Well, the pandemic is truly in our rear view mirror and people are back into a more normal work routine, with everyone being very busy again! I was speaking with a Senior Leader about their workforce and how many were working remotely versus going into the office. She mentioned that they were still struggling to find what approach worked best for them and had still not mandated a company policy.
I am noticing many staff wanting to have at least 1 or 2 days per week flexible to work from home. This can provide the best of both worlds as long as some other things are in place. In my book Hybrid Workplace Hacks, I explored the multiple options that are available and provided a range of things for leaders to consider. Here are a few things to be aware of when trying to find the best flexible workplace:
Fixed vs Flexible Approach. How the decision is made and what days are flexible is something that needs to be carefully considered. A Fixed approach has the Executive Leadership team making the decision for everyone and telling them what days people need to be in the office. A Flexible approach allows departmental leaders working with their teams to identify the common days that are best to be in the office together. So what approach are you taking?
How Many Days Working Remotely. As I explored in my book there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to the number of days people work remotely. In saying that I am noticing that most staff are working at least 1 day remotely and I am also noticing that this is often a Friday (everyone likes to have the last day of the week without fighting traffic into the office!) Also by allowing staff to work remotely, you can help retain them as the research still shows staff are happier and more productive this way.
Flexible Office Layout. With some staff in the office and other staff working remotely, it is important the design of your office is also flexible. Award winning designers like WMK Architecture continue to create productive and inspiring work-spaces. Remember you need plenty of meeting rooms and small pod areas for individual staff to dial into a virtual meeting without loudly talking over staff that they sit next to as this can be really annoying!
If you would like to find out more about some of these strategies that leaders are taking to enable their people to be more productive and get things done in less time, please reach out for a free 20 minute strategy session.
