Hybrid Workplace Experience | Data At Its Center

The pandemic may have brought about truckloads of negativity to almost every business, industry, institution and even families but it certainly proved to be a blessing in disguise for the working class. The need to shut down facilities (workplaces) and lack of movement paved the way for the hybrid work model. 

The eccentric zoom calls and virtual team collabs were so well-orchestrated that the employees are not willing to return to their old schedules. The office of the post-pandemic era is not the same as it was left by the employees before lockdown with hybrid culture taking the centre spot and bringing in revolutionary work culture.

What is a Hybrid Workplace?

So, what exactly is a hybrid workplace? It is hard to give a generic definition to this concept of working however, in defining terms, a hybrid workplace is a concept of working that combines in-office work and remote work. This means that the employees have the freedom to work from any place, be it from the office area or their homes as and when they require.

The concept of hybrid is so ingrained in the current workforce that the employees do not want to work in companies that have not yet welcomed this concept, with 56% stating that they would not return to their office if it doesn’t follow the hybrid module.

For every industry and office, hybrid means differently yet it has one common characteristic – breaking the traditional chain of 9-5 cabin-stuck jobs and allowing employees the liberty to work from their preferred space. In short, hybrid culture has brought about a much-needed revolution in the way companies treat their staff and the environment that the employees work in, putting their demands at the core of company culture.

Ways to Improve Hybrid Workplace Experience

Get Tech Rolling

The obvious way to create a better employee experience is by incorporating the technology masters in the offices and industries. This includes investing in technology that allows better collaboration and a synchronised workplace experience.

Since the employees are no longer physically bound to one place, the tech investments need to be such that the remote workers are able to fit in as well as the on-site employees. Better communication channels enabling better meetings, chats and coordination while working on projects are a must-have for a smooth workplace experience.

For instance, investing in workplace management software that enables the employees to automate manual work, enable better usage of office space and facilitate collaboration in the workplace can make a great addition to the offices, enabling seamless and smooth employee experience across various touchpoints within the office.

Reimagine the Office Space

A prominent part of enhancing employee experience at the workplace is creating a decent working space. The environment in the office is a great contributor to the employee’s efficiency and productivity. While the creation of a great environment is not just limited to enhancing the space décor or the proper arrangement of employee desks, it does play a huge role in setting the right tone of work. 

The office space needs to be in sync with the work culture and therefore, companies looking to improve the employee experience need to reinvent their space. We are not referring to building a bigger cabin for the employees or investing in costlier furniture. Instead, companies need to figure out how to increase the employee’s productivity in their working space by incorporating all the necessary amenities in their immediate surroundings and truly optimising the space.

With hybrid, seamless corporate spaces management is made possible, as the companies no longer have to worry about accommodation and in-house facilities, with a few choosing to work entirely remotely. However, this also calls for optimisation of offices to fit the hybrid module and giving employee experience a push-on by incorporating solutions like online desk booking and hot-desking software for creating a synchronised movement of the staff.

Let Data take the Center Stage

The results that the organisations are looking to gain from a hybrid workplace are all in the hands of data. Analysing data, measuring it and strategizing according to the data is the core foundation of laying out a good workplace experience. 

It is usually seen in corporate environments that the employers are not able to pinpoint what is wrong with the team. For example, your team may be trying out communication tools but there is still a lack of coordination between colleagues leading to results that always surpass the deadlines. In such situations, data obtained from communication tools like the percentage of employees using it, the number of employees who failed to use it and so on, can help the employers get to the core of problems. With the right data in hand, companies can not only pinpoint the problems faced by their employees or management but also be assured of a higher success rate in their execution.

Data, despite being such an important factor in the productivity of companies, is usually not given due attention. According to a report, only 15% of companies have been able to turn their statistics into creating successful customer experiences. This tiny percentage implies that the companies are collecting data in chunks but are still clueless about how to use this information for increasing their work culture or company sales.               

Be Ready to Bend and Blend

The hybrid workplace is more about prioritising employees rather than prioritising the upper managers. To enhance the hybrid experience, companies need to be ready to listen to bend the rules and blend with their employees’ demands. 

By bending and blending we are implying that instead of giving your employees the Monday to Thursday on-site days in advance, let them choose their preferred days of work. Some employees may love visiting the office on Mondays while some may be facing the Monday blues for the longest time. 

Did you know that 75% of executives believe that they have a flexible work culture while only 57% of their employees trust their work-life to be flexible? This is a clear example of how disillusioned the top-tier management can be when it comes to providing the conditions of a flexible work environment to their staff.

Listen, Strategize and Execute 

When it comes to making decisions for the employees, there is no place better to start than the employees themselves. 

What do your employees want? 

How can the hybrid workplace succeed?

What are the expectations of the employees from the hybrid module?

What are the expectations of employers from employees for this transition?

These sets of questions are an example of truly understanding the mindset of the talents that the organisations possess. With these answers, the executives can enhance the working culture and work the problems from their roots. 

In most enterprises and offices that have transitioned to hybrid work, the employers have already resorted to employee feedback forms and the creation of internal helpdesks to listen to the employees and solve problems and queries in a synchronised manner. 

The workplace of today is not meek and the employees need to know what the company has in stored for them. Similarly, they want to be heard by their employers, too and look for constant changes in the workplace, powered by their choices.

The employees are not focussing on better salaries anymore, money has long before left the chat. The real talk includes providing security and safety to the staff and ensuring that the employees are able to have a life after the office too. This starts in the workplace because if they are happy with the environment and their leaders, they are bound to have a great life and are bound to excel in their work-life effortlessly, leading to quick progress of the company.

Companies, thus, need to listen and take action accordingly to create a favourable work setting for the new generation of employees.

Closing Thoughts

Understandably, change can be terrifying and businesses across the globe are experiencing major transformations. These changes are not limited to the way the work is being done but also who is doing the work and whether or not they are satisfied with their workplace. The days of a centralized team that would stay in the office working late nights and ditching even their weekends are long gone. 

The new generation of employees loves to stay flexible and likes to work while vacationing in their favourite spot. If companies are not willing to give the employees the flexibility and freedom they demand, then they are bound to lose out on good hires and may end up having to take a backward step while their competitors take leaps ahead with a hybrid workforce.