We live in a VUCA world (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) where there is a war between the old way of doing and the new ways of growing.Until 2019 people thrived while working from office. Well, that was really the only way to work. In 2020 when the pandemic hit, we were presented with a new way of working, i.e., working from home. Today, in 2022 nearing 2023, we have adopted an even newer way of working: the hybrid model While we work sometimes from office and other times from home, it’s imperative to maintain employee engagement because we do see monotony kicking in, having the same routine, or not having one, is leading to employee dissatisfaction and disengagement.
Employees engagement in hybrid workplace means that we need to have a routine that keeps them focused on work and makes them feel like they’re contributing to something bigger than themselves.
But what can you do? How do you prioritize collaboration in a hybrid workplace when employees are essentially trapped in their own homes and hence, their own worlds?
The answer: have a plan.

• Align your team to a work culture:

If you’re the leader of a hybrid workplace, it’s important to create a vision and culture for your team—aligning everyone toone clear direction.
The most common way to do this is through creating a shared set of values, goals, and priorities specific to each team.
For example, in an office environment, there will be a close relationship with employees in the workplace. Team members may discuss aspects more than what job needs to be done. There maybe banter, conversations regarding families, leading to building strong bonds.
Thus, when there is a relationship, it becomes easier to have conversations, to work together and there is more passion to achieve company goals.

• Set a time daily for everyone to regroup:

If you want to ensure employee engagement in hybrid workplace, the team must know the value of their contributions. So make sure that when you meet with them in a hybrid setting, you emphasize how much they mean to the company and how crucial their work is.
The best way to do this is by giving everyone a chance to talk about what went well in their day or week—and pointing out problems.
For example, ‘great job on getting those social media posts scheduled! Though I think we could have done this earlier in the process. But we are still learning together. So please keep sharing feedback with me throughout next week for things to go smoothly.’

• Focus on the outcome:

There is no doubt that the employee experience in hybrid workplace is changing the way we work, but it doesn’t mean you can forget about employee engagement. Another sought after way to ensure your employees stay engaged and motivated is by focusing on what they can control – their work.
Employees must establish a routine to remain disciplined. It is vital for employers to be a bit flexible and to look at the employees deliverables, the outcome they are producing rather than just when they are working, how many hours they are logged in for and from where.
You need to make sure that there are clear expectations around what needs to be done and when it needs to be done, but also make sure that your employees understand how their performance will impact their overall success within the company or organization.
These conversations should occur at regular intervals throughout each week so that everyone knows where they stand about other colleagues within any given area of responsibility. It enables them to feel more accountable for their actions rather than being judged solely based upon external factors such as budget or time constraints imposed by senior leadership figures within organizations.

• Make appreciation and acknowledgment a habit:

Share the good news. When an employee is doing something right, they should be encouraged to share their accomplishments with their colleagues and managers. Remember critique in private, always appreciate in public.
Encourage employees for collaboration in hybrid workplace, to share the company’s achievements, the successes of others, or any other positive information that can help lead your team forward.
Everyone must know what’s going on, so they can support each other in the work they do. If there is an opportunity for improvement or new opportunities for growth within your company, encourage employees to discuss them with one another and with management if necessary.
Maintaining a hybrid workplace requires balancing remote and in-office projects with the right communication structure. It really requires more work than when one is just at the workplace.

Conclusion:

As you can see, maintaining employee engagement in a hybrid workplace is not difficult. It just takes a little planning and thoughtfulness when it comes to your employees and their needs. Maintaining a healthy balance between remote and in-office projects is key, as well as encouraging regular communication throughout the team. The more time managers spend with team members, the better they’ll be able to understand what works best for both sides—and most importantly: what doesn’t work at all!
Planning is essential- formerly, it was simply about planning projects, but now it is also about planning staff engagement. Plan ahead of time; don’t wait until employee demotivation becomes an urgent issue to address.

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