Poly has provided insights into the key factors companies need to focus on to improve their hybrid workplace strategies.
According to industry reports, 70% of Indian companies are planning to implement the hybrid work model beyond the pandemic.
However, certain shortcomings of the current workplace design, infrastructure, and business operations, many of which were built around the premise of employees working in offices full-time, need to be addressed for hybrid working to succeed truly.
Organizations must have the proper framework, insights, technology, and workspace investments to ensure they match the dynamic work styles of an increasingly distributed workforce.
Talking about how organizations can improve their hybrid workplace model, Ankur Goel, Managing Director for Poly India & SAARC said, “The world of work has changed drastically. Having 100% of our colleagues five days a week at work is a thing of the past. Remote and hybrid working has become the standard way of doing business. While this new world of work offers a plethora of opportunities, one of the biggest challenges of managing a distributed workforce is ensuring that every employee, regardless of their work location – at home, in the office, or anywhere in between has the same work experience.”
“Going forward, companies will need to actively build new habits and ensure that no matter where employees work, they feel like they belong, that they’re being included in conversations, and that managers support their diverse needs and work styles”.
He further provided insights on how organizations can improve the hybrid work experience for employees, regardless of their work location. These include-
Insight 1: Use data analytics to improve employee productivity and understand their needs
IT departments can leverage data and insights to have a more objective view of employee productivity in the office and when they work remotely. These inputs will help them decide what technology investments they need to make to support a hybrid workforce collaborate better.
By adopting AI and data analytics, organizations can boost their teams’ efficiency and drive business growth as part of their continued digital transformation plan.
Insight 2: Boost employee experience by investing in the right collaboration technology
As companies go forward, technology investments and collaboration strategies they make should focus on improving employees’ work experience both remotely and on-site.
Organizations should embark on a no-compromise attitude to ensure that the highest quality video and audio solutions are used for employees to collaborate with their peers and stakeholders. By having the right collaboration equipment at their disposal, like high-quality USB cameras and Active Noise Cancelling headsets, employees can work efficiently no matter their location.
Insight 3: Office Spaces Reimagined for a Hybrid Future
With employees working remotely half or most of the time, companies should turn to a flexible and cost-effective approach for their office space investment. By investing in an on-demand approach, companies can effectively add on workspaces. The companies with existing excess office space can consider subleasing part of that space as needed; this ‘core and flex’ model will enable a combination of long-term security for core operations while allowing flexibility for growth. Offices can become collaboration hubs, serving as a place for teams to gather to brainstorm in small groups, host client meetings, celebrate milestones, and work on joint projects.
“By making informed decisions on executing hybrid work strategies, companies can propel and thrive in the hybrid world of work,” Ankur added.