View our #Candocommunity Live Q&A: Returning to the workplace: What matters most & how to get there.

[Deleted User]

Did you miss our community Live Q&A — Returning to workplace: What matters most and how to get there!?

View the recording here

Here's a little bit about what we covered:

Enabling your organization to succeed in our new reality is a challenge we’re all wrestling with – and we have insights to help you on your journey. View our #CanDoCommunity Live Q&A: Returning to the Workplace webinar where we discuss how to prioritize what matters most, whether you return to your office, transform your work culture entirely, or need a blend of both.

Our very own CMO, Anna Griffin, hosted Ipsos COO, Jeff Cail, to discuss what the return to the workplace looks like and how to think about a new way of working.

Ipsos is a global research leader in understanding employee and customer sentiments as companies return to the workplace, and Jeff will shared trends from these undertakings – in addition to what those trends mean for all of us. 

We also answered your questions live around planning and implementing your organization’s return to the workplace. 

We will also be posting to this thread with questions that we didn't have time to answer. Thanks for the great conversation, all!

[Deleted User]

Thanks all who attended our #CanDoCommunity Live Q&A on returning to the workplace and the challenges we have all faced over the past few months as the world of work has changed. There were some great questions and as we didn't get to answer all of the questions coming in live we wanted to follow-up here and share some of those questions and answers both from Smartsheet and Ipsos!

Please find a list of questions from our community below:

How can Smartsheet support efforts to safely return to the workplace?

• A great place to start is our
• IPSOS offers  return to work Health & Safety Audits for offices and retail locations as they allow re-entry. Our Auditor will work with the office manager and evaluate compliance to new health and safety policy and procedures. More information on the Work Place Health & Safety Audits can be found

How might we craft new ways of working in office space that let us collaborate while social distancing?

IPSOS has implemented new health & safety policies, to help ensure spaces are safe and employees feel comfortable, to include the following:

• Training and Communication​
• HR training certification on Health & Safety ​
• Video in lobby reiterating our plan​
• Max Capacity and Social Distancing signage​
• Work spaces​
• Block off every other desk​
• Clean Desk Policy​
• Proper Sanitizing Work spaces​
• Stickered chairs to indicate where you can sit​
• Shared Spaces​
• One-way traffic flow​
• 6-feet circular markers in common areas ​
• Foot door openers​
• Automated hand sanitizer in common areas​
• Anti-microbial laminate on door handles, elevator buttons, copiers, coffee makers ​
• Employee Goodwill​
• Welcome Kit to Employees​
• Individual sanitizer​
• Tissue pack​
• IPSOS branded mask​
• Self-validation of well-being ​  

For collaboration purposes, it’s important to have regular ongoing communication touch points with your teams.  Touch base with people one on one as much as possible to make sure they are doing OK.  And use technology to help ensure people are connected to your company and to each other.  Smartsheet is a great way to help companies collaborate on projects that require input from multiple sources/people.

What transparent forms of communication are being utilized to keep employees and customers up to speed on a business' status during this pandemic?

IPSOS addressed this topic regularly in their Halls and has increased direct written communication from Founder and CEO in newsletters and emails regarding health and safety, rallying around values of company, motivating through storytelling in corporate communication and utilization of our  ‘Ask Pierre’ with candid and open Q&A forum. Being Candid and open is the key.  We also created a Covid-central site and Health & Safety leadership team.  Communication to your customers would by key so they have an understanding of how you are prepared to meet them as a customer. 

As a Director, what is the most important thing to make employees feel safe, valued and that they are your most valuable asset?

IPSOS - 48% of employees were most concerned with the safety of the restrooms and over 57% felt employers should provide hand sanitizer. Showing that the company cares for employee health and safety will go a long way and help them feel safe and valued. 

• Ensuring customer confidence when an employee returns from testing positive. CDC guidelines are one thing but people tend to look at and treat individuals different. Everyone is human but natural instincts of fear happen even afterwards. How do we handle delicate situations.
• Companies are handling this in different ways. Google staying home until the summer of 2021 and L’oreal taking a firmer stance with employees having to come into the office. At Ipsos, if anyone test positive in the office, or in the same building as an Ipsos office, Ipsos is closing that office for a 2 week period to avoid employees being uncomfortable and in this delicate situation 

What level of input are you going to collect from employees and how often will you survey knowing opinions are changing regularly?

IPSOS - Ipsos regularly polls people from across the globe about the main topics affecting our world.  We anticipate continuing to collect data from employees throughout the time that COVID and returning to the workplace is a concern.  We will evaluate each of our offices on a regular basis to ensure our workspaces are safe so that our own employees can feel comfortable coming to work.  And we will conduct quarterly “Voice of the Employee” surveys to ensure we are hitting the mark with these efforts.

Thanks again for all those who joined or have viewed the recording. Please continue the discussion or send any other questions on this topic by posting in the comments below!