How to Navigate Returning to the Office

When COVID-19 first hit and cities issued stay-at-home orders, everyone’s major concern was whether or not they could adjust to a life of isolation. “It will be over soon, right?” was the universal phrase being uttered worldwide across virtual meetings and calls, over the course of March and April.

Now however, months into this new normal, we have all adapted (to varying degrees) to a world in which the pandemic is not yet over, but in which we are all learning to exist alongside it. As we enter Fall, cities have been lifting restrictions, businesses are being allowed to reopen, and companies are looking to call their employees back to the office. Many individuals and entrepreneurs are also looking into finding designated workspaces again.

Though we cannot predict the future, it is likely that cities will remain open to a certain extent despite the pandemic and with these changes in the air and the number of cases fluctuating, many have renewed concerns about what returning to work and the public world is going to look like. It is a stress called “re-entry anxiety” – a combination of fear of exposure to the outside world and health-related anxiety about COVID-19.

For many, this fear arises in the context of having to return to the office. There is so much more uncertainty that exists in our new world and people are going to have to learn how to navigate it, especially as the working world begins to open its doors again. Managing public transport, using public facilities, and how to share space with colleagues again can be nerve wracking to say the least.

Many companies are looking to call their employees back to the office, even within the uncertainty of the pandemic, and it’s understandable why. For those who work in creative industries, it has become much harder to create space for collaboration and unplanned brainstorming when all of your meetings are virtual. We are all waiting for lulls, muting and unmuting our microphones to speak only when the opportunity presents itself – much like our younger selves raising hands in class. Due to these limitations, certain fields of work need a communal space to come together to produce their best work.

Another reason is that companies are going to face larger organizational commitments with prolonged remote work. Now that we are months on from the start of this whole endeavor, companies will have to start looking into restructuring their performance and accountability indicators if remote work goes on for much longer.

Having an entirely remote team calls for different arrangements and this feat may not be possible for some organizations. We have seen multiple accounts of cybersecurity threats in the virtual work world and the financial cost of tech support, cybersecurity software, and hardware for a distributed team can be too much for some businesses.

Company culture is also a common loss that is being talked about during the pandemic – many employees have lost their sense of their work culture and sense of belonging. They are not getting the small interactions and happy exchanges with their colleagues that help them feel like they are a part of a collective. With this new sense of isolation added to the physical separation, companies are looking to help their employees come together again.

However, returning to the office is not just a company-level desire. If you are not one of the people who are being asked to return to the office, you may still be interested in returning to a workplace again. We know that many people are struggling with remote work, especially when it does not have an end in sight for some. With crowded home spaces, childcare obligations, and small apartments, a lot of people are finding it harder to work from home every day.

Mental health is a universal worry and many are finding that their productivity and morale are continuing to decline with remote work. Whether you are being asked to return to the office or you are looking into finding a workspace outside of your home, re-entry anxiety is a normal feeling in 2020. That said, there is a lot you can do to help yourself transition back into the workplace.

What to do?

Know What Is Safe:

Follow the guidelines put in place by your respective government. Take note of how many people can be in one space at a time and remember to wear a mask when you are indoors or when you cannot physically distance from others. Try your best not to touch your face and mask, while also cleaning your hands frequently with hand sanitizer or soap. Try to stay 6 ft away from others when possible and make sure the people around you are also abiding by the guidelines.

Know Your Boundaries:

If you are worried about branching out of your routine, it is important to figure out what your boundaries are prior to making changes. What would it look like for you to go somewhere? What are your limits? If you go somewhere and there are too many people not abiding by the guidelines, will you leave? If someone sits next to you on public transit, will you move? Being sure of your boundaries prior to trying to make changes will help ease some of the uncertainty. Knowing what to do if you are uncomfortable gives you an instant plan of action.

Understand the Difference; Deliberate Risk vs. Uncontrollable Risk:

Going to work is a necessity, either because your employer is asking for it or for your own productivity and wellbeing. This is uncontrollable risk and it is accepted because essentially everyone is potentially exposed to COVID-19 at some point in their daily life. Whether that be from going to the grocery store or going to work, it is okay to explore the realm of uncontrollable risk as this is learning to live in our new normal.

Deliberate risk is different and can be exemplified by not wearing a mask when expected to or going to large gatherings with numbers higher than the allowed limit. Differentiating between the two can help you come to terms with branching out of your comfort zone and trying new things. As long as you are being safe and following the guidelines set by your government, it is okay to increase what you are exposed to.

Check in with your Employer/Workspace:

If you are being asked to come into the office, make sure you know what the new protection protocols are. What is your employer or office provider doing to keep you safe? What is the protocol when someone is feeling ill? Know what safety measures are in place and what the rules are being implemented. This will keep you as safe as possible and also help in regulating everyone else’s behaviour.

Flexible workspaces, such as The Professional Centre, have implemented new safety measures for both individual entrepreneurs and company offices to ensure their space is as safe to use as possible.

If you are an individual who is looking for a designated workspace away from home, sitting in a café right now may not be an option. You cannot control the actions of every person who walks in off the street and with physical distancing measures in place, you cannot guarantee you will always find a spot. One option is to look into renting a desk at a flexible workspace provider. Flexible workspaces are safe and controlled workspaces with rules and procedures that will help you adjust and give you a secure space to work in.

Small Steps:

We are definitely not suggesting that on your first try you get on the subway, go to the office, take a cab, go shopping, and have dinner at a restaurant. That would make anyone feel overloaded! It is important to break up your tasks and set small goals. If going back to the office is a priority, start with going in a few times a week. Test your limits and see what you can manage.

The first few tries may be difficult and you may experience moments in which you feel unsafe, but it will eventually become easier. You will get more comfortable with each day you try, and the more you get used to, the more you will be able to do (all while being as safe as possible). Remember that it is not all or nothing – this is the long haul.

Start Sooner Rather Than Later:

The longer you put it off, the larger the anxiety and fears will become. We all have to adapt to this new normal and everyone is going at their own pace, so try to implement new small experiences every few days. This will build up your emotional tolerance to new experiences.

Do Not Rely on Crutches:

Do not start substituting your anxiety for a crutch. This means staying away from substances like alcohol, nicotine, and drugs. These can lead to prolonged mood imbalances and can contribute to actually feeling more anxiety in the long term.

Finally, remember that you will make it through this. Humans are incredibly resilient and adaptable and that includes yourself. Remember when you thought prolonged quarantine was unheard of? You did it and you will find that it is the same with returning to the office. Every day, the fear and anxiety will lessen, and you will start to adapt to our new normal. Everyone is in this together and we will all find new ways to exist and evolve while the pandemic continues.

Rethinking your organization’s workspace? Discover our flexibly designed and fully managed enterprise office solutions.

Hacking Employee Happiness With Shared Office Spaces

Even in the age of automation, the success of a good company falls largely on the shoulders of the employees. Getting the most out of your employees will often lead to positive results in all aspects of your business. Fortunately, a shared office space can help you hack the code to improving employee happiness.

The Value of Employee Happiness

Employee happiness is an important marker for the most successful operations. Factors like contentment help to increase morale and reduce retention. But the true value of employee happiness is measured in their ability to thrive. Thriving is what makes for truly effective, high-value employees.

Here are just a few key benefits of happier employees:

Performance

Working in an environment that allows them to thrive results in greater efficiency and quality of work. Happy employees are more engaged and driven. They are a driving force behind growth.

Care

One of the great detriments to a company’s performance is indifferent employees. When an employee doesn’t care, it affects the quality of their work. They miss deadlines and make more frequent errors, as well as coming up with fewer solutions.

An employee who cares about the company brings more to the table. They create a better atmosphere for others and they take pride in doing a good job.

Sick Days

Sick days are an underrated source of lost profit for employers. The day comes out at a net loss for you. You lose out on the work you needed the employee to accomplish, while still paying for those hours. Of course, you can’t scrap sick days, but you can reduce how often people take them.

Improving employee happiness results in people taking fewer unnecessary sick days. As well, happy workers have less stress and tend to take better self-care, resulting in better health.

Above & Beyond

If you want to see your workforce going above and beyond the call of duty, you need to keep their job satisfaction high. Happier employees are driven to go beyond the call of their job, while simultaneously avoiding burnout.

Retention

It’s no surprise, happier workers are less likely to leave. By keeping their happiness-level up, you can avoid the high costs of employee turnover, as well as the loss in efficiency while they go off on interviews and touch up their resume.

The Solution: Shared Office Spaces Allow Employees to Thrive

When it comes to increasing employee happiness, coworking may be the solution. Employees at shared office spaces have higher self-reported levels of vitality, learning, and job satisfaction.

In the context of the workplace, vitality means the passion and excitement for the job. The collaborative, open atmosphere of a shared office space helps people see that their actions make a difference to them, their coworkers, and their company. The result is greater enthusiasm for the job, incentivizing people to accomplish more.

The landscape of business is constantly changing. As such, those who stay ahead of the learning curve help your business thrive. In a coworking space, people are more driven to learn. In part, this is due to to the increased vitality. However, it’s also propelled by the atmosphere.

In a shared office, your employees are in the proximity of other agile, learning businesses. This encourages further learning, as well as resulting in a cross-pollination of knowledge. Businesses in the same shared office space learn from each other, creating a symbiotic relationship, even if they do not directly conduct business together.

Furthermore, shared offices increase job satisfaction. Working in an open office keeps up a team mentality. This promotes a healthier, happier business atmosphere. People are less likely to try and one-up coworkers or steal credit. As well, it’s easier for management to see and recognize peoples’ efforts.

This collaborative atmosphere and recognition of one’s own efforts make a big difference in overall job satisfaction.

5 Ways to Enhance the Benefits of a Shared Office

While coworking is already a great way to promote employee happiness, there is still more you can do. Here is a quick list of five easy ways to enhance the benefits of shared office spaces:

Increase Collaboration & Community
Provide Support
Environment
Empowerment
Flexibility

1. Increase Collaboration & Community

Coworking is all about collaboration. One of the simplest ways to improve on this is to build a community in your workplace. Team outings are a low-cost way to quickly increase employee satisfaction and build bonds between workers. As well, they are a nice bonus for attracting new talent.

2. Provide Support

A shared office space gives management the ability to work closely with employees. This allows them to provide meaningful support and feedback. Employees feel more valued, leading to improved efficiency and/or quality of work.

As well, the best shared offices offer support services for on-demand use. These services avoid employee headaches, stress and inefficiencies that can happen when trying to solve problems outside of their expertise.

Technical services like IT and troubleshooting prevent frustrations and keep everyone operational. Administrative support can prevent your team from becoming swamped in by other duties in peak periods.

3. Environment

The workplace environment has a big impact on employee morale. Professionally-designed shared office spaces with plenty of natural light and ergonomic furnishings are a great help. But employers can do more to improve the environment inside the coworking space.

Allowing workers to have plants or other decor can make a big difference in a coworking space. It helps to remove the sense of the impermanence of agile office spaces. As well, it creates a more personal, friendly touch.

Also, making full use of the space can help employees thrive. Good coworking spaces have lounges, wellness areas, and more. This allows employees to shake it up a little, working in different locations. It’s a great way to keep them comfortable, happy, and flexible. Don’t keep your workers chained to their desks.

4. Empowerment

Toronto shared office spaces don’t share the same rank-and-file structure of a traditional office. You can use this free-flowing atmosphere to empower your employees. In this atmosphere, they feel more capable of making a difference and are more likely to suggest new ideas. You can promote this further by allowing them more decision-making and sharing information with them.

5. Flexibility

Coworking offices are bastions of flexibility. This is making them popular business spaces for enterprise and startup companies alike. Embracing this flexibility can help you get more out of your workforce.

For example, many companies in shared offices have flexible hours. This can include allowing for different arrival/departure times so that employees can better schedule their day around their commute or needs of their family. For example, an employee may work from 8 to 4, rather than 9 to 5.

As well, offering the flexibility of a few work-from-home days is a great help. In addition to being a nice benefit for employees, it’s also great for employers. For example, many employees will use work-from-home days rather than sick days when they get a cold. This has a double benefit. For one, you don’t lose out on their work. And for the other, they don’t get others sick, resulting in more sick days.

Increase Employee Happiness With Toronto Shared Spaces

In a competitive landscape like Toronto, companies need every edge to reach their full potential. The best shared office spaces help to create happy, thriving employees, for more successful businesses.

Book a tour of our prime downtown Toronto shared office spaces today.

Why You Should Consider A Shared Office for Your Side-Hustle

It seems like everyone in Toronto has a side-hustle. From podcasts to passion projects, having your own business is the modern dream. Whether you’re trying to build your own empire or simply earn a few extra bucks, a shared office can help you transform your side-hustle into your primary income.

Although enterprise businesses are moving into coworking spaces, shared offices are still home to startups and creatives.

Today, we take a look into some of the benefits of using shared office space for your Toronto-based side-hustle.

High-Quality Space Dedicated to Your Business

For any side business, it’s always tempting to go with the bare bones approach. People often start off working on these projects from home or even after hours. But if you’re serious about transforming your part-time passion into your full-time career, you need to invest in it.

Coffee shops and home offices crowd you with distractions. To really get the most out of the limited time you have to work on your side-hustle, you need a dedicated space. Working from home, it’s easy to get caught up throwing on Netflix, catching up on chores or goofing off.

But when you have an office space you pay for, you place more value on the time spent. It makes it a lot easier to keep your focus on growing your business and getting things done.

As well, the high-quality space gives you access to all the amenities you need for your business. Phones, ergonomic furnishing, high-speed internet and colour printers are just a few of the services available to you. You have access to all the benefits of a full-scale office at a fraction of the cost.

Affordability

It’s no secret, the rent in this city is out of control. If you’re looking to secure a space in one of Toronto’s most desirable areas, you can expect to pay a premium. Currently, Toronto’s Bay Street area has the country’s highest office space rental rates.

Shared offices give a budget-friendly alternative. Coworking spaces give you access to the most desirable locations in the city without the insane price tag. Find affordable shared office spaces in Toronto’s financial district.

Convenience

The availability of these prime downtown locations makes these office spaces more convenient. TTC accessibility means it’s easy to get to if you’re heading to your side-hustle after work. That saves you time, maximizing what you can put into growing your business.

As well, these locations make it easy to meet with customers and partners. The location is close to other key businesses, so it’s convenient for your clients. You can even rent high-quality meeting rooms at preferred rates.

Professionalism

Shared office space is a quick and affordable way to boost the professional appearance of your business. The prime location, top quality service, and professionally designed meeting rooms legitimize your business.

Networking

Networking is one of the great benefits of coworking. You gain exposure to a variety of other businesses and services. This gives you ample opportunity to collaborate or draw on the experience of others. As well, this is a good chance to meet new potential clients.

Rent Shared Office Space in Toronto

Upgrade your side-hustle and take the first step towards turning your million-dollar-idea into your million-dollar-business. Discover open or private office spaces to meet your company’s versatile needs.