The Future Workplace Trends & Tips for how employers can prepare

The pandemic has certainly taught us that we no longer need to be sitting next to each other to get our work done. We don’t even need to be in the same building in fact. Actually, we don’t even need to be in the same city, or even the same country. So our work life is looking pretty different right now.

But if you, like us, are struggling to work out what the best mix of home and office working should be for your team, then you are not alone. In fact, we recently discovered that while 56% of UK employees want a mix of home and office working, only 38% of businesses are set up for hybrid working. 

So this is clearly a challenge lots of businesses are facing. And we know from our own experience that the happier your team, the more productive and the more loyal they are, so it is important to get this right. That’s why we spoke to over 1000 UK workers to find out what they want. As part of that we looked at what businesses can do to adapt and set up for this new way of working. 

Read on to find out…

You can access the full results here: DOWNLOAD FREE REPORT

But here is a quick rundown of 5 things you can do today to make sure you are set up for home working:

1. Talk to your team: Firstly, talk to your team, understand people and how they think they can work together most effectively, now both virtual and in-person working is available. Also stay flexible, where possible and let people choose when they want to come in rather than specifying particular days.                                                                                                                                                     
2. Spend time together: 94% of people said they want to spend time with colleagues, but only 31% want to spend 3 days a week or more with them. In fact, 2 days a week was the most common preference (23%); to give structure and prevent stress about having to ‘make conversation’, arrange a regular team meeting schedule to discuss ideas within creative workshops. Without these, issues will fall under the radar and ideas get missed.                                                                                                            
3. Get together as a team outside of the office: 34% of office workers are most looking forward to the return of office banter/chat, whilst 21% are looking forward to a company get together, followed by socialising colleagues and simply working together in person. Social events play an even more significant role in boosting team spirit when people are not together daily. This could include team away days or overnight retreats with activities included. Really get the team bonding again to increase morale within the group. Now is the time to create that regular social events calendar!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
4. Accept the next 12 months will be an experiment: 60% of workers might consider leaving if they can’t work from home or were forced to work in the office more than they wanted, while 33% might leave if the office was closed or they were forced to work from home more than they wanted. Whilst it is important to try and get the right balance, be prepared for some ideas not to work. Employees will feel valued if you encourage input and ask for suggestions from staff (you might want to schedule regular meetings for this!).                                                                                                                                                                         
5. Rethink the office and adopt ‘space thinking’: 87% reported that meeting colleagues in person was important for their mental health, 82% for their productivity/performance, and 83% for their job satisfaction. Why not move day-to-day working into different spaces? A fresh environment can take people into a different mindset and bring new perspectives. A group of desk spaces or a meeting room at a local co-working centre could provide the perfect occasional team base for times when people simply want to work alongside each other. Or, try something a bit different and book your own private bar and discuss business through a brainstorm and a beer! A more relaxed atmosphere could allow all types of ideas to flow.                                             

We know a mix is what matters the most to your employees. Whatever the big return to work looks like, our findings reinforce the importance of investing in getting teams back together. And with the use of both office space and external venues being re-imagined, there are new opportunities to introduce innovative ideas that your people will love.

If you are in need of ideas for your next team get together, have a look at how VenueScanner works here. For access to the full report, just click here.