As more and more companies are urging a return to the office, other companies, including nonprofits, struggle with the decision. It’s not a decision to be taken lightly: over 1 million people have died from COVID 19. Even with vaccinations, the risk remains for some individuals, notably the elderly and those with various health conditions. Determining if or when to require employees to return to the office requires thought and weighing the pros and cons.
Considerations for the Return to In-Person Work
There’s a long list of considerations for organizations to ponder before inviting (or requiring) staff to return to the office. While this list is not exhaustive, it should provide a basis for the ensuing discussions among the senior leadership team at your organization.
Federal, State and Local Health Department Guidelines
Consider the federal, state, and local health department guidelines for COVID-19. In some parts of the country, the pandemic has slowed, but in others, variants are emerging that again cause an increase in the number of ill and hospitalized people. Follow the guidelines for the region in consideration with other aspects of your work.
Nonprofit Constituents
It is vital to protect your constituents’ health, especially if you work with the elderly, immune compromised people, and other at-risk populations. The cost of inadvertently exposing them to COVID via an asymptotic yet infected staff person can be high. It may be better to err on the side of caution and encourage remote or hybrid work for all but essential personnel if your organization serves highly vulnerable populations.
Role within the Organization
The individual’s role within the organization is also a factor in whether mandating a return to work is in order. Does the individual provide hands-on services that can only be delivered in person? Caregivers, doctors, nurses, teachers, childcare workers, and those fulfilling similar duties must, by the nature of their work, meet with constituents and provide services from a central location.
Others, such as operations, accounting, finance, marketing, donor support, and similar roles may be well-suited to remote or hybrid work.
Ask Your Employees
Lastly, be sure to ask your employees how they feel about returning to in-person work. Listen to their concerns. Ask questions. Be prepared to explore their fears and apprehensions. Keep an open mind about how to approach such conversations without shame, blame, or pressure on anyone. Everyone wants the same thing: for the organization, its employees, and constituents to thrive. Engaging your teams in conversation about the return to work is a thoughtful and considerate way to include them in the decision.
Ensure Full Controls and Safeguards Remain in Place
No matter which model you choose—remote, hybrid, or in-person—keep all the safeguards, internal controls, and similar security measures you implemented during the pandemic. This includes:
- Secure cloud-based systems for accounting, finance, donor, marketing, and operational tasks
- Internal controls that guide the handling of all financial matters
- Guidelines for employees on the use of technology, whether using their own devices or taking authorized devices home for work
Among these, we cannot emphasize enough the importance of full security measures for any technology utilized by employees. Employees working remotely may log in from a relatively safe and secure home office or they may take their laptop to a café with a shared public Wi-Fi. You never know how they will be using their system and interfacing with your organization’s technology. Some access points are more vulnerable to hacking, attacks, password theft, and so on. Guidelines are important, but so too is a good cloud-based system that protects against many common cyber-attacks.
The choice of whether to return to in-person work is a personal one both for your organization and its employees. Take your time, consider the interests of all, and make the decision that’s best for you and your organization’s future.
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