The Link Between Hybrid Working & Employee Engagement
Following on from our previous blog post ‘Hybrid Working: Know The Basics’ we are now aware of what Hybrid Working is and the basics to know about implementing a Hybrid Work Model in your organisation. However, something employers may not be aware of is in order for hybrid working to be successfully implemented, getting employee engagement right is crucial.
Employee engagement can be defined as the mental and emotional connection employees feel towards their places of work, all of which drives not only their motivation but also their productivity and ultimately efficiencies. Offering a flexible working arrangement to your employees is in itself a good way to motivate and engage employees; by offering them the opportunity to manage their own work life balance in a way that suits their needs. But employers also need to ensure the sense of belonging is not lost amongst their team. It is important that employees are still connected to their colleagues while working remotely and, when they are together in the workplace, ensuring that a sense of collaboration and togetherness still exists, thus maintaining the culture of the organisation.
Identifying the drivers of engagement is a necessary first step for organisations looking to improve their overall performance. Organisations can increase engagement by adopting a systematic approach that aligns with the organisations framework of objectives. Some key elements include:
• Confidence in Leadership
This is particularly important when decisions are being made in relation to the roll-out of the hybrid working model. It is important to note that every organisation will not get the hybrid model right first-time, it will require testing, rearranging and continuous feedback from employees. In order for employees to really engage, they must believe that the leadership team not only values their opinion but also takes their opinions onboard when designing their hybrid working models.
• Collaboration
When employees work in teams and have the trust and cooperation of their team members, they outperform individuals and teams which lack good relationships. Great leaders are team builders and can create an environment which fosters not only trust but also collaboration. Employees who are cared about by their colleagues is a strong predictor of Employee engagement. As a result, an ongoing challenge for organisations is to gather employees to collaborate on organisational, departmental, and group goals.
• Effective Communication
Employees want to work for successful organisations and as such they want to know how they are contributing to that success. Employees need to know that their views and input count and are valued, to understand their organisations strategy and see how their work objectives are linked with their work areas business plan. A primary engagement priority should be clear and meaningful communication from leaders to employees. To assist organisation with effective communications, tools such as focus groups and opinion surveys are very effective.
In conclusion, moving from remote working to hybrid working is not feasible without careful consideration and communication with employees. There is no “one-size fits all” approach and every organisation will have their own specific set of strategic objectives, as well as employees having needs individual to them. But the key to the success of hybrid working in your organisation is ensuring you have the full support of your employees.
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