As return-to-work strategies take shape, a comprehensive Ragan report offers key insights

 Tony Silber, Editorial Director, Ragan CommunicationsThis spring organizations everywhere are occupied with mapping out the conditions and processes for the return to the workplace. It’s a multifaceted challenge, arguably much more complex than last year’s move to remote work.It involves decisions about the physical configuration of the workplace itself, both for enhanced workplace safety and in many instances, to reflect a shift in purpose. Will offices be the same as always, or will they transform to some new function, such as for collaboration and ideation going forward?In addition, organizations have to make decisions around vaccination before employees return. Should returning workers be vaccinated as a requirement? Is it encouraged but not mandated? Then there are decisions around the makeup of the hybrid workforce. Who should come back to the workplace, and how frequently? Will hybrid work be the norm, perhaps twice a week in the office and the rest of the time at home? What about workers who’ve moved out of the area? How will equity be defined for the workforce on these questions?All of these things have to be decided and then communicated. Plans have to be clearly laid out and distributed repeatedly,  using multiple channels across organizations. Also, workers should be given a voice.Continue reading here...