As working from home orders have eased, we are seeing a rise in employees returning to the office, with a certain change in attitude towards what has become the ‘new era of working.’ 

By now, you have probably heard one or more employees saying, “I can do this at home, why did I have to put on a suit and spend 30+ minutes in traffic”. So, clearly there is something to be said about making the workplace worth the trip.  

Business leaders can redefine the office’s role and clarify when, why, and how often teams should meet in person.

In Microsoft’s latest Work Trend Index, 38% of hybrid employees find it hard to determine when to come to the office. Yet few companies (28%) have established team agreements to clearly define the new normal.  

Provide choices

People love having choices! Let your employees come into the office on the days that work best for them.  

If an employee is working on a project that requires quiet and concentration, let them work on it where it makes sense for them. This allows the employee to get the work done in the most effective and efficient means possible.  

Experiment  

Experiment with “Team Tuesday’s” or in person office hours between 10am-3pm two days a week. Consider quarterly company updates offsite that bring far-flung teammates together regularly. The key takeaway for managers is to provide clear guidance to employees as they experiment and learn what works for the team.  

Reimagine 

Instead of having your team meetings in the same boardroom, try changing it up. Experiment with weekly team lunches, or midweek coffee catch-ups outside of the office on specific weekdays.  

Meeting these new employee expectations will require a change in mindset. The best leaders will create a culture that embraces flexibility and prioritises employee wellbeing.  

One thing is clear, hybrid working is here to stay. We need to design workplaces with enough flexibility to support every employee. Tools like Microsoft Teams and Teams rooms, is crucial for meeting evolving hybrid expectations in a new digital workplace.

If you would like to know more, contact the Huddler team to book a free demo.