Ready, Set, Return: The Ultimate Return to Office Kit

What is a Return to Office Kit?

Employers provide return-to-office kits to employees after an extended period of remote work to help them adjust to in-person work. A return-to-office kit aims to aid the transition and adaptation of employees back to the office as smoothly and comfortably as possible. 

Before choosing items, consider this planning checklist:

• Ask employees what they would use and set a per-person budget before selecting purchases.
• Separate personal or opt-in items from shared-office purchases.
• Ask IT to review technology and storage choices, and facilities to review shared-office equipment and workspace changes.
• Choose an ordering owner and set a distribution date.
• Plan a post-return check-in to ask what was useful and what employees would change.

The Importance of Getting Employees Ready to Return to The Office

After remote work, transitioning back to in-person work can be challenging and stressful for employees, affecting their productivity, engagement, and overall well-being. Employers should prepare their employees to return to their desks. 

By providing support and resources through a return to office kits:

• Employers demonstrate commitment to a safe and supportive work environment
• Employees feel more at ease and self-assured as they return to in-person work
• This leads to increased morale, retention, and loyalty, which ultimately benefits the organization as a whole

Return to Office Kits Employers Can Provide For Their Employees:

1. Personalized water bottles

Providing personalized water bottles to employees is important as it promotes hydration, which is important because it helps to maintain cognitive function, energy levels, and overall physical health. Employers can help employees stay healthy, engaged, and focused on their work by prioritizing hydration in the workplace. Personalization for each of your employees shows that you care about every single one of them. Customization can come in names, inspirational quotes, or symbols. 

Clove and Twine offer a large array of customizable water bottles with different variants.

2. Noise-canceling headphones

An office environment that is potentially distracting can greatly benefit from noise-canceling headphones since they can help employees remain focused and productive. Workplace noise pollution can cause stress and impair employees' concentration and communication. The use of noise-canceling headphones can improve productivity and comfort for employees with sensory sensitivities by providing a comfortable and inclusive work environment. Some noise-canceling headphones that we love:

• Anker Soundcore Life Q20
• TaoTronics SoundSurge 90
• Mpow H10‍‍

3. Air purifier / humidifier

An air purifier and humidifier can contribute to a more comfortable and healthy work environment. Poor air quality can worsen allergies and respiratory problems, while low humidity can cause dry skin and eyes, nasal congestion, and other unpleasant symptoms. Air purifiers and humidifiers can improve breathing and comfort, leading to happier employees and increased job satisfaction. Subsequently, a healthy and comfortable work environment can reduce sick days and increase productivity. 

You can provide air purifiers/humidifiers that cover most of the office or smaller ones for the desks. ‍

4. Blue Light Glasses

Treat blue light glasses as an optional item, not a standard purchase for everyone. Consider including them only when an employee requests them and they fit the kit budget.

Eyebuydirect sells affordable blue light glasses in various styles and a selection with prescription.‍

5. External Hard Drive and USB Drive

Before choosing storage items, ask IT which storage and transfer methods it approves. Consider external hard drives or USB drives only when an employee requests one and IT approves it.

You can find affordable External Hard Drives and USB Drives in Staples, Best Buy, or Amazon.

6. Wellness Box

The past 3 years have been challenging for many employees, with increased stress and anxiety due to the pandemic and remote work. By providing a wellness box, employers can show that they care about their employees' well-being and want to help them reduce stress and improve their overall health. A wellness box may include healthy snacks, self-care products, and mindfulness tools, which can assist employees in feeling more energized and focused during the workday. Finally, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, wellness boxes can include personal protective equipment and other items to help employees feel safe and protected. 

To build your own customized wellness box that fits your employees’ needs:

• Clove and Twine
• Nature’s Wellness Box

7. Supportive Communication Technology

As employees return to the office, providing technology for communication, like Litespace, is important. With the pandemic, remote work has become the norm for many, and employees may feel disconnected from their colleagues and the company culture. 

Communication Tools Litespace Offers:

• Offering a tool can help bridge this gap and improve collaboration among team members. With its smart AI work scheduling, event recommendations, and office analytics.
• Litespace can help employees stay on top of their tasks, increase productivity, and boost morale. It can also help companies manage their office spaces more efficiently and economically, which is especially important in a post-pandemic world. 

By providing supportive technology like Litespace, employers can help their employees adjust to the new normal of work and succeed in their roles.

8. Improving The Office Workspace

Improving your employees' workspaces is to provide a comfortable and healthy workspace; employers can help them feel more supported and productive when they return to the office. Employers should keep an eye out for investing in their "employees' workspace" while implementing a hybrid work model (whether at home or in the office). While designing your workspace, consider its productivity, efficiency, space, lighting, and decorations.

• Ergonomic chair and desk
• Good lighting
• A tidy desk setup
• Desk plants
• Functional office decorations

Key Takeaways

Use the eight categories as ideas, not a shopping list for everyone. Choose employee-requested items within budget, keeping personal choices separate from shared-office purchases and IT decisions. Confirm who will order each item and when it will be distributed.