Conference room scheduling Changes in how your company works could put increased pressure on conference rooms and small rooms created for video calls. For example, if hot desks are more popular than they once were, that could cause an increase in background noise, meaning more people are likely to use these rooms than they were when they had cubicles or offices. You could build small meeting rooms, or purchase them ready made. If you’re also facilitating hybrid work, then use the same software to book rooms as to book hot desks, to keep things simple. Communicating with (already) in-office employees Some employees returned to the office over a year ago. Employees who work with hardware or must serve clients face-to-face have already been in the office. It’s important to communicate with them about their colleagues joining the return to work. You might send a company-wide email or intranet updates about policies and plans, but it’s wise to recognize those who have been back for a while separately as well. Send an email to the people who have been at work thanking them for being in the office during periods of uncertainty, letting them know what will change, and encouraging them to let you know right away if they have questions or concerns. Make it clear that you appreciate them for being here all this time and that you want their feedback. Common room capacity For most offices, common room capacity won’t be an issue. With high vaccination rates, you won’t need to limit launch room or breakroom capacity. But, if you have a regional office in an area with concerningly high cases of COVID-19, you might want to implement room capacity policies. “Our technology game at our new headquarters opening later this summer will be state of the art, including sound masking and app-based door entry to phone and conference rooms. We’ll also be installing a Bevi machine for sparkling and flat flavor- infused water. Each machine will have QR Code smartphone ordering, enabling a limited touch experience.” Jamie Ridley, Senior Office & Event Manager at Prodege Communicating with returning employees In your communication, whether that’s an email, internal wiki post, or both, list out every update. Include your company policy for hybrid work (if allowed), sanitation procedures, lunchroom policies, and any new software you’ve implemented to manage hot desks or supply ordering. Even if you’ve already sent out a survey to discover the needs of returning employees, it’s still smart to reiterate that you’re open to feedback, and tell them where to leave their suggestions. You could create a Typeform or Google Form to collect additional comments throughout the process of returning to work. Whatever channel you use to communicate, make sure to format everything clearly and simply. Use bold headlines and bullet points. Make sure to collaborate with a team member and get their outside eye. Aim to address confusion before the message is sent. 11 gett.com