80% of workers said they would look for hybrid work after the pandemic. Hybrid working is a great way to ensure your employees retain the freedom and comfort of working at home while offering the structure and collaboration of in-office work.
But, some employees feel uncertain about how to manage a hybrid workspace and how to access in-office resources when mainly working remotely. If you want to make your employees feel more comfortable juggling a hybrid workplace, keep reading. This guide will discuss the best methods to make hybrid work for you and your employees.
Desk Management Software
One of the most significant hurdles hybrid workplaces face is ensuring that employees can always access in-office resources when needed. A hybrid employee’s worst nightmare is showing up to the office only to find no meeting rooms or desks available. Not only will this waste their time and money commuting to the office, but it will put a significant dent in their productivity and cause distress.
So, what can you do to resolve this issue and make office resources more accessible? Desk management software is one of the best and most valuable tools for a hybrid work model. Desk management software provides a user-friendly interface that displays your office floorplan, along with your office’s desks and meeting rooms. The employee can use this interface to book a desk or meeting room when they plan to visit the office. Some software even shows who has booked each resource to ensure that employees can sit in teams or with their friends in the office to make themselves more comfortable.
A hybrid employee’s worst nightmare is showing up to the office only to find no meeting rooms or desks available. Not only will this waste their time and money commuting to the office, but it will put a significant dent in their productivity and cause distress.
Desk management software is the best solution for ensuring employees can manage their time more efficiently, switching seamlessly between in-office and remote working as they see fit. More working freedom shouldn’t come at the cost of productivity due to a lack of planning features.
More Collaborative Workspaces
In a hybrid work model, most employees will visit the office to collaborate and use office resources like meeting rooms. Most workers will have families and pets, making it preferable to work from home most of the time, as childcare and dog walkers are expensive.
In a hybrid work model, most employees will visit the office to collaborate and use office resources like meeting rooms. Many workers have families and pets, including emotional support animals (ESAs), which make it preferable to work from home most of the time. Having an ESA at home can provide comfort and reduce stress, and obtaining an ESA letter can help employees justify this need. Additionally, childcare and dog walkers are expensive, further encouraging a work-from-home preference.
So, when your employees visit the office, it is likely that they will need workspaces that facilitate collaboration and communication. If your office is mostly structured as personal offices and cubicles, it might be the right time to rethink the design of your office floor plan.
Modern hybrid workspaces are open plan, with larger shared desks instead of individual offices. If your office is filled with private offices and cubicles, likely, these spaces won’t be in use most of the time. Providing more multifunctional space will ensure your business receives better ROI on its office space investments.
Wellness Surveys
In a hybrid work model, it can be challenging for HR teams to keep in touch with employees and have regular check-ins. HR teams can integrate wellness verification software with building access control systems and RFID door entry systems to resolve this issue.
When an employee needs to enter the building, they must first fill out a digital form on their mobile device. The questions on the form are customizable, and HR teams can enquire about employee mental health and satisfaction, giving employees the chance to offer suggestions that would help improve the company culture.
Wellness verification software is mainly used to implement coronavirus screening surveys; however, it can help implement wellness and employee satisfaction surveys. When an employee needs to enter the building, they must first fill out a digital form on their mobile device. The questions on the form are customizable, and HR teams can enquire about employee mental health and satisfaction, giving employees the chance to offer suggestions that would help improve the company culture.
Suppose the wellness surveys indicate that employees are feeling isolated or disconnected from their coworkers. In that case, HR teams can respond by initiating senior management seminars, employee wellness retreats, game nights, and other activities to unite the workforce and increase employee social communication.
Flexible Working
Some offices implement structured hybrid working, where managers decide the hours employees work, and the days they are expected to visit the office. Rather than tying employees to a strict work schedule, you might consider implementing flexible working to make employees feel more comfortable with hybrid working.
The employee dictates their schedule based on their self-knowledge, which means they will choose to work the hours when their concentration is at its best and can commute to the office when it is most convenient for them.
In a flexible hybrid work model, the employee is given more autonomy in their approach to the workday. They could start work early from home, which would help them to finish early (especially without the commute). Or, they may begin to work in the office late to avoid traffic and busy public transport.
The employee dictates their schedule based on their self-knowledge, which means they will choose to work the hours when their concentration is at its best and can commute to the office when it is most convenient for them.
Summary
Making employees feel comfortable with a hybrid work model requires easy access to office resources and a robust strategy for staying in touch with employee wellness and satisfaction. Consider which of these tips for managing a hybrid workforce would most benefit your business and solve any issues in your current strategy.
