Workplace engagement and productivity are the top focus areas for business leaders in 2022. Regardless of where an employee physically works on any given day, employers now understand that they need to provide the hybrid workforce with the right tools to stay connected and create enjoyable workplace experiences. This connectivity is key to having employees feel engaged and valued, which in turn keeps productivity high.
The hiring crunch is also putting a spotlight on employee engagement and connectivity.
As companies compete to attract and retain top talent, they need to think about employee experience in addition to productivity. Employees report being happier and more likely to remain at their current job when they work in a people-first, flexible work environment.
The Hybrid Workforce Productivity Debate
Are employees more productive in the office full-time, working remotely, or in a hybrid environment? While recent surveys have shown that a hybrid workforce has a slight edge, many workplace experts say that we are asking the wrong questions when we talk about productivity.
Instead of debating how location impacts productivity, the consensus from a gathering of Gallup’s Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Roundtable, the biggest group of large-company CHROs in the world, is that “measuring productivity is less important than managing it.” The roundtable of experts explains that employers and managers should focus on “creating the conditions for employees to flourish.”
Those conditions include factors such as engaging employees wherever they are, building a strong and high-performance culture, and developing managers who can lead a resilient productive team.
Measuring Productivity in Value vs Time
Another way to manage productivity is to create a value-driven workplace. Instead of measuring employee productivity by the number of tasks or time spent in meetings, organizations are embracing productivity based on outcomes or the value that an individual brings to the company. This is especially important today as work-from-home and hybrid employees become the norm, and knowledge workers move away from traditional 9 to 5 working hours.
The Deloitte report, Humanizing Productivity and Performance, further explains how productivity is more than output. “We need to look at productivity as creating more value with the same resources. To do this, it’s not just about making people and machines more efficient—it’s also about defining the value you are hoping they’ll create.”
While the meaning of value will differ by industry, organizations, and teams it’s critical that teams jointly agree on this definition and define how they will work together in a hybrid environment to achieve these goals.
How To Enable a Connected and Flourishing Workforce
Once you’ve defined productivity, the next step is to create an environment where the workforce can thrive. In addition to the factors mentioned above, technology is a major asset in helping organizations flourish. According to a Qualtrics survey, employees are 230% more engaged and 85% more likely to stay beyond three years in their jobs if they feel they have the technology that supports them at work.
Leaders should offer employees tools such as a workplace experience platform that helps them connect and innovate. While it’s the people in an organization that drive the culture and set goals, technology can help reinforce it by supporting:
- Collaboration
- Engagement
- Workplace well-being
- Efficiency
But strengthening those pillars that support highly productive employees requires a platform that works best for your organization.
Choosing the Right Technology
To have the biggest impact, it’s important that technology integrates seamlessly into an employee’s day. It should also streamline existing organizational tools and services in a way that mirrors everyday apps and personal services.
HqO’s Workplace Experience Platform provides business leaders and employees access to the tools they require to succeed every day, whether they are in the office or working remotely. Your employees don’t need to waste time on administrative tasks. HqO offers the ability to book conference rooms or desk spaces in real-time. In addition, they can order food or services, and even participate in digital programming initiatives.
Learn more about how HqO can help your workforce stay connected here.
