Refining the hybrid work model for employee engagement

The hybrid work model is here to stay and it’s now up to employers to refine how they support employees in the office and at home. Otherwise, you will find yourself missing out on top talent who aren’t willing to give up their slice of flexibility. 

Employees in positions where work-from-home has been the norm – office workers rather than essential care workers – have experienced newfound work-life enjoyment over the last few years. And now, in a post-pandemic era, the average worker spends one-third of their week working remotely. That means less time travelling and more time running errands, being social or keeping active.

But that also means some employees are spending less time around each other, and most importantly, less time around management. Maintaining communication, work relationships, employee engagement and culture are all harder as a result. 

Here’s what employers can do to enhance their hybrid work model while fostering a positive work environment no matter the employee’s location. 

Recognise where you can be flexible

Hybrid work models aren’t for everyone as some employees literally cannot work from home. Your aged care staff, such as nurses, personal care workers, lifestyle coordinators, maintenance workers and hospitality staff; they have to be on-site. 

There may be some exceptions for them to work from home, however, including online training. Time could be allocated to allow for home learning when there’s no need to be in the office or on-site. 

Now, if the bulk of your workforce cannot work from home, is it fair to adopt a hybrid work model for the rest? Yes. Departments such as administration, marketing and communication, web development/IT, accounts and even human resources all have the potential for remote work. You don’t need to have them in the office five days a week.

A flexible approach to your work model creates an attractive work-life balance and if you can provide that flexibility for relevant staff you will reap the benefits.

Embrace flexibility… but don’t forget structure

Workday flexibility is crucial for a successful hybrid work model, however, it does come with a ‘but’: don’t let yourself become too flexible. Some structure is important.

In terms of flexibility, consider how and when employees actually need to be online and when their tasks need to be completed. Do you actually need to have everyone working between 9-5, or can you offer flexibility for staff who prefer working in the morning or the evening? There’s no reason why you can’t encourage personalised work hours as long as productivity remains high and staff are actively engaging with their teams.

Now, you don’t want a free-for-all with employees working random hours with no insight into when or where they will be on a certain day. It’s a benefit for everyone to have structure and guidelines. That’s why you should consider:

• Allocating set days for employees to be in the office or working from home
• Allowing department managers to establish their own hybrid work schedules with their employees
• Supporting employee flexibility to choose when they’re in the office as long as they notify management
• Embracing the need to be flexible with all employees, e.g. you recognise that one team member has to work from home more than others, or that you need to hire a remote marketing professional as there are no local applicants 

Nurture employee engagement

One of your top priorities for a successful hybrid work model is ensuring that your employees are their most productive. However, if that means they’re working off-site more and spending less time face-to-face with their colleagues, employee engagement can be impacted. It’s up to you as the employer to promote and nurture staff engagement without jeopardising the work-life balance.

There are some incredibly simple but effective ways to promote employee engagement no matter where your staff are, including:

• Organised team bonding events inside (and potentially outside) of work hours. Examples include team lunches, activities or events specifically designed to bring teams together.
• Interactive office competitions such as sports tipping, table tennis, quizzes, etc. 
• Team meetings and collaborative sessions are scheduled specifically for days when employees are in the office.
• Different departments are instantly accessible even when employees are not on-site, e.g. employees can email, call or message human resources or IT with minimal fuss at all times.
• Important details are clearly communicated, including role expectations, team and company updates, upcoming events and personal praise.

Hybrid work environments are challenging as it’s easy to lose touch with employees. But if you refine the process, retain some structure amongst the flexibility and keep connected, everyone can enjoy the benefits of working from home and in the office.