With the rise of vaccines and COVID shifting from pandemic to endemic, business leaders are navigating another unknown era of work: The New Normal. This New Normal is increasing the adoption of the hybrid working model as employers shift from work-from-home to a blended work location scenario.
Employees have grown accustomed to working from home, and although most welcome some form of return to the office, they want flexibility. In fact, 80% of employees believe they have the right to flexible work arrangements.
However, research shows a significant gulf between what employers anticipate and what employees expect. A survey of over 2,000 leaders found that 52% of employers view hybrid work as temporary and are unprepared for a hybrid working environment.
Who will win in this struggle between employers and employees?
The Great Resignation Displays Employee Power
Companies are scrambling to attract new talent to fill vacant positions and keep their staff. The Great Resignation of 2021 gave employees a level of power that they had not had in years. A record number of employees voluntarily left their jobs as almost 4 million people quit in a single month.
One of the key ways organizations can lower turnover is by making plans for hybrid work. The same survey of business leaders found that 56% stated they would lose staff if they didn’t make plans for hybrid work. They also found that 16% of the employees that quit said it was because their employers did not offer the flexibility they wanted through hybrid working.
Not only will hybrid work conditions lower turnover, but it will also attract talent and improve productivity. 72% of companies experienced enhanced productivity due to hybrid work, with a 27% increase globally.
While leaders may dismiss hybrid work as a temporary fad and fail to plan accordingly, they need to pay attention to the needs and desires of their workforce. Otherwise, they could lose critical talent and hurt their productivity.
Tips for Improving Hybrid Work
Bringing employees back into the office can stir up a range of emotions, depending on their life circumstances and personality. However, there are ways leaders can welcome employees back again to ensure a smooth transition, according to Mitel :
- Use social distancing to ease the transition back into the office. Some employees are still worried about their health, and most are accustomed to a solitary work environment.
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Leverage the right unified communications technology to enhance collaboration no matter where employees are working. Workers have a single application for messaging, voice, video, audio conferencing, and collaborating.
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Leaders are eager to hash out ideas face-to-face. Video conferencing technologies ensure that these critical conversations happen even in a hybrid work environment.
The hybrid work environment will maintain spontaneous conversations and effective collaboration critical for innovations with the right tools and expectations. Equipped with the proper mindset and technology, organizations can meet the needs of the teams, improve productivity, and reduce turnover.
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