The last two years have seen a significant upheaval in the tried and tested methods of working. Many organisations adopted a hybrid model of working, or else have a large portion of their workforce stationed remotely. 

As Australia continues to adapt to the constantly changing health directives, it’s assumed the hybrid model of work is here to stay. This could see employees break up their work weeks between remote and in-office time, or be a workforce that consists of completely remote workers and entirely on-site workers. 

While employers may have noticed some benefits from this shift, change never comes without its challenges. And with predictions that by 2030, 48 percent of the workforce will work remotely, it’s important for employees to address these challenges from the outset. 

Here, we look at the major hurdles facing organisations when it comes to productivity, connection, culture and hiring within a hybrid workplace. 

The erosion of workplace culture and social connections 

Traditionally, workplace culture was often established and strengthened through in-person events, and socialising would occur organically through conversations over lunch and by the coffee machine. But employers are now faced with the challenge of reimagining their culture in an environment where their workers have little or no face-to-face interaction with each other or their leaders. 

Despite this, there are promising initiatives that have arisen during the pandemic which show that organisational culture can indeed be strengthened in a hybrid environment. However, organisations that fail to invest the time and energy required to rethink the transmission of company culture will be unlikely to be as successful. 

Research shows that our ability to connect meaningfully to others is less satisfying when we’re not physically present, but this doesn’t mean it’s impossible. It will be important for leaders to not just move social events online, but also establish more “touch points” of communication with their teams – that is, reaching out to employees more often and being explicit about the purpose and meaning of doing so.   

Dwindling productivity 

Perhaps one of the biggest fears employers had when faced with the prospect of remote work, was that employee productivity would significantly decline. Interestingly however, this wasn’t the case for every organisation, with a McKinsey survey revealing that 49 percent of employers reported an increase or significant increase in their teams’ productivity. 

However, the same survey revealed that 51 percent of employers found their teams’ productivity levels remained unchanged or worsened since adopting the hybrid model of work. 

What then has set these organisations apart when it comes to eliciting higher levels of productivity? The same survey found they’re the ones supporting small connections between colleagues—opportunities to discuss projects, share ideas, network, mentor, and coach, for example. Moving forward, it will be important for employers to design and create the time and space for their employees to have these types of interactions with each other. 

Embracing a shift in management style 

When it comes to productivity, the degree to which leaders have adjusted their management techniques to suit the hybrid environment also appears to have a significant impact on productivity. 

Though 98 percent of McKinsey survey respondents recognised that managing remotely differs to managing all staff on-site, those leaders who received specific training on how to better manage hybrid teams saw increased productivity from their employees. Conversely, those who didn’t receive any formal training had teams who were more likely to lag behind. 

Organisations could achieve higher levels of productivity by educating managers about the positive and negative impact they have on the people who report to them, and by training managers on soft skills, such as providing and receiving feedback. 

Misalignment between in-office and remote employee experiences

Typically, it’s a lot easier for on-site team members to become involved in new project opportunities and cross-functional work because they’re more visible and therefore considered for inclusion. In most instances, this will be simply a case of convenience and familiarity, whereas those working remotely might fall victim to the old adage “out of sight, out of mind.” 

For this reason, it’s important for managers to provide opportunities equally to both on-site and remote workers, resulting in fairness and engagement across the team. Failing to do so could result in perceived inequalities. According to an article in the journal Work and Stress, this can breed resentment within your employees, resulting in even greater divides between teams and higher turnover rates. 

A failure to reimagine hiring and onboarding strategies 

During the pandemic, nearly two-thirds of organisations moved their recruitment initiatives to remote settings. In the current candidate-short market, it will be vital to ensure such virtual hiring activities are seamless. Failing to provide a positive recruitment experience to potential candidates will see them abandon a company before an offer is even made. All virtual recruitment processes should therefore be streamlined, as timely as possible, and a positive experience for applicants. 

Furthermore, once an employee has signed your letter of offer, onboarding them either remotely or in a hybrid fashion will be the next challenge. According to a survey of 1000 employees, 17.24 percent of new starters quit within the first month of beginning work, making the development of effective remote onboarding processes an area that deserves much time and attention. 

A good example of this in action can be seen in Slack’s highly successful onboarding process, which changed dramatically when the company went fully remote in March 2020: paperwork and learning sessions were moved online and facilitated through video, and discussions of cultural values and norms were conducted in interactive sessions with leaders and teammates. 

If you require assistance in finding staff remotely or managing a hybrid workforce, contact Bayside Group today and speak to one of our Consultants.