Nearly
60% of remote workers who identify as GenZ or millennials said they miss connecting with their co-workers in person. The majority also said they fear that remote work will cause them to miss out on promotions and advancement opportunities.
On the other side of the fence,
64% of workers polled would rather have the chance to work from home than accept a $30,000 annual raise.
For many companies, the solution is a hybrid workforce, where people come into the office when necessary but work remotely at other times. Meetings will also be a mix of virtual and in-person events, creating a host of challenges for managers. Fortunately, the technology available for virtual events and webcast solutions today can overcome many of these challenges.
Ensuring Employees Are Treated the Same, Remotely or In-house
One of the challenges to a hybrid workforce directly reflects employees’ fears: That remote workers will not be treated the same as in-house employees.
It’s hard to deny the benefits of face-to-face interactions, including lunches with the boss or gathering around the water cooler to chat about how amazing the Disney+ mini-series Loki was with the surprise twist.
However, it is performance that really matters, and communicating with remote workers about expectations and acknowledging their accomplishments can help create a connected workforce where no one feels left out. Encourage remote employees to share their accomplishments and make sure to address their concerns promptly. Often, a quick video conference surpasses an email, text-based chat, or voice call if you want to hash out issues or concerns.
Providing Excellent Technology for Remote Employees to Feel Connected
Few things are more frustrating than trying to participate in a team brainstorming session and experiencing bandwidth issues or poor audio and video quality. You can’t participate because you can’t hear what’s going on, and you might be hesitant to share because you worry no one will understand you.
Choose a professional platform for company meetings, town halls, and even brainstorming sessions between teams and ensure remote workers have the necessary bandwidth to participate as if they were in the room with their co-workers.
Creating a Well-Designed Office Space for a Hybrid Work Environment
Adopting a
hybrid workforce arrangement can reduce infrastructure costs. Companies may require less real estate, fewer desks, and may even see reduced energy use due to having half their staff in the office.
But before you reduce your workspace or cut infrastructure in other ways, look at what you’ll really need. Will a hybrid arrangement look like desk-sharing? Will people have purpose-built rooms, deep-focus work, and huddle spaces for team brainstorming? Only once you determine what your hybrid workforce will look like — and the technology it will need — should you consider any changes.
Dedicated video conference spaces with the appropriate acoustics and bandwidth for webcasting are usually a good idea. When your company produces webinars for revenue and lead generation, they can be recorded in this space. You can also use them for town hall meetings,
investor relations events, and any time you need a clean, acoustically friendly space for a
webcast or virtual event.
Looking to optimize your workspace for hybrid and virtual events and a hybrid workforce? PGi can help.
Reach out today for a free demo.
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