Over the last several months, we've all been dealing with unprecedented adjustments to our businesses and our lives as a result of the coronavirus. Now, as states pull back from stringent stay-at-home orders, the next new challenge is around the corner.
The issue for advisory firm owner is if they should bring everyone back to the office, and if so, how they should do it.
To decide, owners need to be sensitive to new social norms. They also need to be flexible with employees who may have new preferences.
There are three choices to consider when it comes to the next steps of what to do with your business in this pandemic:
- Reopen and try to make your business as it was before,
- Work remotely as you are now and continue to stay remote, or
- Apply a hybrid approach to reopening and working remotely.
A New Culture
To make the best choice for your firm, it's important to be intentional about the individual issues of each employee.
While you may want to get everyone back to the office, there may be some employees who lack child care help and/or who still have major safety concerns. Each will have his or her own preferences, and these feelings must be considered.
The right approach is the one that makes sense for all your staff, not just yourself.
To be effective at reopening your office, we are encouraging firms to slow down and really consider a new type of firm culture. Now is a great opportunity to expand your working environment into a culture that allows staff to have more choices than ever before.
