According to a recent study, 4 in 10 people are experiencing anxiety about returning to the workplace. Here at Lyreco we want to do everything we can to help alleviate this, and help you feel as comfortable as possible when returning to the workplace.

We’re sharing our top tips to help make your transition back to the workplace as stress-free as possible. As many people have been remote working over the last year, it’s easy to forget some of the experiences you can only get in the workplace.

Here are a few of our favourites we’re looking forward to..
– Coffee Catchups: There’s nothing quite like a good face to face chat with your team-mates and colleagues over a brew.

– Workplace Banter: Despite staying connected over video call and messaging platforms, nothing beats a bit of face-to-face office banter to help breathe some life into your workday.

– Office Socials: After a tough day, what better way to unwind with your colleagues than an impromptu social after work. Whether it’s a simple meal, or a couple drinks – socials can be a great way to build team rapport and unwind.

– Work/Life Balance: Although working from home may feel like it’s improving your work-life balance: it’s reported that people working remotely through the pandemic worked an average of around 6 hours of unpaid overtime per week. Moving back to the physical workplace will allow you to separate work and life, and give you the opportunity to create a more suitable balance.

How can you create a comfortable working environment?

We understand that returning to your workplace after a long period of time can make you feel anxious – it’s perfectly natural. Whether you’re feeling worried about mixing with lots of people, or uncertain about changes in your role or workplace – we’ve compiled a list of things you can do to help make sure your workplace is as comfortable as possible

• DSE Assessments*: if you’ve been away from your normal work environment for some time, it’s well worth scheduling a DSE assessment with your employer to make sure your work area is comfortable, safe and compliant with DSE working criteria. DSE assessments are one of the many ways Lyreco can help support your wellbeing in the workplace.
• Practice Mindfulness: Take a few moments of your day to centre your mind. This can be done through simple breathing exercises, yoga or meditation.
• “To be prepared is half of the victory” – Miguel de Cervantes
  Often anxiety is a result of feeling ill prepared or unorganised. Use a diary or planner to create a day plan – this will help you stay on track, and make sure everything you need to do, gets done.
• Brighten up your desk with colourful stationery and equipment: What better way to feel great when returning to work, than a set of new stationery and supplies. At Lyreco, we have over 11,000 stocked products to help ensure you have a great working day.
• Communication is key. As they say “A problem shared, is a problem halved”. If you’re feeling down or anxious, although it may be difficult, confide in a friend or colleague. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to someone you know, you can always reach out to organisations such as the Samaritans.
• Create a safe space – By using products like screens, dividers, and cleansers, you can create a safe haven to help you feel comfortable in the workplace. If you need to return to your workplace, but would feel more comfortable maintaining COVID safe systems, we recommend speaking with your employer to ask for support in creating your own safe space or COVID safe environment. Note to Employers: Be sure to discuss comfort levels with employees and what options are available to help them stay safe and feel protected.

To read more about how Lyreco can support wellbeing when returning to the workplace, and how we can support you further click here.

Likewise, to browse our full range of products, to can visit our Webshop by clicking the button below.

*To book a DSE assessment, contact our friendly Customer Service Team on 08000 85 85 85 (UK), or 1800 88 22 76 (Republic of Ireland)