We know that it is a big decision asking your staff to return to the workplace, especially with the constant talk of a second wave potentially leading to another full lockdown.

At 2 Circles, we have been fortunate to work in an industry that means we were already equipped with all the necessary tools to switch to working from home seamlessly, so why are most of us back at the office?

When lockdown first started and we were sent to work from home, I really enjoyed it. I loved the extra time in the mornings and the comfort of working wherever the temperature was most comfortable (anyone who has worked in an office knows that temperature is a big deal – there is always somebody too hot or cold!). I loved lunching with my kids and being close to my beloved coffee machine, quickly making myself a cup without having to make a large round of hot drinks. I basked in the joy being able to concentrate on writing projects by making myself unavailable for anyone to contact me (sorry boss).

Working in Marketing, I thought I’d be one of the last back to the office as so much of what I do is project work that can be done from anywhere. I was not one of the last back, I was one of the first. After the novelty of working from home wore off (and the kids found all my hiding places around the house), I really missed being in the office.

I missed the separation of work and home life, I missed the short walk that is my commute where I could just be alone for five minutes to gather my thoughts but mostly, I missed my colleagues. It was difficult to manage a team purely doing so remotely, even with wonderful collaboration technology like Teams, for me, nothing quite beats a face-to-face conversation. It is also much easier to share ideas as and when they come to you, rather than having to schedule some time, and problem-solving can be done in seconds rather than waiting for somebody to read a message.

Obviously, these are the strangest of times, and being back in the workplace won’t work for everyone, but 2 Circles has worked hard to be responsible and control everything they can to protect us all from Covid-19. Screens between desks are just one of the ways the business is enforcing social distancing and I think you could fill a swimming pool with the amount of hand sanitiser we have, but 2 Circles has gone beyond this and has implemented tested.me to not only track and trace who is in our office but also to keep a record of everyone’s temperature with some subtle thermal imaging cameras. Our HR Team has visibility of a dashboard showing the temperature of everyone on site and I find it comforting that my own temperature is being regularly checked too.

Using tested.me has given 2 Circles and our employees the confidence to return to the office. We are happy that we are protecting our staff and following the recommended Government guidelines and our employees feel secure knowing that everybody’s temperature is being monitored daily.

My personal view remains that the future will be flexible in terms of many people embracing a flexible approach to where and when they work but for now, I am happy to be back in the office and grateful to work for a company that has taken such care in keeping us safe.

Whether you are choosing to return to the office completely, partly, or not at all, 2 Circles can help you to work efficiently with a communications solution tailored to your unique company requirements. Contact us on 03456 200 200 or info@2circles.com to find out more.