The future of work isn’t coming; it’s already here. After more than 24 months of remote work, and all the logistical and emotional baggage that came with motivating and driving yourself and your family through the global pandemic, it’s time to return to an office that you haven’t seen since March 2020. Your desk, the little notes and photographs stilled pinned to the headboard, the coffee machine, the meeting rooms, and most of all - your friends, mentors and colleagues. Everyone awaits you.
In the past two years, we implemented a “hybrid work model”, a mix of working from the office and from home during a typical work week, giving our teams a more flexible way of working. Our employees had the choice to decide where they want to work if they’re not in the office. They could be working from home, working from a relative’s home around the holidays, or taking a trip and extending their time there to work remotely. Our hope was that the hybrid model provides our people a chance to spend more time with family, an opportunity to explore new places, and a refreshing change of scenery.
However, as the world around us changes on its axis, we are contemplating what out post-pandemic work arrangements should look like. We want Quess to continue being a great place for our current and future employees, and that means adapting work models to best suit our people and their long-term needs. Through multiple employee surveys and feedback sessions, we found that our employees like working from home when they have to contribute independently, but they also value the collaboration and teamwork a physical office enables. The pandemic brought forward a simple realization: although people felt more productive at home for certain work tasks, many also said they missed the camaraderie and connections of in-person office culture.
Moreover, in a global organization like Quess, our business exists outside the office in the real world as well, in hundreds of cities across organizations, hospitals, factories, hotels, and it’s important we stay connected to the places we serve.
Today, as the world is starting to open up again, we’re excited to get back to business and get back to office. Coming back to your desks, meeting rooms and cafeterias holds all the promise for a connected and creative work environment, optimizing productivity, teamwork and collaboration. At Quess, we are committed to building a culture where people are always inspired to do their best work. As we transition our back to office model, we are vigilant in our efforts to create a safe work environment for all our employees.
We know that everything feels different now. You feel different now. It’s tough to think about being surrounded by people all day -even people you know, like, and trust. The thought of sharing spaces after more than two years of hand-washing and mask-wearing seems unfathomable. But, be assured that we are doing everything in our power to make this change comfortable for you. Strict interaction protocol guidelines, frequent sanitization of spaces, and masking up are just the tip of the iceberg.
Nevertheless, we will continue to monitor the situation, look at the data, and watch what’s happening in the market and the world, and we won’t be afraid to adapt as necessary. You can expect to hear more from us over the next few months about our continued journey of building a great place to work for everyone.
Author:
Sunitha Karthikeyan