5 reasons for employers to encourage workers to come back to the office

In our line of work, manufacturing custom furniture, our sales teams talk with clients every day. One of the things that we are learning from them is how many are having their employees return to the office three days a week.

Many well-known companies such as Apple, Starbucks and JPMorgan are instituting different return-to-work policies, according to Business Insider.

As we begin 2023, employers are aware that they need to give those working from their living room sofas or kitchen tables reasons to come back to the workplace. Revitalized spaces and environments is one definite draw, but there are many others.

Creating company culture

As an employer, I know the best way to have my employees engaged and excited about coming into the office is not only the work they're doing, but connecting with people and the workplace culture. Many years ago, and even today, people gathered around the coffee machine or the water cooler to talk about TV programs they watched last night or their family activities.

Those kinds of social instances gets people to stay at companies. The great resignation in 2021 happened because remote workers could do their projects from anywhere - the home, the coffee shop or even in another country. There was an evident detachment from the office. Even at three days a week, returning to the office is the most important thing for company culture because it will improve employee engagements and create satisfaction. For business owners, they will find their employees staying longer with their companies.

Our company is all about culture because that is who we are. For example, we have monthly birthdays where we all celebrate, and we also have a large collaboration table for our employees to come and talk about various topics. We design both for culture and space.

Encouraging collaboration

For a few years, team collaboration has been a struggle for many companies. We've all been on Zoom calls where someone's having an issue with their connection, and you can't hear him or her, or there's a dog barking in the background. In order to truly collaborate consistently, it is best to do this face to face in the office.

On team calls it's hard to know when to pause and let someone talk. People are talking over each other. This scenario is not the best way to collaborate. If you're working in the office, you can physically walk up to a co-worker and present ideas and opinions. Those quicker collaborations will make the difference in how something managed or how people engage with each other.

Promoting work/life balance

I hear many people say that when they go to the office, they will not have the work-life balance they used to have. I believe the opposite because when you work remotely, many don't unplug from the computer. When I drive to my office, I'm physically and mentally prepping for the work day. When I leave, that work list is leaving my head and I'm checking into the other part of my life. You will have more work-life balance if you go to the office, finish the work there, and you leave for home.

Curbing loneliness

When you constantly work remotely, people can get lonely and miss interactions with their co-workers. When you're not in the office, it is difficult to cultivate work friendships. I think back to five years ago, where people were spending as much time at work as they were at home. Those work/friend relationships were important and valuable to people.

Boosting local economies

We have all felt the shift of things getting "back to normal." I am sure we all know business that did not make it through COVID. By working back in your office, you will be supporting the local economy.

Today, building owners want to see full occupancy whether it's in suburban Schaumburg or downtown Chicago. There are other stores that people go to after work. Having employees back in the office affects the restaurants and retail locations in each city.

Don't we all play a part in getting our economy growing again?

• Colleen Baader is the senior vice president and co-owner of Rieke Interiors in Elgin.