In Ontario where my organization is based, and across the country, plans for some sort of return to the office in the coming months are underway. After 15 months, this will be a huge transition for organizations and their staff, but there are opportunities to leverage technology to make the return smoother.

Communication

One thing I’ve learned through this is that people don’t read memos thoroughly, especially when there is so much information to take in. We use Slack in our office, and posting short updates can sometimes be more effective than long emails. Consider also filming short videos on your computer or phone and posting them for staff to watch and refer back to when they need the info. People often need to hear a message more than once for it to stick, so make a communication plan that is easy to digest and ongoing, with consistent messaging.

Logistics

Following public health guidelines and supporting your staff in the new normal will mean adapting operational plans and logistics. How many people can you safely have in your workplace at one time? How will you schedule them? How will you ensure staff are screened for symptoms before entering the workplace? How will you contact trace should it be needed? There’s a lot to manage!

There are simple and free options, depending on the size of your staff and the complexity of your needs. For example, you can easily use Google Forms to create screening questions, and a spreadsheet for tracking in-office attendance. There are also many companies offering new or expanded cloud-based return to work apps and software for this purpose. For example, we’re using an app called HIVE from a local company that was interested in supporting a charity, and it offers all features we need to manage 100 people.

Start by identifying what elements of your team’s return to office you will need to manage so you can better evaluate options. But also remember that the least expensive (or free) option isn’t always the best solution if it will divert staff time from more important work. Of course, don’t be shy to ask for a charitable organization discounted rate for any tool you’re considering deploying.

Mental Health

It’s important to support the mental health of individual members of your team as they adapt to their return to the office. While decisions should be made based on the needs of your organization and clients, some employees may be nervous about returning. Giving your team as much information and notice as you can will give them time to adapt and understand the new office protocols.

You can also share helpful online resources to support them through the transition. For example, if you offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through your benefits plan, it likely offers access to online counselling in some form. In Ontario, an online therapy program called Beacon is funded by the Ontario Government; other provinces may have something similar.

Are you ready for the new normal?

In many ways, this next phase may be the most challenging as organizations return in what is likely to be a hybrid work model. For example, at CanadaHelps we won’t be able to hold large, in person meetings in our office as we don’t have a space big enough to ensure social distancing. We will need to continue to hold many meetings with some people in the office, some from home, and some sitting at their desks joining by video. If you’re not already using Google Workspace for Nonprofits, it is a helpful tool available free to nonprofits, offering cloud-based tools for working collaboratively, including video meeting and collaboration software.

This is the time for a mindset shift

Much of what I speak and write about these days is focused on the importance of digital transformation in charities. Becoming a digital organization will certainly require leveraging digital tools to adapt operations and enable people to work more efficiently, but even more than that, it will also require a mindset shift. The opportunity afforded by COVID (whether it feels like one or not), is the opportunity to do things differently, including adopting a digital approach to operations. There will be bugs to work out in whatever system you set up, but remaining flexible and committed to adapting processes will help make it easier. About the Author

Marina Glogovac is President & CEO of CanadaHelps, a leader in providing powerful fundraising and donation technology to charities and donors since 2000. Marina has been a technology and media executive for more than 25 years, including roles at Kobo, Lavalife Corp. and St. Joseph’s Media. www.canadahelps.org

Cover photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash