There’s still a big debate over returning to the office. Personally I was remote before Covid and I intend to remain so as I coach accountants and business owners around the world.
In favour of the office:
- Casual conversations and useful remarks
- Easier to focus
- Social
- Dedicated space and resources to work better
- Easier to supervise and train staff
In favour of home working:
- Easier to focus
- No commute
- Saves some childcare
- No micromanaging
- Better Covid risk management
In practice most organisations will probably opt for a hybrid approach but do watch out for
- Creating an ‘us and them’ division of those mainly in the office vs those mainly at home
- Mixing online and offline meetings. Will somebody go into the office just to sit on a Zoom call with clients and colleagues working from home?
Whatever you decide to do needs a thorough risk assessment and discussion with your team about their own concerns and preferences.