An employer’s guide to returning to the workplace

By KMC Human Resources

05 May 2021

As part of the UK’s roadmap out of lockdown, there have been suggestions that the work from home guidance may be removed on 21 June, with workplaces able to re-open with no legal limits on mixing.

After so many months of working from home and having adapted all of our routines around this, it’s unlikely to be the case that a flick of the switch will return everything to the way it was pre-pandemic. Everyone will feel differently about the current situation and whilst some may be keen to get back to the workplace, others will be apprehensive. This will especially be the case for staff members that have been on furlough or haven’t been back to the workplace over the last year.

With social distancing perhaps here to stay, businesses will also need to consider how they are going to accommodate social distancing requirements and what any flexible and agile working policies will look like going forward.

Here are some of the things to consider over the coming weeks.

Set your expectations

Notwithstanding the fact that lockdown has been difficult for most of us for many different reasons, the transition out of lockdown may not be as simple or straightforward as we would like.

What you may like to happen as a business owner/director may not be what is reasonably achievable, and it is important to recognise this.

Now is the time to open up and have honest and transparent conversations with employees about how they feel about returning to the office. Gaining this insight will help you identify the most common ways of thinking and allow you to plan how this might be accommodated.

Put mental health first

The toll the pandemic has had on mental health shouldn’t be underestimated, and for some, the mental scars left by Covid may take months if not years to heal. For some, it may take a while to feel properly connected to the workplace again.

Remember that employees may still have health fears or issues around Covid, whilst others may have anxiety around using public transport to get to work or just generally about re-transitioning into a busy workplace.

Where possible, the preferences of each employee should be taken into consideration. It will ultimately be up to you to decide whether allowing different combinations of attending the workplace/working remotely is workable on a long-term basis. If it is agreed that some people will have a hybrid approach to working from home/the office, or else work from the office more permanently, the same options will need to be open to all to avoid any potential claims of discrimination.

Social distancing

Workplaces that do not have adequate space for all employees to return whilst keeping to social distancing will need to make plans for the use of space. Staggered shift patterns may work, or else a rota system where staff split their week working remotely/from the office. It may be that some employees become home workers on a permanent basis. Whatever approach is decided upon, amendments to employee contracts for those concerned may be required.

Other factors to consider include the use of toilets, communal areas, kitchen facilities etc with a view to minimising contact and allowing for adequate distance to be maintained. Any new policies and practices will need to be included in your employee handbook and communicated across all employees.

Don’t rush in

Avoid rushing into sweeping decisions and take the time to consult with employees on how they see the coming months and years. Unfortunately, we don’t know what the future will hold so far as future lockdowns or restrictions are concerned. Inevitably, this will lead to some degree of uncertainty, which can be damaging to morale. However, by taking your time to agree a sensible and workable plan before putting this into place may allow for a greater degree of certainty so far as your employees are concerned.

Maintaining open and regular lines of communication with employees should allow for early warning signs to be identified.  It’s also important to note that employees may feel more comfortable opening up with peers rather than with line managers.  So, encouraging all employees to spot the signs of poor mental health and encouraging staff to share down time with each other in the working day may be good practices to follow.

Although the past year forced many businesses into a scenario that they didn’t foresee or want regarding the physical location of their staff, there may be positives to be drawn. For most businesses, the last 12 months will have shown that a workforce can remain effective outside of a set workplace and it is important to bear this in mind when transitioning out of this lockdown phase.

For further help and advice on this complex area, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Latest news

1

Growth Plan maps out £20bn-plus investment journey Mo Isap from the Lancashire Business Board with the plan

Growth Plan maps out £20bn-plus investment journey

18 Sep 2025

2

Post Office future secured as council explores new options Abington Street Post Office

Post Office future secured as council explores new options

17 Sep 2025

3

Airframe Designs supports new defence strategy with pledge to nurture talent Jerrod Hartley

Airframe Designs supports new defence strategy with pledge to nurture talent

17 Sep 2025

4

Fox Group makes second acquisition since Stellex Capital backing Roger Thistlethwaite, managing director NMS Civil Engineering Limited. Paul Fox, CEO Fox Group. John Flood, Executive Director Fox Group

Fox Group makes second acquisition since Stellex Capital backing

17 Sep 2025

5

Villa at Wrea Green bought for £3.6m by Haythornthwaite family The Villa Wrea Green courtesy of The Villa Wrea Green

Villa at Wrea Green bought for £3.6m by Haythornthwaite family

16 Sep 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV124 September/October Launch Event
MBP Arc Cinema Preston Opening 205
Networking
18 Sep 2025

LBV124 September/October Launch Event

The Arc Cinema, Preston, PR1 2BL

08:30 - 10:30

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Ladies Lunch
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
18 Sep 2025 - 18 Sep 2025

Ladies Lunch

Lancaster Golf Club, Lancaster, LA2 0AJ

12:00 - 16:00

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September
Sept Freelancer (1).png.png
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation
Chorley Council breakfast event new
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Worden Hall, Leyland, PR25 3DH

08:00 - 11:00

Speed Networking with BNI
2.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
24 Sep 2025 - 24 Sep 2025

Speed Networking with BNI

Chorley Football Club, Chorley, PR7 3DU

16:00 - 19:00

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) drop-in day
MTD drop in session.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
25 Sep 2025 - 25 Sep 2025

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) drop-in day

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) drop-in day, Blackburn, BB1 5QB

10:00 - 16:00

The Marketing Metrics That Matter – Sept 25
Metris 25.09.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
25 Sep 2025 - 25 Sep 2025

The Marketing Metrics That Matter – Sept 25

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:00

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September
TMM Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
25 Sep 2025 - 25 Sep 2025

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September

Chorley, PR7 2SL

18:00 - 20:00

Help to grow management course
Help to grow - barriers to growth.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
26 Sep 2025 - 16 Dec 2025

Help to grow management course

Preston Campus , Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 15:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin