With Omicron causing corporate Australia to re-evaluate their return to work plans for 2022, companies are seeking new and innovative ways to entice hesitant employees back to the office when it’s safe and practical to do so.
Despite the majority of Australian workers believing the freedom to work from anywhere is the new norm, a physical workplace remains an integral means for building connections and relationships with colleagues for the 52% of Australian full-timers who’ve worked hybridly or remotely during the pandemic that feel more isolated or lonely as a result.
In addition to planning a Covid-safe workplace, here are four more refreshing ideas to consider in your return to work strategy.
1. Introduce Engaging Artwork
There’s nothing like an office makeover to encourage employees back into the office. The good news is, you don’t need an eye-watering budget to refurb your workplace when ColourSpace can provide a fresh, affordable rotation of art from local emerging Australian artists.
Much like a flower subscription service, ColourSpace curates and delivers fresh art to your workplace every 3 months.
They make it easy to create contemporary, dynamic offices that genuinely engage staff and improve mental health and wellbeing, as proven in a 2019 World Health Organisation review of over 3,000 studies around the world demonstrating the positive impact art has on health, both in the workplace and healthcare settings.
As well as transforming your workplace into a welcoming environment for staff, you’re helping create genuine opportunities and social impact for local artist communities – ColourSpace is officially certified as a Social Enterprise and proudly part of the Aboriginal Arts Association of Australia.
To make it easier for businesses to encourage staff back into the office in 2022, ColourSpace is offering one month of all annual art subscriptions free!
Here’s how it works…
They also offer Art-Series Hand Sanitiser – a world-first innovation that combines mandatory health policy with art, creativity, and social impact. Made by wild harvested Kakadu Plums from Indigenous farmers and growers in The Kimberley and Arnhem Land, this 70% alcohol-based hand sanitiser in refillable, reusable and recyclable containers creates even more opportunities for local and emerging artists, and can be branded with your company logo.
2. Install Foodifox Lockers
For health and budget-conscious employees, the opportunity to have wholesome, affordable and delicious meals delivered straight to work for $11 is a guaranteed incentive to get back in the office.
Thanks to Melbourne startup Foodifox, this return to work drawcard is a reality for more than 20 businesses across Melbourne, with plans to expand the service interstate well underway.
The chef-prepared meals are delivered contact-free to thermally-heated lockers in company foyers and kept at the perfect temperature for employees to collect at a time convenient for them between 12-2pm.
To help businesses get staff back in the office in 2022, Foodifox is waiving the first 3 months’ fee on their state-of-the-art thermally-heated lockers (initial setup costs apply).
There’s no maintenance required by building owners and managers – from delivering meals to cleaning the lockers, the whole process is completely handled by Foodifox.
Employees can download the Foodifox app from the App Store or Google Play and start browsing this week’s menu!
3. Incentivise Office-Based Work With Shouta Biz
From the creators of nano-gifting app Shouta, comes Shouta Biz – “The Head of Workplace Gifts” designed to keep spirits high, reward good work and remind employees they’re appreciated.
Using the Shouta Biz platform, businesses can reward employees or incentivise a team with instant treats they’ll actually want using a slick and simple digital gifting dashboard. Because in reality, they’d all rather a round of Friday drinks than a crummy company plaque.
Shouta Biz can be used to incentivise employees to spend more time in the office by gifting a movie ticket or meal for regularly attending beyond their expected commitment, or incentivising entire teams to hold meetings in the office by treating attendees to a coffee or wine (depending on the time!).
This digital tech and customisable nano-gifting means you don’t have to break the bank to entice employees back into the office, with gifts sent and received in seconds. Employees receive a link to digital, prepaid Shouta Mastercard, which can be reloaded for repeat gifting.
While Shouta Biz is looking to launch a tiered subscription structure in the future which will include additional features, for now all customisation features are free, so start nano-gifting now to get more staff back in the office!
4. Give Employees’ Workstations a Rejuvenating Deep Clean
With office hygiene top of mind, reassure employees that your company is taking every precaution possible to promote a safe environment for their return to work with regular deep cleans of office ICT equipment.
High-touch office accessories like computers, mice, keyboards, tablets, laptops, headsets, switchboards and photocopiers are breeding grounds for germs and bacteria capable of causing skin diseases, eye infections and rapidly transmitting viruses.
When CompuClean visits your workplace, our uniformed and security-cleared Technical Cleaners deep clean and disinfect employees’ office ICT equipment using patented anti-bacterial and anti-static surfactant cleaning solutions that kill 99.99% of germs and remove built-up grime, reducing the risk of direct infection, workplace transmission and equipment malfunction.
To be seen as an employer of choice, prolong the life of valuable office ICT equipment, and reduce the risk of cross-contamination in your workplace, request a free online quote below.
