In recent years, we’ve seen a colossal shift in the way organisations work. Gone are the days of commuting on hot trains five days a week. The pandemic prompted change that had been needed for some time, and paved the way for hybrid working.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the proportion of workers hybrid working jumped from 13% in February 2022 to 24% in May 2022. And today, 51% of employees say they have flexible working arrangements in their current role, with 37% of organisations seeing increased interest in such arrangements.
Whilst it’s clear hybrid working is in demand, not every organisation can make it a success. So, as the world’s first hybrid workplace platform, we want to offer you our thoughts on a topic that’s hot, and getting hotter. Hybrid working is the present and the future, so let us tell you how to do it well:
Three key principles around making hybrid a success
If you’re after some quick advice to ensure your office days are a triumph, these three principles make for a great starting point:
- Be Transparent 🔎 Allocate a specific purpose to your office days so everyone knows why and what they’re in for ahead of time.
- Think People-First 🧠 Prioritise your employees’ needs above everything else to make them feel respected and appreciated.
- Demonstrate Value 🥇 Show that the benefits of office days outweigh the inconveniences of travelling in. For instance, did you know that some coworking spaces in London have childcare facilities?
How to action these principles and make hybrid working better for everyone
Whilst in-person working can boost team morale and contribute towards positive employee wellbeing, not everyone recognises the value of office days. So, now you’ve got a handle on the above three principles, here’s a closer look at the steps you can take to make change happen:
- Maximise Employee Engagement by allowing time for targeted training and feedback sessions ⭐️
- Utilise the Office Space and Equipment to ensure you’re making use of the facilities that aren’t available when working remotely (ahem…roof terraces!) 🖥
- Organise Activities and Events to get your team working together, be it through problem-solving, creative mind mapping, or whatever else 🎳
- Create an Environment Where People Want to Work (Hubble has a range of inspiring people-focussed coworking spaces for you to peruse) 🧘♂️
- Host Solution-Focused Meetings so everyone arrives with their sights set on the same goal ✅
- Utilise Physical Break-Out Rooms with smaller groups so individual voices can be heard 🚪
- Prioritise Relationship-Building when Using the Office so employees can grow closer to colleagues and clients 🤝
- Make an Effort to Share Knowledge and Swap Skills as everyone loves a bit of up-skilling 👩🏫
- Master the Hybrid Meeting so those attending remotely do not feel any less involved than those there in person ☕️
Whilst there’s a lot to think about here, any combination of these steps is bound to improve employee engagement and productivity to some degree, so now’s the time to act.
More on mastering the hybrid meeting
Looking at the above list, mastering the hybrid meeting could be the most important thing of all.
Whilst we’ve all got stories of hybrid meetings going wrong, companies everywhere must learn to adapt fast to this method of communication. Doing so will help keep employees feeling inspired and alleviate any issues related to the proximity bias. After all, there’s nothing worse than feeling left out when you can’t attend the meeting in person for whatever reason.
If you’re struggling to master the hybrid meeting, try these quick tips:
- Set a Clear Agenda and send it to attendees beforehand 📝
- Invest in the Appropriate Tech and show employees how to use it effectively 💻
- Incorporate Regular Breaks to avoid burnout and Zoom fatigue ⏳
- Ensure Remote Voices are Heard by utilising functions that promote visibility (e.g. the Raise Your Hands function in Microsoft Teams) 📞
Beyond this, you should also offer regular check-ins to ensure those that work remotely more regularly don’t feel isolated and aren’t overworking.
You could also offer those employees the chance to book into a coworking space using the Hubble Pass—one that’s more conveniently positioned to where they’re located. That way, they still benefit from the buzz of an office but can do so at their convenience.
The common pitfalls to avoid like the plague
Now you know the steps you can take to make hybrid working a success, here are some of the common errors people make, so you definitely know what to avoid doing:
- Avoid Long Departmental Meetings focused solely on generic updates 🥱
- Don’t Leave Employees Isolated as one team member ends up in the office on a day everyone else has decided to work from home 🙁
- Don’t Overdo Team-Building Activities, so employees have to catch up on work in their free time 🙄
- Don’t Normalise Excessive Screen Time so employees feel as though they may as well have been at home 😵💫
Find your perfect hybrid solution with Hubble
Developing and implementing the perfect hybrid workplace strategy is not easy. It takes careful consideration and clever design, not to mention investment to ensure employees are comfortable, safe and happy.
Here at Hubble, we’re here to make that process easier for you. So, whether you’re looking for on-demand access to a global network of coworking space, meeting rooms by the hour, private day offices or event space, or would prefer to call one of the beautiful coworking spaces your home for a month or more, we’re ready to help.
