HOW HYBRID WORK IMPROVES EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
The pandemic forced companies to make widespread changes to their daily operations. One of those changes was the shift towards remote work. It became evident that people could work from anywhere, and it could even improve their productivity. However, the isolation that came with it was not always ideal. Hybrid work emerged, allowing employees the flexibility to work from home or the office. This shift is proving transformative for companies and their employees. In this blog, we’ll explore how hybrid work improves employee engagement and how necessary it is for companies.
1. EMPLOYEE CHOICE
Hybrid work is about giving your employees a choice. Employees who have control over their work can adapt better to their roles in the workplace. They can use their creativity to find solutions to problems without being tied to one physical location, perform better in their jobs and have a sense of work-life balance. Plus, they have the flexibility to work from anywhere they want, improving their quality of life. Employee choice also reduces turnover rates. By providing your employees with control over their work arrangements, you are more likely to retain your talent longer.
2. FOSTER CULTURE
The physical presence of employees in the office has always been important for organisations to build culture. With hybrid work, companies can establish a strong company culture without employees necessarily being in the same physical location. Building culture within hybrid work environments means considering how you communicate with your team members and the tools you use to do it. Leveraging social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter can help your employees engage with the company and each other. Celebrating achievements and important dates will also contribute to maintaining a positive workplace culture.
3. CONNECTED EMPLOYEE WORKFORCE
Hybrid workforces allow employees to accommodate their schedules, manage projects and goals, and communicate with co-workers seamlessly. Communication is the key to creating a connected workforce, so ensure you have the technological tools in place to facilitate remote connections. Your company must provide employees with access to digital infrastructure to use without causing disruptions to their workloads. Having collaboration tools like Slack, Asana, Microsoft Teams or Zoom will minimise communication disruption, maintain productivity, and improve employee engagement.
4. WORKING FROM HOME (FLEXIBILITY)
Working from home can be a great way to focus on tasks and for employees to feel comfortable in their environment. Hybrid work provides the ability to balance the demands of work and personal life but can be challenging for businesses to achieve. There is no doubt that employees are preferring to work from home with 63.4% indicating this in a recent Hubspot Report. Further to this, 8.3% prefer to work in the office and 28.3% want to work in a flex environment (a combination of in office and at home).
This flexibility is becoming increasingly vital for employees because of their responsibilities outside of work. When their home life is not under threat, they can be more productive at work. Employees benefit from being able to pursue their hobbies and interests while still having enough time to commit to their professional life.
CONCLUSION
Many businesses are adapting to hybrid work from traditional work arrangements. The benefits of hybrid work are clear for both the employee and the employer. Employee engagement thrives when the employees have the choice of when and where they work, and companies that offer flexible work arrangements can benefit from facilitated collaboration, retention of talent, and improved culture. If you haven’t considered creating a hybrid work environment, it’s time to rethink your business model’s future and consider implementing employee choice to increase your overall performance.
