Even before the pandemic, employee well-being and engagement has always been main topics management put in their agenda. Post the pandemic, these topics are even more so prioritized. Adding the fact that our working place is changing, employees are scattered geographically, virtual communication becomes the key touch points, and that working arrangement might not be returning like it was pre-pandemic. Ensuring employee well-being and engagement will be different and challenging for companies.
Though survey from McKinsey or Gallup stated that more employees are now preferring hybrid working arrangement, there are other survey that shows hybrid work has a negative turn for employee well-being. In UK, survey from Dynata showed that 71% of their respondents that work in a hybrid setting are struggling with work-life balance (source: https://www.fenews.co.uk/work-leadership/fw-71-of-hybrid-or-remote-working-brits-are-struggling-with-work-life-balance/). Similarly, Women @ Work 2022: A Global Outlook survey from Deloitte Global finds that 53% of women reporting higher stress levels than a year ago. (source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/05/women-at-work-2022-deloitte-hybrid-working-stress/).
These surveys shows that, though companies are now more flexible, it does not always guarantee employee well-being.
There are ways we can support employee well-being in a hybrid work setting. Separation between working and living space can help with employee well-being, so they can create boundaries and maintain work-life balance. A survey from Ergotron finds that 62% employees who improved their workspace, also have improved mental health. With 15% of those employees workspace might be funded by their employers (source: https://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/health-wellness/56-of-u-s-white-collar-workers-reporting-improved-mental-health-due-to-hybrid-work-survey/).
Other than separation/boundaries, management can provide benefit that employee actually needs. For example, flexible benefit with wide range of services they can choose according to their needs. Or diverse well-being program, not only mental health, but also financial, education, physical health, and more.
Leaders have role to set an example in terms of well-being. For example, in terms of work-life separation, by minimizing or even remove work-related communication after work. Leaders should also communicate, both in teams of personally to ensure the well-being of their team.
As for engagement, there are many articles that prioritizing one aspect; communication. Leaders and management are expected to always open and initiate communication with their employee. Purposely showing genuine care about what employee needs. These communication might be an easier task pre-pandemic when everyone is just a few tables away. So equipping your managers with communication skills such as listening or other skills that enables them to have an in-depth communication is key to maintain their communication capabilities in hybrid setting.
Anne Mcsilver in her LinkedIn article stated emphasize about overall employee experience in hybrid setting (source: https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/talent-engagement/employee-engagement-and-hybrid-work-tips). Re-designing & re-thinking every stage of employee experience in a hybrid setting might help to improving overall employee experience. Form acquisition until resignation/termination. This involves management in getting more creative and more investment in technologies that enables new ways of interaction or communication with employees. These employee experience should also be consistent, between the one who’s working at home or at the office.
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To sum it up, ensuring employee well-being and engagement, there should be a continuous and conscious effort from the management. Especially in communication, as the key aspect to glue and maintain connection between individuals in the office. Other than that, don’t forget to always be open for new experiences or possibility that can help your companies to find new and creative way to engage.
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