Having experienced working from home many employees are not asking but demanding that this new flexible work option is maintained. And if not, they are prepared to vote with their feet.

When asked 45% of respondents said that they would not stay with a company that fails to offer remote work benefits and ‘orders’ them back to the office.
State of Remote Work Survey, GoodHire, 2021

With shortages of skills in many industries globally employees have greater choices and will select to work for companies that not just say they are a hybrid workplace but have a culture that addresses every aspect of this new work environment.

Employees are looking to work for companies where they feel trusted and supported, and where management is open to asking what they want and listening rather than simply paying ‘lip service’.

Research by meequilibrium found:

• There was a mismatch between employees' actual and desired work environments that threatened their wellbeing
• Clarity and transparency are critical when communicating hybrid work guidelines
• Conflicting views of the best work environment for career, culture and performance existed across generations and job levels
• The COVID crisis and its impact have resulted in a ‘need’ for positivity as a way to adapt to the new work environment
• Failure to provide adequate support will risk damaging employee morale and retention

There is no ‘going back to the way things were’, and there is a ‘no-one-sized fits all’ solution to what the new work model looks like. And equally so, the work culture of two years ago is no longer the work culture that your employees are wanting. Everything has been tossed up in the air, and how you ‘catch it’ moving forward will reflect company success in the future.

If a return to the office is not well-managed employees may feel anxious or uncertain which in turn will lead to a lack of engagement and poor productivity. They are seeking answers from their managers regarding what the future work environment will look like, and simply returning to the office to eat cake, is not the answer.

What your employees are looking for is a total rethink of the old ways of working including rebuilding the culture to reflect a hybrid work environment. A culture that includes empathy, engagement and equitable access.

The 3 E’s in Building Culture in a Hybrid Workplace

Empathy

Employers need to take time to understand their employee segments preferred work environment rather than make assumptions about how effectively they are helping their workforce to adapt. 

Engagement

Procedures, systems and expectations between managers and employees need to be well-communicated and received. This will result in an engaged workforce that feels trusted.

Equitable Access

No matter where members physically work, they shall have equal access to information, technology, guidance, training and social events, recognition and reward.

Checking in, adjusting and readjusting again, are critical in the early days, weeks and months. While getting it wrong can lead to uncertainty, increased stress, low morale, poor productivity and losing your best talent.

On team's engagement and collaboration

How do you foster and maintain engagement and collaboration within teams working in different work settings? Dig deep with us as our Vietnam Country Manager, Van Phan, explores this topic in this Business Growth Tool Video.