The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted how businesses operate, with remote work becoming the norm for many companies. However, as vaccination efforts ramp up and restrictions are lifted in some areas, many organizations grapple with whether to return to the office.
To gain insights into how CEOs are approaching this issue, we spoke with three Vistage members who shared their perspectives on returning to the office and the challenges and opportunities it presents.
Lisa McLeod, CEO of a consulting firm, emphasized the importance of prioritizing the safety and well-being of employees as they return to the office.
"We are taking a very cautious approach," she said. "We are only allowing people back in the office who have been fully vaccinated, and we are still practicing social distancing and wearing masks. We've also set up additional ventilation and air filtration systems."
McLeod also highlighted the importance of creating a workplace safety culture.
"We've developed a set of protocols that we're asking people to follow, and we're encouraging them to hold each other accountable," she said. "We're making sure that everyone feels comfortable and safe coming back into the office."
Brian Moran, CEO of a small business consultancy, emphasized the need to balance flexibility with the benefits of in-person collaboration.
"We've found that remote work can be really effective for certain tasks, like writing and research," he said. "But when it comes to things like brainstorming or working on complex projects, it's much more effective to have people in the same room."
To strike this balance, Moran plans to implement a hybrid model that combines in-person and remote work.
"We're going to let people work from home two or three days a week, but we're also going to have designated office days where everyone comes in," he said. "We want to create opportunities for people to collaborate in person while also giving them the flexibility to work from home when they need to."
Mike Meier, CEO of a law firm, emphasized the importance of company culture and creating a sense of community among employees.
"For us, the office is more than just a place to work," he said. "It's where we build relationships and connect with each other. We want to make sure that we're fostering that sense of community as we return to the office."
To do this, Meier plans to focus on team-building and social events that allow employees to connect.
"We're planning things like happy hours and team-building exercises to help people reconnect after being apart for so long," he said. "We also want to create opportunities for people to collaborate and share ideas in person."
Meier also emphasized the need to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances.
"We don't know what the future holds, so we're trying to stay nimble and adapt as things change," he said. "We're prepared to pivot if we need to and make adjustments as we go."
Returning to the office is a complex issue that requires careful consideration and planning. As these three CEOs have highlighted, there are various factors to consider, including safety, flexibility, collaboration, and company culture. By prioritizing these factors and taking a thoughtful approach, organizations can create a safe, productive workplace that supports their employees.
To gain insights into how CEOs are approaching this issue, we spoke with three Vistage members who shared their perspectives on returning to the office and the challenges and opportunities it presents.
Lisa McLeod, CEO of a consulting firm, emphasized the importance of prioritizing the safety and well-being of employees as they return to the office.
"We are taking a very cautious approach," she said. "We are only allowing people back in the office who have been fully vaccinated, and we are still practicing social distancing and wearing masks. We've also set up additional ventilation and air filtration systems."
McLeod also highlighted the importance of creating a workplace safety culture.
"We've developed a set of protocols that we're asking people to follow, and we're encouraging them to hold each other accountable," she said. "We're making sure that everyone feels comfortable and safe coming back into the office."
Brian Moran, CEO of a small business consultancy, emphasized the need to balance flexibility with the benefits of in-person collaboration.
"We've found that remote work can be really effective for certain tasks, like writing and research," he said. "But when it comes to things like brainstorming or working on complex projects, it's much more effective to have people in the same room."
To strike this balance, Moran plans to implement a hybrid model that combines in-person and remote work.
"We're going to let people work from home two or three days a week, but we're also going to have designated office days where everyone comes in," he said. "We want to create opportunities for people to collaborate in person while also giving them the flexibility to work from home when they need to."
Mike Meier, CEO of a law firm, emphasized the importance of company culture and creating a sense of community among employees.
"For us, the office is more than just a place to work," he said. "It's where we build relationships and connect with each other. We want to make sure that we're fostering that sense of community as we return to the office."
To do this, Meier plans to focus on team-building and social events that allow employees to connect.
"We're planning things like happy hours and team-building exercises to help people reconnect after being apart for so long," he said. "We also want to create opportunities for people to collaborate and share ideas in person."
Meier also emphasized the need to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances.
"We don't know what the future holds, so we're trying to stay nimble and adapt as things change," he said. "We're prepared to pivot if we need to and make adjustments as we go."
Returning to the office is a complex issue that requires careful consideration and planning. As these three CEOs have highlighted, there are various factors to consider, including safety, flexibility, collaboration, and company culture. By prioritizing these factors and taking a thoughtful approach, organizations can create a safe, productive workplace that supports their employees.