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As businesses begin deciding how and when to return to work, more and more offices are choosing to shift to a hybrid model, where worktime is divided between office and home. With new research suggesting that 83% of employees prefer a hybrid option, this is seeming more and more like the right fit for many workers and businesses.
The hybrid model is an exciting change, with opportunities to improve work-life balance for employees, as well as overall job satisfaction. However, this new setup also has many wondering: is a hybrid team a divided team? It doesn’t have to be! How can we ensure a productive, happy and united team? Let’s dig in.
1. Scheduling In-Office Days
In a recent study of individuals working from home, the greatest barrier to productivity reported was a lack of interaction with coworkers. Without proper planning this issue may not resolve itself through a hybrid model as team members may find themselves in the office on opposite days. This could lead to employees feeling frustrated with each other ,and their role, as they struggle to accomplish their weekly tasks.
To resolve this, amongst other potential challenges posed by the hybrid model such as office over-crowding and biased promoting, Co-Director of the Productivity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship program at the National Bureau of Economic Research, Nicholas Bloom, suggests companies designate specific in-office and at-home days by team. In addition, to encourage coordination, companies should ensure that teams that often work together have times of overlap in the office.
2. Team activities and offerings
Depending on your team, and particularly for global teams, scheduled in-office days may not always be possible. Another great way to foster collaboration and team connection is through activities or events.
Here at FreshTalk Wellness, we offer employee workshops, webinars, and team challenges to promote team bonding and overall well-being. Our offerings encourage team members to engage, interact, and cheer each other on. They are a great way for employees to experience and recognize the special team they are a part of.
3. Create opportunities for reward and acknowledgment
We all likely know that having someone do something nice for us at work feels good. But did you know doing something nice for your coworkers may feel as good, or even better? That’s why having employee nomination and rewards programs can be so beneficial. Consider creating the opportunity for your team to nominate their colleagues to receive a small award once a month from the company such as a gift card, or other symbol of appreciation. This is a great way to build unity amongst team members who may not be able to see each other regularly but value each other’s work and want to show their appreciation.
What’s next?
At the end of the day, although this new hybrid model may seem intimidating to navigate, it is full of potential. With the right implementation your team could end up more unified and content in their roles than ever before.
If you want to learn more about how our employee wellness programs can support you in building a more connected hybrid team, don’t hesitate to connect with us HERE.