As organisations and their people begin transitioning back into the office, one thing is for certain; hybrid is the way forward. The hybrid model allows staff to retain the flexibility of working from home and reap the rewards of being able to network, socialise and collaborate when in the office.
The role of the office is now one of collaboration, collective thinking, innovation, and creativity. To ensure employees make the most from their in-office days, BearingPoint consultants have outlined their top three tips to maximise your in-person interactions and in-office time.
Agree in-office activities
Identify and agree with team members tasks that require collaboration, conversation, and brainstorming. Think of activities that are more effective when conducted in person such as onboarding, whiteboarding, planning and knowledge transfer.
Plan ahead
We all have adopted new operating rhythms while working from home so as much advanced notice of days where team members will be required for in-person activities will allow for higher attendance.
Make time to connect
But why go into the office at all you might ask, especially if you can do the same work from home?
Research suggests teams that invest time into bonding over non-work-related topics are higher performing than those that solely meet for work purposes. Taking the time to connect with colleagues allows for a genuine connection to be made which in turn contributes to better teamwork.
A nice way to do this is to let your colleagues know you will be in the office or working elsewhere on a certain day using MS Outlook Calendar’s new ‘Show As’ categorisation.
The increased adoption of hybrid working can have a positive impact on work-life balance and employee wellbeing. However, most organisations are not designed for hybrid working.
To leverage the benefits that hybrid working offers, organisations must consider both how teams engage with one another and how their workspace is used. See BearingPoint’s Top 5 Tips to make hybrid work for you and your organisation.
This piece was written by Amanpreet Sahota a Manager in the BearingPoint People & Strategy team.
