Do you trust your employees to do good work when they are not in the office? It is said that countless employers still do not trust their people to do their best work unless they are physically in the office. However, while managers may be struggling to adjust to hybrid working, this perception is actually a long way from the truth.

Research from around the world has revealed that greater flexibility from remote and hybrid working often results in a large boost to productivity. Despite this some firms are bringing back an office-only policy.

Employers may be grappling with the fallout of the last few years and hoping that a return to the office will result in a post-pandemic productivity boost. However, seeing as hybrid workers show improved morale, greater creativity and better collaboration (compared with pre-pandemic levels), this could be a massive misstep.

Some businesses have increased their employee monitoring to try and track performance, but this is often perceived as a big brother tactic that can often end up having the wrong effect. A drop in productivity, a lack of trust, demoralised teams and a greater feeling of an ‘us and them’ divide.

All businesses need to understand how they are performing and decide which metrics give the best insights into productivity. This has to be done in a way that doesn’t leave employees feeling like cogs in a machine.

So, what is the answer?

There is some clear advice for building a productive and successful hybrid environment:

• Encourage people to work in the way that is best for them
• Find the right ways to measure performance – without people feeling like they are being constantly watched.
• Automate repetitive tasks to free up your team’s creativity.
• Provide everyone with the tools and tech they need to do their job properly. That could include choosing the right devices, using communication tools that aid collaboration and making the right connectivity choices.

If you would like any help or advice with any of this then please get in touch. We would love to help.

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.