Get the most out of the ‘new normal’ workforce model with our top tips! Hybrid workforce meaning having some employees working remotely and some in the office. It has gained a lot of popularity due to Covid-19 and many companies are moving to a hybrid workforce model.
Experiencing teething problems with the recent shift to the Hybrid workforce model at your company? Do not fret, you are not the only one. A recent study of 500 business leaders in the United Kingdom found that only 16% expected their staff to come back to the office full-time. In any big business, big changes can mean big problems when properly carried out. Have a look at our Top Tips below for making the transition yield better results than before the pandemic and ensure your staff are happy and feel listened to along the way.
Where is my Lunch?
The always welcomed free lunch at the office will never, hopefully, go away! However, for those who have chosen not to come into the office, it has. The delicate balance of a feeling of fairness within your staff is essential. Lunch vouchers can be sent via email to be printed off at home to any member of staff WFH. Now they too can feel looked after.
Team, what Team?
This Hybrid model comes with the problem of how to build team morale when face-to-face interactions are so low during the shift. Part of the allure of the renowned office Water Cooler is updating colleagues on recent work problems and generally having a laugh. Long-lasting marriages have been built on the foundations of a glib Water Cooler conversation. One way to solve this is to utilise multiplayer gaming! Staff at the office can play against and with team members at home, an effective way to build team morale. Turning your office into a hybrid work office is important to help both remote and on-site employees.
Zzzzoom!
Zoom™, Google Meetings™ and Teams™ are the new meeting rooms. Gone are the days of 20 plus staff fitting around a table designed to seat 10, first thing in the morning. With new online collaborative software, you can bring the entire team together from the comfort of their own desk, in addition to the participants of the physical meeting.
Be sure that each member has a fair opportunity to speak and contribute to the meeting by having one person in charge of selecting who will speak next. This ensures the meeting is felt to be valuable by all attendees. And the best part is, the meeting can be recorded for future viewings when needed.
Be Mindful.
When dealing with large teams it is important to listen out for problems that could develop down the road. Gender diversity in the top 500 FTSE has greatly improved over the last decade, a huge achievement when compared to 60 years ago. A worry for men and women getting used to the Hybrid model is that men are more eager to come into the office and women in higher-up positions are more likely to commute. This leaves females disproportionately ‘out-of-the-loop’. As a business leader, you must encourage staff from all sectors of the company to move to the Hybrid model, otherwise, predominantly those of independent means will rise to the top. Be mindful of this situation occurring and deal with this as early as possible. Look to other companies on how to tackle this issue, more below.
You are not alone!
The Hybrid model is new for everyone, it is important we are ready to deal with any problems as they arise because they almost certainly will. Look to the companies around you for inspiration. Google expects 20% of its workforce to not come back to the office ever again! Already Google is building products to enhance the efficiency of the Hybrid model at Google and these are expected to be rolled out in the near future.
At Twitter™ Jack Dorsey has allowed each member of staff to decide whether to come into the office or stay at home to work, no excuses required. It is important to listen to your staff as the company adapts to the Hybrid model, be ready to make changes and do not be afraid to be the leader in the field.
However your business is coping, take note; never before has such a dramatic shift revolutionised how we work in such a short period of time. In this new era of work/life balance, be proud to be part of the vanguard.
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