top of page
Search
Writer's pictureJustin Cuckow

Welcoming staff back to the workplace..

Updated: Dec 2, 2022


Image of a large open-plan workplace

With changed team dynamics and hugely different ways of working.. is the solution e-learning?


Some of the issues include:

- Staff have had vastly different experiences of lockdown from horrendous to positive

- Team dynamics are significantly changed and staff need to re-adapt to the new workplace

- It is hard to track completion of COVID-19 secure inductions across a dispersed workforce

- Tailoring content so that the concerns of front line staff and those at higher risk are addressed

- Explaining the changes in behaviour and practices that will be required from staff

Of these the trickiest is helping staff to re-adapt to the workplace with changed team dynamics. Staff have had completely different experiences of lockdown. Some have been stuck at home with young children trying to remain professional at the end of a dogy internet connection. Others have been furloughed and feel hugely at risk whilst colleagues who are covering roles at work are in some cases simmering with resentment that they are working long hours to cover work that used to be done as a team. And others with higher risk profiles to COVID-19 are frightened to return to the workplace and anxious about having that difficult conversation with their boss with no safe timescale on the horizon.


So how do you bring people back and ensure they are both warmly welcomed and supported to re-adapt to a very different workplace?


One approach which works really well is to use e-learning. At Incident Ready Consulting we’ve partnered with Marshall a leading online educator to develop a “Return to Campus for Universities” course in line with the latest government guidance. Tailored content reflects the specifics of health and safety management across teaching and research settings in a wide range of buildings on campus. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdown, many Universities are taking advantage of their Learning Management Systems to track online completion and ensure that their staff get clear direction on keeping safe - mentally and physically – whilst in the workplace.


Case studies can be designed for different staff groupings which look at health & safety, management and wellbeing issues. E-learning is the ideal training solution due to social distancing, making classroom training problematic to deliver. Tailored case studies setting out the perspectives of different staff groups and the use of models such as the 4 R’s (Reflect, Review, Reconnect and Re-boot) help staff re-adapt to the new team dynamics and appreciate that COVID-19 has and will continue to impact on the way that teams function for the foreseeable future.


Ultimately, effective business continuity requires teams that are connected, supported and performing.


You’re welcome to take a look at the course here:




22 views

Comments


Commenting has been turned off.
bottom of page