How to Overcome Challenges in a Hybrid Workspace

Key Highlights

• Employers should always give employees clarification when necessary.
• Developing methods for employees to cooperate and share new ideas, including using technology and digital tools that improve their soft skills.
• Having location flexibility and a hybrid company culture boosts their productivity.
• Team management is essential in any company because it allows employees and employers to collaborate and learn from one another.

Lack of Clarity

Lack of clarity is one of the most difficult aspects of hybrid functioning. The hybrid working model requires more explanation than remote or on-site work. Hybrid working has policies for everyone, including how many days to work in the office and at home. When employees converse through a screen, words might easily be misunderstood. Employers should establish standards for how the team should collaborate, and they should clarify who is responsible for what and discuss areas of conflict. Companies can develop policies based on employee input on how hybrid working makes them more productive.

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Breaking Barriers to Effective Collaboration

Successful collaboration is one of the most significant obstacles to hybrid working. Employers face the problem of creating an environment where employees can effectively cooperate and increase productivity. Companies can utilize various tools to help teams collaborate as technology progresses and the digital world expands. Employees miss out on peer communication, which can be remedied by informal virtual meetings that allow them to learn what their colleagues are working on and offer ideas.

Investing in Litespace, offers advanced capabilities like:

• Event Planning: organize company events 
• Team Engagement: Coffee Meetings and Team Activities that strengthens employee relationships  

Planning Office Space

Location flexibility is one of the benefits of hybrid working. Employees have the option of working onsite or remotely. Employers also benefit because they can shrink the office and save money on overhead expenditures. The question that remains is how many desks and conference rooms should be kept. Empty office spaces are devoid of enthusiasm, whereas a lack of desks results in disputes about who sits where. Modern Workspace Management is the solution to the problem.  

Litespace: a platform that helps you communicate where you are working from, desk booking and the complete solution to space management.

Company Culture 

Companies and employees have adapted to the modern working style, but maintaining a positive workplace culture remains a struggle. How can businesses convince their employees nationwide to share the same values? While considering the hybrid approach, firms must also modify their culture. Slack, the most popular communication tool these days, can be leveraged to foster a hybrid work culture. Creating non-work channels on Slack can assist to engage staff. Finding coworkers with similar interests makes work more pleasurable and creates connection, essential for productivity.

Effective Work-Life Balance

Finding balance in hybrid work is simple, but it also comes with the risk of working longer than necessary. Setting boundaries between work and personal life is critical, and employers should encourage their staff to turn off their laptops. Setting core hour policies that include flexible time for personal duties will make a difference in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Employees will feel less stressed and refreshed at work if the hybrid procedure is simple.

Managing Split Teams 

It might be difficult for companies to manage team members who operate in different time zones. Some employees work entirely from home, and others work in the office and from home. Employees may miss out on the perks that hybrid delivers. Working from home can make you feel overlooked and excluded from choices because you are not physically present. To address this, businesses should strive to create equal opportunities for both hybrid and non-hybrid staff. It is critical that all employees feel valued at work, and it is equally critical to provide opportunities for advancement and recognition regardless of where they work.

According to O.C. Tanner's 2023 Global Culture Report, 41% of UK employees disagree that hybrid work has made it more difficult to build a workplace community while 36% do. According to the report, there is a split between those who believe remote and hybrid working has improved or not changed their organization's culture, with 37% believing it is now better and 43% believing it has remained the same. Trust concerns persist between remote workers and their managers, and remote workers lack trust in leadership, revealing a significant barrier to fostering a workplace community. Organizations must foster togetherness to become a thriving center of creativity, such as building a caring and collaborative leadership team and cultivating a culture of appreciation.

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Key Learnings:

• Building virtual relationships, setting hybrid work norms, and effective communication and collaboration are all required for hybrid working models to succeed.
• Flexible working is the future of the workplace, and teams must remain connected regardless of where they work.
• When businesses overcome the challenges of implementing the hybrid work model, they will maximize the productivity of their workplace.