Employee attendance increases productivity through direct collaboration and gives everybody a mini-community that makes their jobs more fulfilling. Because of this, increasing employee attendance is likely to be a big focus for companies in a post-pandemic world where everybody is accustomed to working from home.
That’s where employee attendance management processes come into play. This involves handling absenteeism, keeping employees healthy and happy, and planning staff paid leave accordingly. Part of keeping everyone engaged is by recreating the feeling of the “kitchen table” - the place where everyone can gather around, share stories, bond, and relax. It may seem small, but optimizing these aspects can make the office a super inviting place to be. Employee attendance starts with creating a feeling of belonging.
Let’s look at a few impactful ways that you can create a fun and inviting workplace today. Everyday management becomes the recipe for long-term employee retention.
1. Check In With Your Staff
If your in-office attendance is dwindling, think about politely and considerately checking in. Give staff the space to explain their preferences, and detail the other measures you have to take to bring the good times back. Sometimes a conversation resolves the shame someone feels about broaching this subject. Through this, you create a more comfortable environment where employees are encouraged to share and feel as though their needs are considered.
2. Encourage Your Team Back into the Office
Encouragement is key, especially when using the ‘pull’ techniques. What do we mean by this? Pull them back by giving them a reason to want to come in. Whether this is done through catering improvements (something as small as your favorite food can give you a practical reason to want to come back to the office) or staff gatherings, incentives might just be what people need to feel the pull to the office once more.
3. Create a Vibrant Environment
The trick to bringing staff back in-person is creating a comfortable environment that people actively want to be in. There are many small changes you can make to achieve this. Whether it's adding a new coffee station or hosting regular team-building activities in the office, it’s all about creating a vibrancy that will get your staff leaping out of bed in the morning.
4. Provide as Much Flexibility for Your Staff as Possible
It may sound counterproductive to offer staff flexibility when your goal is to bring everybody back into the office, but this is the key to increasing their comfort. It’s no good setting strict authoritative policies commanding everyone to attend in-person, because this is likely to push them away even further than before. Consider offering the hybrid model (in-person and remote working structure) as well as flexible working structures.
Keeping your employees happy in the workplace increases productivity, and collaboration, and gives your reputation a new sparkle in the process. Moreover, it will improve employee retention, as your staff will recognize what a great thing it is to work with/for your organization.
At Ritual, we help businesses improve workplace satisfaction with company meal plans and food perks, which can be implemented as part of your return-to-office plan. While attendance is a difficult thing to attain in the current day, the best way is to start with something small and build your office vibe until no one wants to miss a day.
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