The trend of many companies is to try to adopt a hybrid business model. However, things don't always go right.
What is important to remember when adopting a hybrid work model? We have collected in an ebook the six challenges to identify to increase productivity and have happy employees.
The health emergency we have faced has changed personal needs and work demands.
Companies around the world are testing the hybrid business model.
Each organization's approach to this model differs according to its needs. There is no single model, "one size fits all".
The best strategy is to try, collect feedback from your employees and understand which type of model is best suited to the needs of your company.
In one of our articles, we have collected all the steps to best adopt the hybrid model within your organization.
But how to be able to identify and win challenges without risking making mistakes too many times or proceeding by trial and error, without ever reaching a solution?
Today we tell you about the six challenges that a company, which adopts a hybrid work model, must identify and solve, with some advice from our team.
1. Too many employees returning in attendance
Reopening the doors of the company without giving rules or instructions to employees could cause some problems:
- overcrowding makes the presence experience unpleasant and lowers employee productivity;
- you may not have enough staff to support the number of people on-site and, at the same time, process the first applications of hybrid work;
- Employees who need to go to the office may not find a free seat.
How to regulate the return to the office without discouraging people?
One approach that can be taken is to offer a benefit to entice employees to come on a less “popular” day. For example, offering breakfasts or lunches on less crowded days.
Another valid strategy is to use hot-desking software.
This allows both employers and employees to know how many people are in the office at the same time, manage spaces in the best possible way and guarantee social distancing.
2. Few employees want to go back to the office
In some realities, the opposite problem may occur.
In this case, try to understand what your employees need to get back in attendance: take a survey to understand what they expect and what might entice them.
Survey responses can help you tweak your protocols to make returning to the office more attractive.
3. Too much noise in the workplace
Let's face it: hybrid work can be noisy.
People not only collaborate in person but also virtually with other people. All of this can create a noisy and disruptive work environment.
A survey of workplace experience revealed that while 75% of employees believe noise management is critical to a good workplace, only 30% of people are satisfied with the level of chaos in the office.
In this case, a good solution could be to organize dedicated silent areas, in which to limit or prohibit employees from speaking loudly.
Another idea is to add desks in less busy office spaces and call them "silent desks", which people can reserve.
4. Some areas of the office remain unused
What to do to use each space of the company to the fullest?
A good tip from the world of technology is to give your workspaces a name and make them memorable.
It is not certain that this solution is always the most effective. Also in these cases, it is important to carry out analyzes and surveys among employees to understand which spaces are used the most and for what reasons.
5. Many employees stay after hours
In a hybrid work model, some employees are present in the workplace a few days a week, so they may want to make the most of their time, staying after hours to socialize with colleagues from other departments.
This situation gives us the cue to devise strategies to help employees build bonds in the workplace.
It is important to plan activities before or after work. Take into consideration activities in the morning or at aperitif time. Another idea could be to organize a lunch, in which everyone takes turns bringing something.
6. Lack of managerial and managerial visibility remotely
Since it cannot guarantee a constant presence on site, a company that adopts a hybrid model needs to create alternatives, so employees do not leave because they feel excluded or cannot see colleagues or bosses daily.
Make sure you have video conferencing capabilities in all workplaces, that it works properly, and that your employees know how to use it.
It is also essential to include employees who work remotely in virtual meetings to socialize, such as a happy hour or remote lunch meetings.
Conclusions
Creating a hybrid work environment in which people can't wait to work is neither easy nor something that takes place overnight.
By identifying problems in the workplace, testing creative solutions, and listening to your employees' requests, you will be able to create a great workplace.
Challenges are bound to present themselves, but if we are prepared to accept them, it will also be easier to overcome them.
