It’s almost impossible to avoid: the future of work is all about agility.
The hybrid workplace model has taken center stage in the past few years, and now that remote work is both plausible and acceptable, we may never go back.
Asana’s Anatomy of Work Global Index 2022 covers this change, explaining that “work-life balance, once defined by time spent in the office versus time spent at home, [has been] given an entirely new meaning. The only certainty is that more change is inevitable — and now is the time for leaders to not only adapt to this reality, but to learn how to thrive within it.”
The question then becomes: How can employers support the hybrid workforce and adapt their current working environments to support team members who work from home and those who still come into the office?
Let’s dive into the report to find the answers.
Reducing “Work about Work”
A significant part of the workplace experience (WX) is how easy it is for workers to do their jobs.
Asana reports that over the past year, this has been a focus area for employers: in 2021, workers spent about 60% of their time doing “work about work.” Asana defines this phrase as the commonplace activities we all have to do, such as communicating about work using Microsoft Teams or Slack, video conferencing, setting up file-sharing, and so forth. “Work about work,” then, encompasses all of the administrative tasks that take up time around the more skilled work employees are hired to do.
Though this number dropped to 58% in 2022 (meaning that most employers have recognized the increase of time-consuming, menial tasks among remote employees and are trying to address it), “work about work” still consumes about 23 hours of the 40 hour work week.
This results in, as Asana explains, 129 hours a year spent on duplicated work and 129 hours a year spent in unnecessary meetings. On the bright side, over 257 hours a year can be saved with improved processes that can get the most out of flexible working models.
Leaning into Hybrid Teams
Despite these challenges, the hybrid work model isn’t going anywhere. In fact, Asana explains, the future of work is projected to be predominantly hybrid. This means that, to get the most out of in-person and remote workers, companies are investing in innovative hardware and software to enhance the workplace experience.
After all, workplaces that offer flexibility while also encouraging socialization, connectivity, and employee wellness see better business results. “Hybrid employees tend to outperform office-only employees, and are far happier,” explains Professor Nicholas Bloom in the report. “The reason is this flexibility is a huge benefit for them — they get to do activities they really value while outperforming at work.”
The Power of a Mobile App
Of course, no hybrid office is complete without a mobile workplace experience app. The right app can achieve many things for hybrid teams, from building entry, to booking meeting rooms, to digital programming that provides employees with perks and benefits in the workplace. Not only can these apps make the work day more seamless (thus, reducing the “work about work” for employees no matter where they are located), but more enjoyable.
A happy employee is a more productive employee, and being able to communicate directly with your workforce and connect them to your building’s amenities and services will keep them coming back for more.
Want to learn more about enhancing the workplace experience? Schedule a demo today.
