A Little Trust Can Go a Long Way

Even after a few years of hybrid working, many employers are still struggling to trust their people when working remotely, believing they can only do their best work when they’re physically in the office. According to new research, however, this perception is far from the truth.

The study found that the flexibility of remote and hybrid working can boost productivity, increase engagement, and lead to a happier, loyal team that’s more likely to deliver excellent results.

But some employers are insisting on bringing people back into the office, hoping that a RTO (return to office) policy will bring about post-pandemic productivity improvement, compared to the WFH model.

This may actually be a step in the wrong direction, as remote and hybrid workers have shown improved morale, creativity, and collaboration.

Nobody likes the thought of “Big Brother” watching them

This false perception has also caused some companies to have a hard time trusting that their people are working properly when they can’t physically seem them in the office – so they’re doing more monitoring and tracking of employees and their performance. But this can feel like “Big Brother” – and no one likes to feel like they’re constantly being watched. So it can end up backfiring and causing the opposite of the intended results: demoralization, loss of trust and loyalty, decreased performance, and an atmosphere of “us versus them”.

Of course, businesses do need to know how they and their employees are performing, so it’s important to determine which metrics give the best insight. But if this isn’t done right, employees can end up feeling like they’re just another “cog in the wheel”.

So what’s the right way to do it?

Here’s some practical advice for creating a successful hybrid environment that maximizes employee productivity, engagement, performance, and satisfaction:

• Allow – and encourage – employees to work in the way that’s best for them and enables them to thrive
• Find the best methods to measure performance – ways that don’t make people feel like they’re always being watched
• Release your team’s creativity by automating repetitive tasks
• Give your people the tools and technology needed to do their job successfully – such as providing the right devices, implementing programs that foster collaboration, and choosing the proper connectivity options

As experts in technology and productivity, we can help with all of these things.

Struggling with the WFH/RTO/hybrid equation – and how a little trust can go a long way? Contact us – we’re here to help.