With many employers making the decision to return to the workplace, there are many employees who want to continue working from home. While there may not be a perfect solution for every situation, a hybrid workplace comes the closest. It allows employees to work in the office and at home, providing them opportunities for in-person and online collaboration and enables them to be as productive as possible while remaining comfortable. It is important to carefully consider the hybrid workplace to make sure everything is set up properly. 

Before your employees return to work in the office, especially in a hybrid setting, find out what they want. Many will still want to work from home as much as possible, while others will want to work in the office more frequently. It depends on their home environment and whether they have the ability to concentrate on work, their commute, and a number of other factors. Talk to them to see what the best setup would be for the hybrid workplace and what they need to make it a success. 

Employees often appreciate being able to dictate their own working hours. While it might be beneficial to have most of the work done during typical work hours and there are some things, like meetings, that will have to be held when most people can be there, giving employees flexibility allows them to work around their own schedule. This enables them to be more productive, as they can take time to go to the doctor's office or bank and still be able to focus on work later when they have less on their mind to distract them. 

Collaboration is key when employees are working a hybrid schedule. Those who are in the office need to be able to work with those who are not. Today, many different collaboration tools are available to make this easier and to provide employees with the opportunity to work no matter where they are. Check out a variety of tools to ensure employees can easily discuss projects, work together on things that require it, and keep in touch even if they may not be in the office on the same days. 

Socialization is important for employees and gives them the chance to get to know each other better. Make sure there is plenty of opportunity for socialization, whether that includes online meetings where employees can discuss anything they'd like or a break room stocked with snacks and drinks where they can meet up in the office. It is important to provide ways for employees to talk and get along so they are more comfortable asking for help when needed and have a connection with their fellow employees. 

 

A hybrid workplace may not be the perfect solution, but it's definitely one that's gaining a lot of traction today because of the benefits it can provide. It's not possible to just switch to a hybrid workplace, though. It is necessary to plan it carefully and make sure everything is in place to set up the employees for success. Start talking with them now to learn what they need and what they may want to create a workplace that works well for everyone.