7 Tips to Reacclimate to Office Life

Many employees are expected to “go back to work” over the next few months as companies reopen their offices. After a long stretch of operating remotely, that shift could require some recalibration on the parts of staff and employers to ensure that everyone is able to bring their best selves to work.

If you or your employees are planning to return to the office part-time or full-time, consider how you can lean into your strengths to reacclimate more quickly. If you have an Emergenetics® Profile take a look at some of the strategies below that speak to your preferences as you reframe your mindset. If you don’t have an Emergenetics Profile, explore each tip and test out the recommendations that resonate most with you.

Find Your Why

The question “why?” tends to be the primary driver for the Analytical Attribute. To engage this preference, identify specific reasons that will help you appreciate being back in the office. Maybe it’s the efficiency that comes from an in-person brainstorming session or the fact that you have a dedicated space where you can stay focused on work. Taking time to define your why can help to you reacclimate.

Create Your Routine

To honor a Structural preference, plan ahead so that you know what to expect. Give yourself plenty of time to pinpoint the tweaks you will make to your morning or afternoon routine so that you can more easily adjust. Those changes may involve pre-planning schedules around family pick up and drop off times, familiarizing yourself with the best route to your building or laying out your clothes ahead of time.

Identify Creature Comforts to Bring with You

One of the great things about working from home is having so many of your favorite things nearby. Take stock of the items from your house that you have appreciated most and find ways to bring them with you to ease the transition. Some ideas may include photos or mementos of family members or friends, desk lights that help you set your preferred ambiance or even some favorite snacks to keep at your desk.

Embrace a Hybrid Workspace

Many companies are still allowing for a hybrid approach to work, which can engage the Conceptual Attribute because it loves new and different experiences. Even if your company is asking you to be in person full time, you can find creative ways to switch up your workspace by going out to lunch, taking a new route to and from the office or going on a walking meeting instead of sitting in a conference room.

Reset Communication Channels

Remote work has caused us to rethink communication strategies to help our teams be more effective from different locations. Even when we are in person, there are valuable lessons to take away from the past year. Partner with your team to select the right communication channels for your projects, processes and Expressiveness preferences. Then, set commitments to follow these best practices so you can stay productive and avoid always defaulting to in-person gatherings. Even third-third Expressive team members don’t always want to be in meetings!

Identify Collective and Individual Wins

To get motivated around the return, engage your Assertiveness preferences by aiming for quick wins and longer-term targets that will be easier to work towards once you are in the office. Building a sense of accomplishment early on can help you readjust to new (or old) ways of working. Pick some quick wins for yourself to promote individual drive and partner with your team to determine milestones you can collaborate on together to support camaraderie.

Set Your Loose and Tight Rules

In a work-from-home environment, individuals tend to have a lot more autonomy over their day, which is empowering. To maintain some of that independence, connect with your manager to share the rules of engagement that are important to you as well as a plan to help you make adjustments to accommodate others when needed. For example, you may need to pick up your child from school. In this situation, you can partner with your leader to limit meetings during that time and ask for ample notice when you need to make alternative arrangements.

As you re-enter the office, I encourage you to use your preferred Attributes to help you stay motivated through the transition. You can also explore our recent blog post for more ideas about bringing the best parts of remote work back to your co-located spaces. With these tips, you can boost your own engagement and enhance your workplace for the better.

In addition to using the Attributes as your guide, my final recommendation is to prioritize your well-being. Whether through meditation, a trip to the gym, journaling or any other method that speaks to you, it’s important to reconnect with yourself and support your mental and emotional wellness. When you feel balanced, it will make the transition that much easier!

Want to learn more about how you can use Emergenetics to improve engagement in your organization? Click here or fill out the form below to speak with one of our team members today!

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