Working from home – the effect on new starters

There are still many conversations going on in all sorts of businesses about whether to bring home working colleagues back to the office, let them stay at home or create a hybrid working environment.  For more information on that have a look at our article here. 

However this article considers those at the beginning of their careers or those who are starting a new role. What do we need to think about for them?

It’s my first job!

Those who are just starting in their careers and those who are starting a new role struggle to work from home all of the time.  It’s hard to ask questions that you consider stupid when you need to type them in a Team’s chat box!  Far easier to ask the person sitting next to you in a casual way! (Stupid questions are rarely stupid by the way, it is just our perception of the question!) Working from home means that the vital information that you need to do your job takes longer to learn.  In addition, there is no one who can watch over your shoulder.  I have caught many mistakes made by new colleagues by just listening to them speaking or taking a glance at their screens – mistakes that once caught are a great learning point, but if left that become a problem. 

For those new to work, those coming directly from university or college learn more about work life than just how to do their job. Lessons about being in the office on time, how to dress, when to take breaks etc. are lessons that this group don’t learn when they work from home.  I have had lots of conversations whilst mentoring apprentices that would not have been had if they and I had been at home such as:

• no, it’s not appropriate to wear jeans with holes in them to a customer visit
• don’t be late back from lunch every day, I’m not surprised your colleagues are irritated with you
• playing table tennis all afternoon is not the same as working
• It’s your responsibility to get yourself here on time, saying your mum forgot to wake you up is not an excuse

And these lessons are essential for their future careers.

What’s the answer?

Although new starters and those in their first job don’t need to be in the office the whole time I think a hybrid situation as a minimum is essential. Even if things change in time, those first few months it is essential to have some time with colleagues. This of course also means that we need other colleagues in the office too! So perhaps if we ask most colleagues to come into the office two or three days a week then that would accommodate the new starters’ needs but it would also allow flexibility for everyone else. 

What else do we need to consider?

Communication! It’s great making these decisions but how do we communicate with all these groups?  Talk to them!  Don’t just impose rules without explaining why.  Ensure that you ask for their concerns and answer them, don’t brush issues under the carpet, bring them back into the open, and help them talk through issues to come to a solution.

After all, if we want to make sure we have the best workforce, access the best people for the job, and accommodate all their needs then communicate your decisions.

If you need some help then speaking with a business coach can help you untangle your thoughts, if this would help you contact me for a chat.

Jacqui Hanbury is the Managing Director of The Pathway Communication Company Limited and is a specialist in helping you find the thing that is stopping your business from achieving as much as it could be.  Follow her on LinkedIn to find out more.

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