One big positive to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic is the leaps that have been made in innovation, the way that businesses were able to operate continuously and transition their workforce from working in the office to working remotely from home or in a hybrid workplace model. And now, with the world opening up again businesses are entering into a more permanent hybrid model to further advance and remain resilient by embracing new and flexible ways of doing things.
According to recent WeWork research, working from home has resulted in a 15 percent decline in employees’ ability to meet, be creative, and brainstorm new ideas. According to the Gartner 2021 Hybrid Work Employee Survey, more than 70 percent of HR professionals are now more concerned about employee collaboration than they were before the pandemic began. Data backs up the idea that a hybrid workplace model is the way of the future: According to Microsoft’s 2021 Work Trend Index, 73 percent of employees desire more freedom, and 67 percent prefer in-person interaction and collaboration to boost creativity and productivity.
The hybrid workplace model has resulted in a notable shift in organisational culture. For an employer, the hybrid model involves a thorough reimagining of the whole work environment, from digital to physical, to interpersonal, and businesses are worried about the effect this has on employees’ productivity and collaboration with a partially or entirely remote staff.
According to a whitepaper on the Middle East and Africa issued by Microsoft, the hybrid workplace model helps businesses to retain staff, attract new talent, innovate, and create a better work environment for the whole team. That said, it’s hard to forget that employees’ interactions are more spontaneous when they share a workplace, and they tend to communicate with people beyond their own teams. By encouraging this type of collaboration to continue, employees will feel more motivated, productive, and flexible to sustain a vibrant work environment. Here are 6 ways to develop a hybrid workplace environment that will assist your business in overcoming the barrier of a physically distributed staff and boosting collaboration.
- Being flexible and accommodating: According to a Slack study, flexibility is crucial reason employees are drawn to the hybrid workplace model. Employees are more focused and productive when they have a better work-life balance and can tailor their work obligations to fit around other commitments. Giving your employees the freedom to choose between their workdays could boost morale and staff engagement, and can help them to collaborate and brainstorm ideas with other team members face-to-face whenever required.
- Maintaining a healthy work-life balance: After the covid-19 pandemic, prioritising employees’ well-being and creating a work-life balance is essential to minimise stress, anxiety, and burnout. The major drivers of the reduced work-life balance were related to the fact the employees were not able to collaborate frequently with others while working from home. In the hybrid workplace model, employees can easily collaborate with other colleagues rather than attending virtual meetings or sending emails after hours, which gives them higher work-life satisfaction. Creating a hybrid workplace not only allows workers to work in the manner they want but also improves collaboration.
- Creating a collaborative space: Redesigning the workspace to strike a balance between in-office and remote employees will boost collaboration, creativity, and productivity. Investing in new technologies such as video conferencing setups between virtual and on-site employees, providing employees with portable monitors to be productive anywhere, and having open spaces for collaboration and to maintain social distancing are just a few examples of how your organisation can help create an effective office for hybrid work. Setting up collaborative furniture in the workspace can help employees to move freely throughout the office, as employees are more likely to utilise the collaborative spaces to brainstorm ideas rather than dedicated or reservable workstations.
- Creating a work environment that’s comfortable: If you want to create a fully collaborative workplace culture, you’ll need to make sure you have the right technologies in place to make cooperation easier. This will help employees to complete their tasks faster, allowing them to devote more time to collaborating and being creative. An easy-going and comfortable work environment is ideal for encouraging collaboration. Everything from ergonomic furniture, tech accessories, temperature-controlled environments, and adjustable standing desks to well-positioned display risers can help employees boost their mental well-being and focus.
- One-to-One interaction: A crucial component of hybrid collaboration is encouraging employees to have one-on-one interactions on a regular basis. Set aside time every week for employees to have a 30-minute face-to-face conversation with managers, co-workers, or peers. Hold in-office brainstorming sessions for encouraging employees to work together to overcome challenges, trust each other, and communicate effectively. In a hybrid model, employees can benefit from collaborative, in-person interactions while simultaneously working remotely on tasks that need deep attention.
- Recognising accomplishments: Recognising employees for their efforts both inspires them and encourages other team members to achieve their desired goals. Be sure to recognise the part others play in the success of the team and give them credit for their hardwork to foster a stronger culture of workplace collaboration. Look for opportunities to share triumphs and promote new ideas to boost employees’ participation and interest. As an employer, you can express your gratitude through public acknowledgment, appraisal, or team lunch.
Workplace collaboration and employee satisfaction are crucial to a company’s success. As an employer, the goal is to identify the ways to enhance productivity, flexibility, and employee well-being, as well as to constantly analyse and adjust to the ever-changing work environment. Businesses that promote work-life balance have a healthier and more productive workforce and a hybrid workplace model is ideal for attaining this balance, as it allows employees to work both remotely and in-office.
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