Building Connection: How can we design hybrid work environments that include a sense of togetherness?

It’s R U OK? Day today. This is often a day that sees organisations taking stock of their wellbeing efforts (although this should be a priority 365 days of the year) and making commitments to address areas of concern.

There are many wellbeing issues worth leaders’ attention, but one that stands out to me is connection. For some time now, experts have been predicting that the next major health crisis would be chronic levels of loneliness.

When we feel long-term disconnection from key parts of our lives – be that the workplace, family or our social circles – we can experience a range of mental health challenges, as well as physical health issues. That’s why it’s critical to prevent loneliness levels from escalating.

Research from the University of Wollongong and the University of Sydney found that 49 per cent of men and 47 per cent of women felt lonely at least one to two days a week during the 2020-21 lockdowns. Even after the lockdowns ended, loneliness dropped only slightly (by nine per cent for men and five per cent for women), suggesting we’ve not yet got our social muscles back to their full strength.

Hybrid work arrangements could be playing a part in this. AHRI’s own research backs this up. In a recent survey of over 1100 HR professionals, we discovered that 65 per cent said hybrid working arrangements created feelings of disconnection from colleagues.

There's no doubt that there are a variety of benefits to hybrid working that are worth noting. Our research showed nearly 50 per cent of respondents felt it boosted productivity levels, and led to better work-life balance (67 per cent) and employee retention (34 per cent).

While hybrid models are being heralded as the preferred method of working for the future – 78 per cent of AHRI’s respondents say they will either maintain or increase hybrid working models in the future – they need to be designed with connection in mind.

In this month’s cover story for HRM Magazine, the team takes a deep dive into how HR and leaders can do just that by addressing loneliness at work and helping to break down the stigmas often attached to it.

The article includes a great case study about creating moments of connection in a hybrid world from Medibank’s Senior Executive of Wellbeing and Community, Karen Oldaker (AAICD) . Her job title alone piqued my interest. It’s not often you see the word ‘community’ in an executive’s title, but I think it’s a sign of the times we live in. Employers are being far more intentional about bringing people together for meaningful interactions.

Coming together – as we did in August for AHRI’s Convention – is a great way to remind ourselves of the community we’re surrounded by. I feel very lucky we were able to get together after two years of being apart. But those connections don’t stop at conventions.

Facilitating a sense of community is one of our key goals at AHRI, and we have a swathe of options to help you connect with your peers, such as joining our AHRI Member LinkedIn Lounge, which is nearly 5,000 members strong, or by attending one of our many state-based network forums. In our new hybrid world, these connections are well worth cultivating.