Local consultant offers tips to negotiate social settings when returning to the office
Navigating social waters with co-workers may feel more fraught than ever now that many employees are making the transition back to office life. Cincinnati entrepreneur, blogger and brand identity consultant Morgan Owens has a few tips for managing the return to the office.
As difficult as it can be to navigate relationships in regular work environments, the pandemic has added layers that can be fraught with anxiety. For example, as some companies have yet to announce any vaccination mandates, how does one manage interactions with coworkers with unknown or mixed vaccination status?
“Personally, I don’t think it’s appropriate to ask someone’s vaccination status, just like you wouldn’t ask them about any other health status,” Owens says. “Instead, a great way of creating awareness would be saying, ‘I’m vaccinated, are you more comfortable with me wearing a mask?’ Or ‘I’m vaccinated, but I’m wearing a mask to respect others in a work setting. Are you OK doing the same?’”
Knowing one will share personal space for large parts of the day means asserting preferences for work environment—but how does one make such requests without demeaning coworkers? “Many of us interact with others who are at high risk,” Owens says. “For me, I am around my parents, so I would not want to risk putting their health on the line if I’m working with unvaccinated adults. Additionally, ask your supervisor to consider how your work ethic of working remote from home has affected my performance. If you can continue to produce the same great work as before, it should give you leverage for negotiating a flexible work schedule.”
The pandemic certainly has taken its toll on mental health. Returning to the office can add extra stress and anxiety, not to mention the guilt of leaving loved ones or even pets behind in the transition. To top it off, women are often criticized for showing emotion in a professional setting. Owens has a few tips on how to process feelings without sacrificing your professional persona.
“My advice would be to give yourself grace. No one was prepared to work through a global pandemic—there is no blueprint on how to navigate or how to manage your feelings,” Owens says. “If you need to cry, cry—but don’t live there. Have your moment and then refocus on your ‘why’ and your goals. We are all human, and this pandemic has taught us that we all need to be a little more flexible in business and personal life.”