10 hybrid factors to stop employees from leaving now

We’ve been working from home, and it hasn’t been perfect.? People are looking forward to some aspects of getting back into the office, partly driven by the social factors of camaraderie and collaboration.?

If and when companies invite people back to the office, they must appreciate that the pandemic has changed how employees and organizations work.?

Leaders who will win the hearts and minds of their employees are those who realize:

• Hybrid and remote working isn’t going anywhere
• We need to continue to be flexible as things continue to change
• Culture is a source of competitive advantage

Remote work is here to stay.??

McKinsey reported that “72% of executives say that their organizations have started adopting permanent remote-working models.”

Many tech companies will let all employees work from home permanently. For example,? Dropbox will be converting existing office space to Dropbox Studios, where people can choose to work.

The pandemic has forced many employees to work from home.? For some, this was a foreign concept; however, we embraced the change after some time.? We are at a point where employees want to work from home at least some of the time, and 70% say having the option to work from home is a top criterion for selecting a new job. At the same time, many people would like to work in the office some of the time.?

?Hybrid is so hot right now.?

According to a survey by LaSalle, 77% of companies are planning to use a hybrid model for the next year.?

In North America, as the pandemic becomes more manageable, companies are opening up offices for some workers.?

But, there are teething problems. Many employees took advantage of the pandemic to re-evaluate their work-life balance equation and opted to change their home/office permanently.? Some employees have moved far from their offices. Some don’t want to return to the office at all.??

Those who do come back might feel jealous of people who are allowed to continue working remotely.?Also, in a shared-desk environment, as companies reduce the amount of space and desks available, people may sometimes find themselves without a place to work.?

The big question is: what is the best way to do hybrid working? It is crucial to align employee and employer expectations on the definition or the common understanding of a hybrid workplace. This is much more complex than it seems.

Issues that exist with remote working will continue.?

Burnout is and will continue to be a significant problem. Though remote workers enjoy the flexibility, it can be hard to know when to stop working. Without a commute, we’re missing a signal to shut down for the day.?

Companies that will succeed in the new world of work will create a supportive culture that promotes boundaries between work and personal time.?

Doing remote or hybrid well is a competitive advantage.?

Some bosses have pushed for employees to be back in the office, full time, as soon as possible. Jamie Dimon, Morgan Chase & Co. commented that remote work doesn’t work well “for those who want to hustle.”?

It’s massively short-sighted to treat remote-working employees as less committed. Employees will leave leaders who don’t trust them to work remotely.?

If leaders don’t support the option for employees to work where they want, they will look elsewhere. Around 40% of employees are considering looking for a new job.? The companies that attract and retain people will be those that offer attractive conditions.?

People who are physically present aren’t necessarily working, such as the software developer in the USA who outsourced his job to China but continued coming to the office to watch cat videos.?

Also, remote workers are often more productive due to the lack of physical distractions an office can bring.?In fact, 75% of people report being more productive while working from home.?

What does it look like to do hybrid working well??

Employees want a culture of trust, flexibility and integrity, regardless of where they work.? They want to feel a sense of belonging, a collegial environment where people can do their best work and have fun together.?

It sounds great in theory, but how do we make it a reality??

1. Coordinate your schedules.??

People are likely going to want to work from home on Mondays and Fridays.? Also, people with younger children will wish to have regular days at home to plan child care hours around it.?

2. Take care of employees’ physical health.?

Have a cleaning crew sanitize workstations after every shift.? Don’t leave it to employees to clean their desks - some people won’t do it, which could cause concerns for others.? People will be excited to see one another and may forget not to hug or shake hands. Encourage and demonstrate alternatives such as elbow bumps. Set up space with desks at a safe distance.??

3. Plan your use of shared space. ?

If your whole marketing team wants to be together on a Wednesday, will that work if other groups are also planning to be there?? You’ll need a process for figuring out how to make sure the office space is not overcapacity.?

4. Strive for fairness.?

Without the proper planning, you may find people are jealous of one another’s schedules or workloads. Organizational justice can affect employee’s satisfaction, work performance and likeliness to remain with an employer.

For example, people who don’t have children are sometimes given more work. However, one size doesn't fit all, so it’s essential to look at fairness as giving people what they want and need as individuals rather than forcing them to adopt the same working style.?

5. Create transparent goals.?

Set up systems that help people see the overall goals and how their work contributes to them. Set expectations about the work that needs to be done and by when. Then, let people work on those goals without micromanaging them.?

6. Design workflow that allows employees to focus.?

No matter where you’re working, many knowledge workers feel under siege by email or other interruptions.? Many problems are the result of unclear processes and expectations. To help people feel engaged and focused, take the time to design your workflow and set up tools to avoid endless back-and-forth emails or instant messages.? I recommend the book “A World Without Email” by Cal Newport.?

7. Engage everyone in your meetings.??

You will have meetings with people physically present and remote at the same time. Plan to deliver the best possible experience for those who are offsite, and you’ll naturally engage everyone.? Consider:

• Setting up microphones so everyone can hear.
• Having large screens in meeting rooms, so it’s easy to see remote participants.?
• Addressing group discussion questions equitably to those online and physically present.
• Creating breakout groups within meetings to allow more interaction.

?8. Focus on mental health and psychological safety.?

While some people have thrived during the pandemic, many have struggled with burnout, loneliness and depression.?

As more people get vaccinated in Canada, more businesses are opening up. But, there’s still the possibility of virus variants, and it’s not clear what our lives will look like post-pandemic. Indeed, the only constant is change.?

It’s normal to feel emotionally destabilized. Employers must continue to listen, check in, and offer support.?

?9. Help people build relationships.

As we’re trying to figure out the logistics of a remote or hybrid working environment, we need to consider the importance of relationships. People need people. Working together in person gives us a sense of belonging. As much as we enjoy the convenience of working from home, there’s nothing quite like connecting with a work buddy in person. Empathy is a hot topic, perhaps because it’s hard to feel that emotional connection while working from home.?

Also, feeling connected leads to a sense of belonging. When people feel they belong, they show more resilience, are more willing to challenge themselves and ultimately perform better.?

10.?Treat employees as customers.?

Every employee is a potential ambassador. Create an excellent experience for all candidates, from the application process through the onboarding and beyond. Because outstanding employees have so many opportunities, companies need to create a welcoming, seamless experience for new hires.?

Not only do they need technology, systems permissions, and training on process, they also need to form relationships with their colleagues. Showing new employees how much you value them from the beginning will help reinforce their choice to join the company and positively affect their work performance.?

To be ready for hybrid working, leaders need to realize that their culture is crucial for competitive advantage. Though culture is always important, employees who can work from home, at least some of the time, have a wider pool of companies to work for.?

The list of items to work on is endless. But the best place to start is by engaging your employees in a conversation about what they want and need to be their best at work.

A big thanks to my mentor, Kristian Gravelle, for your guidance, suggestions and resource help with this article.