It seems that businesses across the country are embracing a hybrid model of working since discovering the benefits of remote operations during the Covid-19 pandemic. The model boasts a list of benefits, including better mental and physical health for employees, better productivity and financial savings on space and travel costs. With all these benefits, you can see why so many are embracing this new working dynamic.
If you’re wondering how people stay motivated and productive working in two different locations, we have rounded up a few ways that you can encourage productivity and foster a good working environment while making use of a hybrid model of working.
Use an output approach to productivity
In the old days, productivity was marked by how many hours an employee would work, but with so many working from home this past year, employers have had to find new ways to measure productivity in their employees. Since employers have no way of truly knowing how many hours people work from home, measuring employees by this would be nonsensical. Instead, moving to an output-based approach has allowed employers to ensure their staff are working while also encouraging more productivity in their employees as a result.
Output-based means looking at how much work an employee is producing, rather than looking at how many hours they have spent working. Trusting that your employees are able to get all of their work done while working from home means this method works well to ensure productivity while still allowing the flexibility of hybrid working.
Trust
As mentioned previously, trust in your employees is key for the hybrid model to work. Trusting that employees will work when they say they will, that they are able to get the required work done from home, and that they know where they will work best depending on the sort of project they are doing are just some ways you can instil a sense of trust in your employees to foster more productivity.
Maximising on the benefits of different workspaces
Some projects require collaboration and in-person communication to be successful. For this kind of work, scheduling office days for employees will bring the most productivity. In contrast, for individual and focus-based projects, employees may find it easier to concentrate at home where their distractions can be kept to a minimum. This can differ from employee to employee, but using these different environments can really maximise the productivity of your employees across their different projects. That’s the benefit of a hybrid approach.
Focus on employee wellbeing
It’s important to make sure that employees don’t get isolated and lonely when completing stints of working from home. ensuring they allow themselves time away from their screens to avoid burnout. Working from home can mean that some people don’t know when to log off due to the fact they aren’t physically leaving a building, so employers should encourage logging off after a certain number of hours to give employees down time.
Some businesses have implemented mental health software for employees to use, allowing them access to counsellors and support when feeling stressed or low. This move has come after the pandemic highlighted a mental health crisis and has allowed employees to feel more looked after by their employers.
Inputting technology for easy communication
Technology for virtual working has advanced quickly in the wake of the pandemic and with video conferencing systems , like the Clickshare video conferencing equipment, getting in touch and holding meetings with employees over a number of locations has never been easier. This technology allows for seamless and clear communication and with the Clickshare video conferencing equipment, employees who aren’t in the meeting room can feel like they are with this innovative technology.
Good communication will be key in working with a hybrid model and so implementing technology that allows for it is a necessary step to boosting productivity.
