Return to work survey: Questions to ask employees before you reopen your office

The pandemic changed the way we all work. Both employees and employers noticed a boost in productivity during that time, according to a PwC survey. Many employees even said they'd love to keep working remotely a few days a week.

Once you've got your workplace set up for hybrid work, it's crucial to pay attention to what your team prefers. As mass resignations during the pandemic have shown, people aren’t afraid to quit to look for a better fit elsewhere.

So, to make the transition back to office or hybrid work as smooth as possible, it’s important to check in with your team members and see how they feel about this. A return to work survey is the best way to evaluate employee sentiment and know what your team needs as they come back to the office.

But one survey won’t cut it. You’ll need to send a few over time to get an idea of what your employees expect. This will help you see if they’re on board with returning to the office full-time or if they’d rather have a more flexible schedule. 

Once you receive the survey results, you’ll be able to craft a hybrid work strategy that suits both your business and your employees.

Below, you’ll find our top tips on how to create your own return to work surveys, along with some question ideas. Feel free to copy and paste them (for example in a Google Form) and get started right away.

Evaluate your team's readiness

Your first return to work survey should get the conversation started. Globally, employees have a strong preference for hybrid work. So, with your first survey, you need to figure out the working arrangements your employees prefer.

For those of them who’d rather not come back to the office, you’ll need to find out why, so you can either reevaluate your return to work plans or adjust them to make the switch easier. This is key for a smooth transition.

💡 If your team is back in the office and you're trying to understand how they feel about their current work schedule, use our guide to measuring employee satisfaction instead.

‍

Return to office survey questions to assess your team’s readiness

Use the questions below to identify your team’s likes and concerns:

‍

How comfortable do you feel coming back into the office?

• I can’t wait to get back!
• I’m not sure if it’s the right thing to do
• Not comfortable at all, I’d prefer remote work

What are your main concerns about returning to the office? (Check all that apply)

• Catching Covid-19 while commuting
• Catching Covid-19 in the office
• Decreased flexibility
• Reduced productivity while working in the office
• Arranging for childcare
• A worsened work-life balance
• Other (please specify)

Which of these working arrangements do you like most?

• Remote work
• Office full time work
• Hybrid work (part in-office, part remote)

‍

Review your employees' needs

If you’re thinking about a flexible work schedule, it’s a good idea to ask your employees how they feel about it and what they need – and don’t forget to include managers in the conversation, too.

For instance, managers we spoke to about hybrid workplace management cited communication silos and hybrid events as major roadblocks. Our guide on the biggest hybrid work challenges can help you overcome some of these.

Employees who work mostly remotely may also need further support or access to perks that are often tied to office attendance, like childcare or public transport allowances. They may also need additional equipment to work successfully from home.

So, before making the switch to hybrid work, get input from your team about their specific needs and set up reimbursement policies that fit those needs. For example, you could offer:

• A budget for home office equipment
• Health and fitness allowances
• Access to mental health services
• A public transport budget
• Childcare allowances

Plus, make sure your employees have the right software tools to make hybrid work easier and more efficient for everyone, such as:

• Communication software like Slack and MS Teams
• Productivity and project management tools like Asana and ClickUp
• Desk booking software like Officely

‍

Return to work survey questions to figure out employee needs

Here are some questions you should ask team members:

‍

What are your main concerns around hybrid work? (Check all that apply)

• Fewer social interactions with colleagues
• Fairness and equitability among in-office and remote employees
• Communication silos
• Chaotic hybrid meetings
• Few opportunities to participate in work events
• None
• Other (please specify)

Which in-office perks do you use the most? (Check all that apply)

• Childcare
• Fitness classes/gyms
• Yoga sessions
• Books/games
• Spa or massage services
• Catering
• Other (please specify)

Do you have all the equipment and support to work from home?

• Yes, I have everything I need.
• No, I need the following: ____

‍

Use your office space efficiently

In a hybrid work setup, your office won’t be used the same way as when everyone was coming in full time. Ask your employees how they’d like to use the office, so you can better plan the use of desks, meeting rooms, office equipment, and other amenities.

You might want to use a workspace management tool to keep track of how your team uses office resources.

Based on how often employees come in, you'll be able to estimate cleaning needs and supplies you’ll need to stock up on, like snacks and office stationery.

You might also find out that your office needs a redesign based on how employees use it. For instance:

• If most of them want to use the office for deep work and team meetings, you’ll need more quiet individual workspaces and casual-style seating for teams
• If employees prefer to have client meetings in the office, you’ll need more conference rooms

‍

‍
Understanding how your employees plan to use the office can help you figure out how many desks you actually need. If people aren’t coming in every day, you might consider hot desking.

But before you make the switch, you’ll need to know if employees have any concerns, like losing their personal space or worries about cleanliness. Based on their feedback, you can pick the best hot desking tool for your business. You might also need to equip desks with special gear, like double monitors or external keyboards or mice.

Return to office survey questions to estimate office space

Below, you'll find questions you can use to figure out potential office space use for a flexible working model.

‍

How many days a week would you like to come to the office?

• 1-2
• 2-4
• 3-5

Which days are you most likely to come to the office? (Check all that apply)

• Monday
• Tuesday
• Wednesday
• Thursday
• Friday

For how long would you ideally stay?

• For a full day
• For half a day
• For a few hours (specify the time)

Which activities would you come to the office for? (Check all that apply)

• Regular work (email, deep work, miscellaneous activities)
• Team meetings
• Client meetings
• Deep work only
• Casual brainstorming with the team

How would you feel about hot desking?

• I'd love to try it
• I don’t like the idea
• I'm willing to give it a try

If you don’t like the idea of hot desking, which of the measures below would make you feel more confident about it? (check all that apply)

• Strict cleanliness policies
• Strict social distancing and safety measures
• Availability of lockers for personal belongings
• The possibility to book a desk in advance
• Other (please specify)

What type of desk are you most comfortable working on?

• Standing desk
• Regular, traditional desk
• I'd like to be able to use both

Which special equipment would you need on your desk? (check all that apply)

• Double monitors
• An external mouse
• An external keyboard
• None of the above
• Other (please specify)

‍

Employee engagement and support (or lack thereof) can make or break your return to work plans

Your return to work plans will likely involve some degree of change to your office policies, layout, and work schedule. But if employees are not on board, this could lead to resentment, loss of productivity, and even resignations. 

So, to build a successful hybrid work strategy, zero in on your team's needs and requests; employee engagement is key. Use a few return to work surveys – and make sure you actually take action based on feedback you get.

Actually asking your employees what they need when they return to work and sharing your plans is the best way to win employee support and make big changes like hybrid work and hot desking. It's also important to have a plan in place when introducing any new tool to a hybrid team.

For more tips on preparing for hybrid work, check out our hybrid work checklist for managers.

And, if you're ready to take the leap, make sure you pick a desk booking app that employees actually like and will use. Officely is super easy to implement into your workflows, because it integrates seamlessly into Slack and MS Teams and has all the functionalities you need to make hybrid work work well for everyone.

Book a free demo to see how much easier it can be to manage hybrid work schedules if you have the right tools at hand.

‍