92% of Monster.com survey respondents said they would consider changing industries if the right position were available, and 95% shared they’re toying with throwing in the towel altogether.
The most commonly cited reason: Burnout.
Indeed found that, “52% of respondents reported experiencing burnout, a jump of 9% since the pandemic began. ” That disengagement coupled with the perception that new opportunities are plentiful has left many companies short-staffed.
Now, those organizations are scrambling to meet the demands for more flexible work. In response, many are making hybrid work environments more permanent so they can better retain their employees.
Hybrid working helps employees stay productive without sacrificing other important aspects of their lives, but leaders must avoid certain pitfalls if their hybrid future is to be a successful one.
You need employee input to create a hybrid working model that actually works. Arbitrarily deciding when and how often to have everyone in the office can create friction. (Or worse, a string of resignations.)
It’s also important to ensure the workplace is worth making the commute. Ask your employees what types of activities and amenities could improve their in-office experience. Would a team lunch once a week cultivate stronger bonds with coworkers? How is the desk setup helping or impeding their concentration? Do they need flexible work hours even on flex work days, or should each department come in at set times to accomplish set goals?
There’s a reason 52% of US and UK workers prefer meeting in the office and 70% of Millennials and Gen Z fears loneliness and isolation with fully remote work. Meeting with your colleagues exclusively over message apps and video conference calls can quickly lead to digital overload and burnout.
Plus, without the spontaneous water cooler conversations that happen in person, working relationships can suffer. Face-to-face interactions help us socialize more, collaborate better, and network effectively. Doing so also ensures employees have the opportunity to get more notice and praise from management.
The more time your team has to spend coordinating when to meet in person, the less time and energy they have to spend doing their actual work.
You can start by taking the guesswork out of where they’ll sit in the office and helping them more easily compare calendars by using digital tools or assigning a point person to handle the details. Make sure you’re providing the appropriate technology while they’re on-site, too. That includes equipment and software.
Your hybrid work model may not work forever – and that’s ok. So long as you keep an open dialogue with employees and continually optimize, you’re more likely to find a solution that works for most everyone.
Send out (short) employee surveys or hold round table discussions where you invite feedback. Once you know what’s working well and what’s not, you can pair that information with pointed data analysis to see where things can evolve.
Whatever you decide, make sure your hybrid workplace is happening for the right reasons. Just because you signed a year lease on a costly commercial office doesn’t mean your employees need to be there. Our workforce has a new understanding of “the office” and companies who want to keep folks around the need to respect that. The more your flexible work policies can create connection while offering autonomy and opportunities for rest, the more productive and loyal your teams will ultimately be.