Top 10 hybrid workplace challenges and how to solve them
Reminiscing, in 2020 and 2021, all companies adopted the work-from-home model, and this experience opened up a portal of various working arrangements. Back to the present, when everything is pacing towards normalcy, organizations and employees alike are open to a combination of in-person and remote working environments. But this hybrid form of workplace model has challenges to tackle.
If your company has adopted the hybrid workplace but is facing unforeseen challenges, this blog can help you solve them seamlessly.
So without any further ado, let’s get started.
Complex tech stack
Being connected 9-5 is one of the major banes of the hybrid model because communicating every aspect of work on various conversation threats on multiple platforms can lead to severe burnout among employees. The primary way to solve this is by investing in a user-friendly synchronized software platform that gives flexibility to your employees. Also, pay heed to one-on-one meetings, including everyone in important decisions, and take advice from your employees regarding their preferred communication format.
Adhering to the comfortability and safety of employees
In the chaos of 2 years where wearing masks, sanitization and washing hands and legs were a must, there are still a lot of people who are practising the same routine presently. And with the lockdowns, quarantines, and 6 feet distancing, a lot of anxiety has been developed among people about returning back to the office. To solve this aspect, companies should ensure that there are sanitization and cleaning protocols adhered to, the limit of group meetings, and checking of employee temperatures daily. Applications or software of office seat booking can be used for proper adherence.
Fostering an adequate sense of connection
The corporate transition between 2 years has garnered isolation among on-site and remote workers because of unprecedented changes. And since there are lesser one-on-one interactions and moral-boosting team-building activities, many employees have left to feel disconnected. At this point, the leaders must adjust the company values that are in tune with the post-pandemic work environment. The corporate culture should be reimagined through empowering team leaders, conducting short meetings, and appreciation and lunch break reminders.
Proximity bias
The corporate world is laced with many inequalities, but with the advent of the hybrid workspace model, many biases are seen among on-site and off-site employees. Remote employees are taking a significant hit which has disintegrated their career development. Hence, to tackle this issue, equal communication must take place, the inclusion of remote workers in all of the team meetings, performance measures void of worker’s location, giving the off-site workers more opportunities, and last but not least, the leaders can themselves work remotely so that an example can be demonstrated.
Flexibility done right
The slugline of a hybrid workplace ensures that there is significant flexibility ascertained. According to Microsoft, there has been a 40% upscale in productivity because of their four-day work model. It is all about determining what is best for the employees. Every organization has a different work process, which might also mean that a different workplace model must be adopted to boost the employee’s creativity. Creating the freedom to work from anywhere or by taking regular employee feedback can ensure consistency in flexibility.
Connectivity issues
The CEO of Intercity Technology conveyed that approximately 89% of remote workers have lost valuable time to connectivity issues. He further said that the solution to this problem is offering complete solutions of data and top-notch hardware upgrades. Hence, it is essential to be the backbone of your employees by providing smartphones, laptops, seamless connections, and other devices. Research also shows that those companies that provide these amenities have increased the by 51% the turnover. A seamless communication source in a hybrid workplace is essential for employees to work without any hassle.
Office space
With half of the employees working in offices and the other half working remotely, you might wonder if having a dedicated office space is worth the cost. But your company must have an office space so on-site employees can work appropriately. The solution is opting for a co-working space or any other premises you share with another company. Choosing a distributed office space can help you lower the rent of office spaces.
Appropriate management
Managing remote working employees can sometimes be challenging since there will be no in-person interaction. Hence, it is essential to garner a sense of trust. Transparent communications must be adhered to so that no table is left unturned. It is necessary to establish robust modes of communication channels that are not disrupted by connectivity issues. It is also essential to have proper management tools, like an internal dashboard that all employees can use.
Labour and overhead cost
In the hybrid workplace, overseeing employee expenses is not a straight line compared to the pre-pandemic workplace. The remote employees can be reimbursed for using their electricity and internet but are opted out of travel expenses. The employees can be given the option of choice to ensure that there are no complications and confusion. You can tell them what tradeoffs are available or if any changes to the benefits exist.
Cultural clarity
It is essential to define an appropriate cultural norm in the hybrid workplace. Some aspects like awkwardness to newness, partial return to the office space, and transition time during virtual calls can be adhered to. The new landscape of work should be reiterated effectively. This will result in removing any barriers that can cause any long-term issues.
