How to Create a New Routine in Your Newly Hybrid Workplace

Even at the height of the pandemic in the US, some weeks felt both brutally monotonous and chaotic thanks to a steady stream breaking news updates. As the crisis finally subsides in most parts of the country, we’re all faced with a new challenge: what do we do next?

For many professionals, this means returning to office space after many months spent mostly at home. At Firmspace, we’ve seen folks walk through the doors every day, but we recognize that finding a new rhythm isn’t something that happens naturally for everyone, especially after so many months in relative social isolation.

As you begin to regain a semblance of a work-life balance this summer, you'll need to find a new groove, as the socially distant workplace you return to may not look anything like the office space you left last year.

Here are 7 tips to help you adjust to the "new normal" as more professionals return to work in office spaces.

1. Plan ahead: Map Your Day from Home to Desk

Set yourself up for success by thinking through what you’ll need at each step of your first commute, from your front door to your desk downtown.

Pro tip: look for your employee ID or keycard at least 24 hours before you’ll need it to ensure you have time to contact support staff for assistance accessing your office (in case it’s not where you left it last March).

2. Create a Checklist of Your Needs

Even if your office has fully reopened, you may find that the rest of the downtown area is still in transition. To ensure you have everything you need for an easy day out, make a list of what you need to get where you need to go. Be sure to include… 

  • Lunch and a couple of snacks, plus a short list of food options near work that have reopened.

  • Your transportation plans and that bus pass you haven’t used since 2020.

  • A spare mask or two, depending on the public health guidance in your city and office.

  • A travel-sized bottle of hand sanitizer.

  • Your phone, wallet, and keys.

The last few items may seem elementary, but after months locked into a different routine, it’s best to thoroughly prepare for day one.

3. Refresh Your Mindset Before Adopting a Hybrid Work Model

The most important thing you can do before you walk back through your office doors for the first time since March 2020 is to check your mindset: what are you hoping to get out of the day ahead?

There are many ways to approach hybrid work and different companies have adopted different hybrid work models. While many professionals will return to a new hybrid work model for the first time, if you are diving back into full weeks in the office, prepare yourself mentally for this shift.

4. Expect the Adjustment to a Hybrid Workplace to Take Time

Even if you expect to feel totally at ease walking back into your office space, know that it’s completely normal to experience a period of adjustment and your coworkers may experience this interim period differently.

Be patient and remember what you traveled to the office to achieve.

5. Test the Waters Before You Start Your Hybrid Work Schedule

If you’re feeling anxious about attempting hybrid work, test the waters before jumping in. If possible, travel to the office for a morning at your desk and give yourself permission to stay for a half day.

Whether you drive, carpool, or take public transit to the office, practice your commute. This will help you ensure that the roads you’re planning to take are clear (and not under construction), and help you troubleshoot a deactivated keycard or any other issues you may not think of in advance.

6. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

The best advice we have for folks starting a new hybrid work model is to over communicate your plans with your team. If you’re the one in a managerial position, the best way to facilitate reentry – especially into a hybrid work environment – is to clearly communicate your needs and expectations from day one.

7. Continue to Follow the Guidelines for Healthy and Safety in Your Hybrid Workplace

In addition to following local and employer guidelines for public health, the CDC guidance for returning to work is an excellent (and evolving) resource for professionals heading back into the office this summer and fall.

As you share your time between the office, your home office, and the third places we’ve all been missing so much, put consideration for others back on your list of considerations. This means that if someone is wearing a mask, consider matching their behavior. Or, if you have a child at home who has a cold, stay home yourself.

If you’re still looking for private office space to include in your hybrid work plans, book a tour at your local Firmspace to see if it’s the right fit for your needs.

Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash

Firmspace Staff