How to Keep Hybrid Staff Productive Working from Anywhere

In the wake of the pandemic, many office workers began working from home. Now that many companies are welcoming staff back to the office, some are setting up hybrid work arrangements to allow employees to work remotely, at least part-time.

While having two different workspaces at home and at the office has its perks, it also poses some challenges. How do you maintain your momentum and productivity when you’re changing locations? How can you stay organized and ensure that everything you need (files, devices, tech accessories, and personal items) is always within reach?

There’s good news, as a Gartner report shows 55% of employees with flexible work options are high performers. However, hybrid workers will still face barriers that can derail their productivity and affect their morale.

As a leader, you must create a hybrid work environment where your team members are fully engaged and motivated to deliver their best every single day—a workplace that maximizes productivity and employee satisfaction.

Here are some strategies employers can use to increase engagement and help employees maintain productivity, whether they are working from home or in the office.

Combat Isolation and Burnout with Better Communication

Several estimates indicate that most remote workers suffer from stress and anxiety associated with burnout. According to an article by Monster.com, 69 percent of employees say they feel burnout creeping in.

With burnout in the workforce rising, business leaders cannot afford to ignore its onset amongst their employees. Fortunately, there is a remedy. Consistent, clear communication can prevent burnout.

With more people filtering into the workplace, the office must be prepared to meet the needs of hybrid workers, with an increased focus on communication and connectivity. The first step for businesses is to assess their current office infrastructure to determine if meeting rooms and other collaboration spaces will enable employees to connect with those still at home.

Prior to returning to the office, it’s important to understand how employees will utilize these spaces. IT can determine how best to support in-office users by looking at what applications are used most and how people interact with the workspace. IT must consider how remote workers connect, including clients, contractors, and other third parties.

Most organizations are rapidly adopting the hybrid model. And it’s not just for the short term. In order to accommodate this new hybrid model, it is necessary to build out the infrastructure at the workplace, allowing employees to communicate with one another regardless of their location, device, or platform. With better communication, IT can prevent burnout and apathy, resulting in sustainable productivity.

Be Flexible

Hybrid work comes in many variations, but they all have one thing in common: flexibility.

Traditional work models are rigid because employees know when to start work and when to log off. A hybrid system, on the other hand, combines different work models with employees working where and when they are most productive.

In a hybrid work model, flexibility is all about giving employees choices. For example, workers can choose whether they want to work remotely, from the office, or from both places. They can also choose to work in the morning, during the day, or at night. Also, some experts note that hybrid workers can take part in crucial decisions in an organization.

By involving workers in decision-making, managers will better understand and meet their needs, which will increase productivity.

Default to Asynchronous Work

Asynchronous work existed before the pandemic, but we predict that it will become extremely important for hybrid organizations in the coming year. In order to accomplish this, projects must be structured in a way that gives employees more agency in setting their own schedules.

In other words, company or project leaders must determine what must be done as a team in person and how often they should meet. Additionally, managers should create tasks where individuals are able to default to action, so that everyone knows what they need to do in order to advance.

As a result of enabling employees to plan their own workday, the company is able to plan more efficiently—perhaps the most noteworthy benefit of adopting an asynchronous workplace.

Set Limits on Virtual Meetings

Microsoft research shows that the amount of time spent in virtual meetings has doubled in the past year. Meetings have also grown longer from 35 to 45 minutes. Of these, 62 percent are unscheduled, which interrupts the workflow of employees who are required to join.

We understand that virtual meetings are sometimes necessary. However, if you force them on employees or exceed their assigned time, you can exacerbate the digital overload that hybrid workers already experience.

Most likely, you and your team added meetings when you went remote. It’s time to determine which meetings are most essential to maintaining performance. Consider setting aside a specific day of the week as a meeting-free day so that employees can carve out dedicated work time. Regardless of how you streamline your virtual meetings, make sure you vet what’s important and what’s a distraction for you and your team.

Give Your Employees the Technology They Need to Succeed

In a hybrid work environment, technology is your best friend since it can efficiently align teams from in and out of the office. To create an equitable work team, ManagePoint Technology offers a variety of technology solutions that support hybrid work.

ManagePoint works with Logitech to supply top-of-the-line video conferencing to make your meetings easier. We’re also a Microsoft Silver Partner which helps you provide your employees with better services, programs, and continuous customer support.

And when it comes to IT services, ManagePoint Technologies doesn’t stop at setting up your network. We partner with several leading companies in cybersecurity, remote work, tech support, and software implementation.

ManagePoint Technologies helps our clients by using the Kisi + Envoy integrated system. When paired together, Kisi and Envoy give you total control over your access, significantly improving your business’s security. You’ll also gain integral insights into your members’ behaviour, including how they use your facility.

Contact ManagePoint Technologies Inc. right away if you want to improve your hybrid workforce for your business regardless of its size. You can reach out to us by visiting our website, emailing [email protected], or calling (877) 262-3620.