With the global Covid-19 pandemic receding, more folks are stepping out of their homes for work and leisure, and many businesses are adopting the hybrid work model in order to help employees transition back to working in an office.

The hybrid work model has several advantages as a flexible arrangement, including improved work-life balance, employee satisfaction, and even productivity. However, after over two years of working from home, the abrupt change may provide some difficulties to some employees. One example could be maintaining high productivity levels when switching between multiple work environments. As a result, the shift from WFH to hybrid should be seamless and meticulously planned. Here are some suggestions to guide you.

Ways to track and retain productivity in hybrid work arrangements

Use the right tools and applications

In the hybrid workplace, software is one of the most important tools to ensure productivity for people and businesses. Hybrid arrangements can succeed if businesses have integrated solutions that make work seamless no matter where their employees are working at.

These IT tools include workforce management software, team collaboration tools, and work apps for mobile devices that can sync to PC. Technology adoption can result in fewer data and time loss, as well as easier operation, while also removing the initial discomfort of transitioning to a new work style after nearly two years.

Monitor work reports and performance remotely but efficiently

When your teams are spread out in a hybrid work environment, compiling work reports for review may become tedious. Also, it is easier to monitor the team’s performance if they are all in one location.

Workforce management software offers businesses the ability to overcome these handicaps. It provides time tracking tools for monitoring job completion, and also enables team managers to view reports in real-time. With it, businesses can help employees track their own task progress and let managers review overall productivity more easily.

Set aside a specific area for work

Some employees may not find it easy to cope with a change in environment, be it returning to the office or working from home. There can be a decline in attentiveness and productivity if your office workstation is substantially different from your working environment at home.

Therefore, to help employees transition between workspaces smoothly, it can be beneficial to have a similar work station setup in both environments. For example, having a separate room or a comfortable area without distractions at home will increase productivity. Creating an ergonomic workspace at home and including all your work necessities on the desk will also make switching easier on a daily basis.

It is critical to keep track of time

Punctuality is essential for achieving balance in numerous aspects of life, including the transition to a hybrid work style. This is why it is important to attempt to begin each day at the same time. Having a morning routine that prepares both the mind and the body will be beneficial in ensuring you feel rested waking up at a set time and your mindset is fresh and ready for work. Following that, it’s also a good idea to plan out the rest of your workday ahead of time so you can make the most of your time.

During the WFH days, for example, one could use the work travelling time to catch up on emails and texts. It is also essential to maintain the same work hours at home as compared to in the office, as some people may be prone to working longer hours from home and even work at odd hours in the middle of the night. Doing so will prevent burnout and instead contribute to long-term productivity.

Connect with your co-workers

Having good co-worker relationships will help to boost employee attention and productivity. When meeting in person, you will have a lot more chances to form meaningful and productive relationships with your co-workers. Working in a hybrid environment however, may cause relationship-building to take a backseat.

Beyond work duties, it is vital for employees to embrace the developing and cultivating of professional connections with their co-workers, which will in turn make collaboration easier. To help employees in hybrid arrangements grow closer together, businesses can look into planning online and in-person team bonding events for their staff.

Be open to change

Flexibility is one crucial aspect of the hybrid workspace concept for businesses. Against the traditional work approach, which can be inflexible at times, the hybrid system brings together several models to achieve the perfect blend of employee engagement, work life balance and satisfaction, and productivity.

To reach the pinnacle of hybrid productivity, one must be willing to try new things in the office and use the WFH concept. These include using digital tools to create more inclusive team meetings, shifting from open space concept work desks to a mix of open and enclosed spaces, and allowing employees flexible work timings.

And at the end of the day, organisations must examine how this affects their employees as well. Overall, the norms set in place prior to the pandemic should be open to change, so that employees and their respective companies can increase their adaptability and thrive.

Final Thoughts

It is apparent that, with digitisation tools and a few physical workspace adjustments, employees and organisations can maintain productivity in the hybrid workplace model. After Covid, hybrid working has become more common, bringing huge changes to the way we work and making the workplace more personalised. So, make sure you’re equipped with the right tactics and software to help your in-office and remote employees collaborate well and maintain high productivity.

V3 Smart Technologies provides tailored workforce management software solutions to make work more efficient for businesses with hybrid or remote work arrangements. Contact us to know more.