April. September. January 2022. Never. These are just a few of the timelines we’re hearing from hiring companies as they consider a return-to-office plan. And regardless of whether you’re an employer, employee or jobseeker, it’s not too early to start conversations about what your office “new normal” looks like.

Here a few questions to get you started.

As a hiring company…
1) Does WFH work for your company, team and culture?
2) Has your team been as productive and collaborative working from home?
3) Would you consider a hybrid model of in-office and remote?
4) Have employees moved out-of-state?
5) Is your corporate office space still needed?

As an employee or jobseeker…
1) What does your ideal return-to-office look like?
2) If you’re job seeking, are you asking potential employers about their return-to-office plans?
3) Has flexibility become more important to you during this time?
4) Have you discussed return-to-work with your family, team, and manager?
5) In your heart of hearts, how will you do your best work?

This nearly yearlong disruption to our “typical” way of working also presents an opportunity. Companies can garner employee feedback on WFH, be transparent as they plan, and implement a new, optimal model based on real data and experience.

Employees and jobseekers can take a fresh look at their priorities, e.g. would you take a pay cut for greater flexibility? Don’t let this (fingers crossed) once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon pass by without assessing what’s truly important to you, and ideally bringing the best parts of the WFH paradigm into your next chapter.