By Shefali Kapadia
USA Truck, like many businesses, went fully remote for office operations last spring when the pandemic prompted large-scale shutdowns. The decision was straightforward for most companies, as they put staff safety above all else.
“When the pandemic hit … you have that ‘fight or flight’ button in your brain and say, ‘OK, what do we have to do to get through this?’” Nick Wakefield, vice president of human resources, driver recruiting and retention at USA Truck, said in an interview.
But the decision to bring staff back to the office is less black and white. Hybrid setups are a popular option, in which employees work some days from home and others days in the office.
Executives face myriad considerations in making this type of configuration work, from culture to safety to productivity. And the return to work is a high-stakes decision. Managers face the risk of employees quitting if they don’t offer remote or hybrid options. If variants of the virus emerge, the safety of staff working in close quarters could be in danger. Culture and engagement could suffer in a remote setup, ultimately leading to turnover issues.
The decision is particularly difficult for the transport sector, in which several types of jobs cannot be performed remotely. Employers that opt for a remote or hybrid setup for office workers must also consider the impacts on staff that cannot work from home, such as truck drivers and technicians.
USA Truck is in the process of its return-to-work planning, and managers are figuring out hybrid schedules for their teams after they saw many benefits of remote operations during the pandemic, Wakefield said.
“We’re actually finding employees are happier,” Wakefield said. “They’re growing and thriving.”
SHEFALI KAPADIA 