Some businesses we speak to have their hybrid working plans in place and have had no complaints, therefore assume they are working well.  Some are just starting to plan their return to the office and are being met with very mixed feelings from their teams. Others have been trialling flexible and hybrid working for some time and can’t seem to get the levels of engagement and productivity they are after.

Wherever you are at on this journey, there is no doubt that your plans will need to change again and as business owners, HR professionals and managers, we need to be prepared for this.

We wanted to share with you some of the key considerations for businesses that we have learned through our partnerships with a range of industries this last 6 months or so.

The wellbeing benefits of getting back to the workplace

  • Connecting, supporting and upskilling new starters and helping them feel part of the company culture and team
  • Increased sense of belonging, boosted mood and energy. We’d be rich if we had a pound for every time a client said “I didn’t realise I’d missed this place and my team until I came back in!”
  • Enhanced collaboration within and across teams, increased creativity and innovation
  • An increase sense of purpose, structure and routine

The wellbeing concerns with returning to the workplace

  • Reduced confidence and imposter thinking, which can create anxieties about returning
  • Social anxieties and insecurities – going out of our comfort zone again can be incredibly daunting and will take time to re-programme the brain again
  • fears around not getting enough done with all of the distractions
  • People with underlying physical or mental health conditions, or neurodivergent traits may have additional barriers to being in an office environment and may not have disclosed this to anyone before
  • Fears about losing work-life balance and benefits of not having to commute, and spending more time at home

So – it is all about balance, and what works for one individual or team, may not work for another!

Our top tips for an effective return / hybrid working model:  

  • Be prepared to think and do things differently – use new technology, be creative with how you work on a project remotely using tools such as Miro or the cloud.
  • Agree on the climate/culture of your workplace – what do you want this to look and feel like?
  • Send clear messages from the top down about what is expected of people in terms of productivity in the office, hours, and taking breaks. If you want a lively environment where people connect and collaborate then reassure people that this is OK and will help them to thrive in their roles. Equally, if you want people to be able to focus without distraction consider how you best use the spaces to allow for this.
  • Every team operates differently within your business, so be mindful of whole company approaches and consider where flexibility may be needed. It may be helpful to train team leaders and managers in how to offer flexibility, while demonstrating consistency with company policies & practices
  • Encourage teams to agree what will work for them. This might include arranging casual meetups first, working out how they are most effective as a team and when they need to be at home and in the office to be most productive, sharing calendars and being transparent
  • Support people to have clear expectations on how they best work and where this is so they can take ownership of their working pattern. This creates a sense of control and is important for wellbeing.
  • Give people a reason to come in as opposed to “you have to be in on a Monday” or “Everyone comes in 3 days a week now”. Think creatively about what this reason could be, for example an activity, team building, insight sessions, personal development, collaborating on a project, meeting new team members, charity / CSR opportunities
  • Upskill everyone in simple strategies to engage their teams when holding a hybrid meeting / training session
  • Consider how informal chats and check-ins will happen once the workplace is busier. Are there areas to use that are more private, can you go for a walk and a coffee? Normalising talking about mental health, making use of the spaces you have, ensuring managers are always visible and about, and wellbeing champions introducing themselves are effective ways of reducing barriers to these conversations
  • Review your policies on flexible working regularly to find out how people are finding them, at least monthly at senior leadership meetings and more regularly in 1:1s with team members