Back (more) to the office from 18 February 2022

From 18 February 2022, your employees whose jobs do allow them to telecommute are allowed to come back (more) to work. Your employees can come back to the office for several days, but it is not compulsory, as teleworking is still recommended by the government where/when it is possible.

The end of the teleworking obligation will presumably also mean the end of a number of other obligations:

• there is no need for organised return times. You also no longer have to take into account a maximum number of employees on the shop floor per day;
• the certificate or other evidence to confirm presence at the workplace can be scrapped;
• a mandatory telework registration via the telework declaration on the social security portal is also no longer necessary.

For many employees, the end of compulsory teleworking will be another important step towards the new normal . But not everyone finds this step so easy.

As an employer, you cannot punish the choice not to return to work yet. Nor should return depend on a corona test or a vaccination certificate, as this information belongs to the private sphere.

Talk to your employees who are uncomfortable with a return and enter into a dialogue to work out an approach that is workable and feasible for everyone.

Do not forget to apply the preventive measures, because the social distancing rules still apply. A maximum level of protection must also be maintained in the workplace. This could mean that not all employees can be on the shop floor at the same time, and that you will have to work with a rotation system.

The generic guide, supplemented by the sectoral protocols, provides information on the appropriate preventive measures. The 1.5 metres social distancing and face masks will not disappear from the professional sphere for a while.

Your employees' commuting will also increase again. Think about the possible renewal of subscriptions in good time. Please also note that public transport fares are adjusted, as usual, in February. As a result, your contribution to the transport costs may change. Finally, the maximum exempted amount of the bicycle allowance has been increased to EUR 0.25 per kilometre. 

Physical team building will also be possible again. It is a good way to strengthen the group spirit and reaffirm the bond between colleagues. Is your period of evaluation interviews coming up? Then you can organise it live.