How can your business create a robust hybrid working model that supports your staff's wellbeing?

Many HR professionals are commenting on the feeling of utter exhaustion as a result of the pandemic and creating a robust hybrid working plan is essential to easing this burden. This article will outline a hybrid working model that will support the wellbeing of your staff. Explain how your organisation can incorporate effective wellbeing strategies into your hybrid workplace plan so that team members can bounce back after the difficulty of the last few years.

After years of organising the logistics of the pandemic, many people are now dealing with the delayed emotional reaction to the pandemic. It is essential now more than ever to have 'wellbeing strategies' in place especially to deal with this delayed fatigue reaction which is debilitating in this new working model. The hybrid working model, where some staff are working remotely and others are in the office need a robust wellbeing strategy to dovetail into it to ease the transition.

Why are so many professionals exhausted?

Many of my mental health colleagues are talking about the emotional exhaustion that the pandemic has created, noticing that there is a pattern with organisations and working with them to reduce the stress that hybrid working has created.

We are aware from the statistics that employee mental health has been in decline since the beginning of the Covid pandemic. Lockdown changes in themselves were difficult to navigate as the pandemic guidelines and restrictions changed so regularly, meaning that the workforce had to adapt overnight to working from home.

Many organisations see the benefit and the necessity of working with this 'hybrid' working model. Recent research suggests that over 80% of businesses are working like this, so how do businesses get the best from this model, how can you best serve your key performers to ensure that they remain positive and productive? Recognising the issues, raising awareness and creating a hybrid working model that includes a comprehensive wellbeing strategy will ensure that all key performers feel both supported and make the transition in a way that works best for them and for the business.

The hybrid way of working, where some of the workforces are returning to the office and others are remote means that new was of working are required, creating a hybrid plan that has wellbeing at the centre of it is a great way to keep productivity high as well remaining inclusive, comfortable and collaborative so that your business retains a healthy, and happy workforce.

And yet the Microsoft Work Index 2021, illustrates that 60% of organisations do not have a hybrid plan.

60% of organisations do not have a hybrid plan.

Microsoft Work Index 2021

A hybrid plan will consist of three major elements that include both the technological aspects of keeping a disconnected workforce working together, as well as looking at the way these teams are managed and led. The third aspect is to ensure that your businesses' wellbeing strategy dovetails into this plan to ensure that all team members feel supported, included and remain connected.

Elements of an effective Hybrid Plan:

1. Technology,

2. Management Coaching skills

3. Resilient Wellbeing Programme

Download your Guide to Wellbeing Strategy here

I have written articles on the implication of hybrid working and the problems it raises for staff wellbeing in other articles for example this will be of interest if you are looking to avoid some of the problems associated with hybrid working: What effect has hybrid working had on your teams’ mental wellbeing?

The overall structure of a hybrid plan will include three elements including the technology required which makes remote meetings suitable in the office, leadership coaching skills to make the best use of collaborative meetings and a Resilient Wellbeing Strategy to ensure that everybody feels connected and supported.

There are other essential elements required in a resilient hybrid plan which I have summarised that have arisen in resilience training and coaching sessions that I thought would be useful to share here:

What does a hybrid working plan look like?

A hybrid plan is an essential strategy that ensures the easy transition for both organisations and their people. A plan will mean that both senior and junior team members will work in the best way that works for the workforce and the organisation and enables the team to remain focused, productive and best manage their time.

In its simplest form, a hybrid plan requires policies and procedures around managing the office technology, on a deeper level considering your teams' wellbeing and engagement and leadership style in a hybrid space is also important.

For most organisations, the first hurdle has been to ensure that the office is practically set up for 'hybrid' working. For example meeting rooms in the office require cameras and microphones so that people at home as well as in the office can attend.

This level of set-up has been achieved so moving forward an effective hybrid plan will also include elements that include leadership skills that can support employees and a wellbeing programme that brings the entire organisation on board so that every staff member is aware of their responsibility for their own health and of other team members.

Wellbeing strategies

Pulling all these hybrid elements together is a wellbeing strategy that puts the welfare of the organisation's greatest resource at the heart of all hybrid plans

• Wellbeing programme that dovetails into a hybrid strategy
• Inclusive wellbeing strategy so that employees feel supported

Creating a Wellbeing Strategy that will support and retain staff is essential - if you are looking for a simple Guide on how to create your organisations' Wellbeing Strategy that will dovetail into your hybrid plan then this Guide will be the perfect place to start click here and download your free Wellbeing Strategy Guide