Engaging Hybrid Workplaces with the four (4) P’s - Purpose, Peers, Place, Productivity

Is there balance for the companies deploying and managing this new normal with distributed teams and talent? 

We will explore the four Ps that can help you craft a productive and collaborative workplace experience for all your employees.

Purpose

Building Culture, Recognition of Positive Outcomes

The first P in engaging hybrid workplaces is purpose. In a hybrid workplace, it's essential to align employees' work with the company's mission, values, and goals. This alignment can create a sense of belonging, accomplishment, and purpose driving a positive company culture. Here are some tips to achieve these outcomes:

• Communicate the company's mission and values: Communicate the company's vision and values regularly and make sure they resonate with your employees' values and aspirations.
  
  
• Create a recognition program: Create a recognition program that acknowledges employees' achievements, hard work, and contributions to the company's success. Promote that with badging and tools for promotion. 
  
  
• Provide opportunities for growth and development: Provide opportunities for growth and development by offering training, mentorship, coaching, or career paths that align with your employees' interests and goals.

Peers

Building Community, Trust, and Collaboration

The second P in engaging hybrid workplaces is peers. Humans are social beings, and working in isolation can create burnout, loneliness, and mental health problems. Therefore, it's essential to build a sense of community and trust among your employees, whether they work remotely or in the office. Here are some tips to achieve these outcomes:

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  Encourage casual conversations: Create channels or forums where employees can connect and talk about anything, including hobbies, personal interests, and work-related topics.
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  Mingle virtually: Organize virtual coffee breaks, happy hours, or team-building activities that can promote team bonding and socialization.
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  Promote collaboration: Encourage cross-functional collaborations, where employees have an opportunity to work with colleagues from different departments, locations, or backgrounds.

Place

Places to Gather in Person, Virtually, and Socially

The third P in engaging hybrid workplaces is place. In a hybrid workplace, employees can work from different locations, such as home, office, or a third place. Therefore, it's essential to create a flexible and inviting environment that accommodates employees' needs and preferences.

A study by Accenture reveals that the “Productivity everywhere” model is used by 63% of the high-growth firms.

Here are some tips to achieve these outcomes:

• Hybrid workplace design: Design a physical and virtual workspace that accommodates both remote and in-office employees' needs, including drop-in spaces, huddle zones, private areas, height-adjusted workstations, natural light, biophilia, adequate bandwidth and connectivity.
  
  
• Create social spaces: Create social spaces or breakout rooms where employees can relax, mingle, or brainstorm ideas. Drive people together in person with like-minded ideas with social and business clubs and groups.
  
  
• Invest in technology: Invest in technology that makes communication and collaboration easy, such as video conferencing, digital whiteboards, instant messaging, scheduling, event and desking platforms, or enterprise social networks.

Productivity

Measuring Results

The fourth P in engaging hybrid workplaces is productivity. Although remote work offers employees more flexibility, it also presents challenges such as distractions, blurred boundaries between work and personal life, and disconnection from the team. Therefore, it's essential to measure productivity and set clear expectations for your employees.

According to the survey conducted by McKinsey, 58% of the employees said that their productivity increased by hybrid work, 54% claimed that inclusion and diversity in the workplace improved, employee engagement increased by 45%, and 36% said that customer satisfaction increased.

Here are some tips to achieve these outcomes:

• Establish clear goals and KPIs: Set clear goals and KPIs for each employee, team, or project, and measure their performance regularly.
  
  
• Use tracking and monitoring tools: Use tracking and monitoring tools, such as time tracking, project management, or employee productivity software, to measure employee's work output and identify bottlenecks or problems.
  
  
• Provide feedback and recognition: Provide regular feedback and recognition to your employees based on their performance, achievements, or contributions. Positive reinforcement can motivate your employees to perform better and help them overcome the feeling of isolation or disconnection.
  
  

Engaging hybrid workplaces require a strategic approach that considers the four Ps: peers, productivity, place, and purpose. Managers and company leaders play a significant role in creating a workspace that combines the best of both worlds and meet employees' needs, preferences, and aspirations. By building community, trust, and collaboration, measuring productivity, creating social spaces, and aligning employees' work with the company's mission, you can create a thriving and engaging hybrid workplace that delivers positive outcomes for your employees and your company.