have an inventive, custom office design will no doubt be vital –so please feel free to get in touch with us to learn how our workplace consultancy can help you too.

Give us a call on 0345 21 86955 or send an e-mail to hello@oaktreeoffice.com and we'll contact you as soon as possible.