The labour market shortage caused by Covid-19 has created a perfect storm for hiring. Workplace Design could play a big part in staff retention. For certain skillsets, it’s safe to say that it’s definitely an employee’s market out there. Navigating the hiring crisis, businesses face a strategic challenge of how to not only attract the right person and talent, but also, how to keep them.
One simple solution is to make your workplace design a people-first office. Is your office in tune with hybrid working models?
The pandemic has transformed employees expectations and showed that traditional ways of working are outdated. It’s time to usher in flexible working as the norm.
Fast Track Change to a Hybrid Office
Supporting a hybrid workforce may require your organization to embrace new solutions. Offering greater flexibility is vital but it means redesigning the ‘traditional’ office. Employee-driven spaces will be the main focus of most office layouts and refurbishments going forward and companies who successfully do this can use this design trend to retain staff.
The hybrid workplace of the future is an immersive hub with a variety of appealing spaces that inspire collaboration, creativity, wellness, connectivity and motivation. Staff working remotely should feel equally included and heard through seamless virtual communication. This allows teams to collaborate regardless of their location. It requires investment in tools and furniture such as cloud-based platforms, acoustic booths, zoom rooms and high-end video conferencing to drive collaboration.
Employee-led design decisions
For a hybrid office to work it needs multi-functional and agile spaces that cater for everything from scrum meetings to brainstorming, to private video calls or relaxation.
For instance, have you considered working a multifunctional wellness room into your office design? This space can be used for yoga classes, relaxation area or gym. Its vital to keep inclusion at the heart of any hybrid working plan. Different groups will have different challenges, and all should be included and considered. The transformation process must include dialogue and partnership, with the outcome being positive for all employee groups, as well as for the business. Engaging with employee groups and individuals will enable understanding of the specific challenges and development of appropriate solutions. You need to really know your workforce, how they work and what is expected of them before you put any plan in place.
Companies have a tremendous opportunity to ask their employees what they need to feel and perform at their best. There is no one size fits all plan when it comes to hybrid working. That’s the essence of a hybrid strategy – a truly thoughtful approach to design that creates a positive employee experience and should help with staff retention. The hybrid work model is the desired work model for most organizations and employees, post pandemic.
It is a long-term solution for many industries and businesses. The future of work is now, don’t get left behind. For advice on your next project why not talk to our design team?
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