The cost of living crisis is biting employees hard, with energy costs affecting almost every walk of life. As an employer, you want to protect your employees from the worst of these economic effects. Below, we look at why staff returning to the office could help fight the cost of living crisis and some of the steps you can take to keep your employees protected.
What is the cause of the crisis?
The main cause of the cost of living crisis is the increase in energy costs. As the war in Ukraine spiked tensions between Russia and the West, importing gas from Russian sources is now much more difficult. That makes energy less accessible, driving its price up. All businesses use energy in some form, whether that’s powering the lights or carrying out their manufacturing and production processes. As a result of the increased bills companies are facing therefore the prices of their goods and services have to go up in turn.
How could a return to the office help employees?
First, returning to the office will reduce an employee’s own energy use at home. Working from home requires staff to use a significant amount of energy for powering computers, broadband routers and any other work-related equipment they use, in addition to having the lights on, boiling the kettle and running the heating. By working in the office, employees no longer have to shoulder these expenses.
Of course, this means your business has to shoulder them instead, but if encouraging your staff back into the office eases some of their financial concerns, then you may find their productivity and output improve, which will have a positive effect on your business.
What to do at the office
You can make a return to the office a simpler process by making it a more attractive place for your employees to spend their time. An office refurbishment or fit-out will make the space a nicer place to work, and adding some fun fixtures such as games in the break room is ideal for morale and builds a culture of togetherness in the business. Asking staff to return is one thing, but you need to make sure they have a positive reason to come back.
If you’re looking for support with your office fit-outs, contact the Virtus Contracts team today to find out more about how to improve the look and feel of your office space as employees start to return.
