As Covid restrictions are gradually lifted, there will be the opportunity for employees to return to the workplace again.  For some, the absence could have been for a year or more.  New research from the University of Illinois Chicago explores how companies can ensure that employees are sufficiently engaged and motivated when they make the return.

The research shows that performance levels and employee engagement are highest when employees are mentally prepared for the return to work, while managers are also committed to ensuring that their return is safe and their health is protected.

“Given the turmoil and distress during lockdowns and quarantines, employees may have trouble reconnecting with their work. We wanted to find out what factors could help employees effectively stay engaged at work upon return. This is an important topic because highly engaged employees tend to intrinsically enjoy their work and outperform others,” the researchers say.

Safe return

The researchers quizzed employees working in Wuhan, the original epicenter of the pandemic to understand their thoughts about their return to work after the city-wide lockdown restrictions were lifted.  The discussions revealed a clear need to mentally reconnect with work before the return.

“As employees are physically returning to work, they also need to be mentally prepared to reconnect,” Yuan explained. “For example, employees are encouraged to spend some time reviewing work progress and set work priorities for upcoming tasks before coming back to work. This is similar to the warm-up before a workout. With some mental ‘warm-up,’ employees will find it easier to reconnect and re-engage at work.”

Managers were also found to play a crucial role, as the ongoing health concerns can be overwhelming for employees, who can become easily distracted.  It’s vital, therefore, that managers are able to take clear and concrete measures to ensure the health and safety of the workplace.

“Managers’ commitment to safety can’t be merely lip service,” the researchers continue. “They should set a good example themselves by clearly communicating, enforcing, and promoting workplace health and safety protocols.”

Crucially, both engagement and performance were at their highest when both of these conditions were met.  The researchers argue that this underlines the importance of managers taking an active role in ensuring the return of employees goes smoothly rather than simply expecting devotion from their team without putting the effort into ensuring the return is safe.

“Depending on how the virus has spread and been managed in different places, other factors are also important to consider,” the authors conclude. “But we think our key finding holds regardless of locations. That is, managers and employees are in this together—they need to work together to promote engagement, workplace productivity, and safety. This will be critical as businesses and employees try to rebound from the economic toll of the current pandemic.”