Your staff will return from COVID restrictions wanting to continue flexible work practices, but don't make the mistake of believing flexibility alone will retain your staff.
Social bonds, connections, trust, loyalty. These are hallmarks of highly engaged workplaces, and they are created largely through face to face contact.
Using Daniel Coyle's phrase from his best seller 'The Culture Code', let's create workplaces which are 'safe and collision-rich'; places where our teams interact in close proximity.
Close physical proximity allows our teams to develop the social connections and bonds which are so important, and it allow the communication and collaboration which our workplaces need.
Research has shown that a distance of 8m between team members is critical. Outside 8m, there will be almost no communication. Inside 8m, the communication frequency rises exponentially. How is the physical environment you have built for your team?
Go forth, and create a 'safe, collision-rich' workplace for your team!