Work Your Way

How did you feel about hybrid work before the pandemic?

In the audio-visual world, we were seeing an increase in demand for remote work solutions so it wasn't a surprising shift. Collaboration technology and cloud-based computing have improved exponentially over the past 3 years allowing employees to work effectively from anywhere—and technology is essential to a successful hybrid strategy. Intereum was an early adaptor of the open office and hybrid model. The pandemic has reinforced that the model is effective and will shape how organizations work going forward.

Why did our leadership team ultimately decide to make the shift to hybrid work?

It's two-fold. Our company is built on trust and empowered employees. The shift to hybrid was natural for us and necessary to support our employees and customers. We are also experts in workplace technology and optimization with experience adopting flexible work strategies, like free address. We were well-positioned to lead the next shift of workplace evolution to benefit our people and demonstrate the advantages for other organizations.

What impacts have you seen hybrid work have on our workforce + organization?

Employees feel trusted and empowered. Our team has shown incredible resilience as we navigated the pandemic and continued to be very productive. Our employees are more intentional than ever, scheduling get-togethers and meetings to foster teamwork and culture. I've also witnessed an increase in the adoption of digital tools as they're essential for successful communication.

Was there anything that surprised you as a result of the new work policy?

Our business continues to perform at a high level and our employees are very engaged with the hybrid model. Employees are elevating their accountability to coworkers and customers, as well. Our office is also very busy! While our teams can work anywhere, most continue to find great value in the office, meeting with their co-workers in person.

What is important for business owners and C-suite to know about shifting to a hybrid policy?

Employers' management styles must evolve to evaluate performance using results and outcome models. Management will need to be prepared to update employee training, meeting styles, collaboration tools, and overall supervision models to ensure employees are meeting their objectives while maintaining the organizational culture. Get a clear understanding of the tools your workforce needs to create an equitable experience no matter where they are working. You need intuitive technology solutions in place that are ready to be implemented on day one.

How do companies make the transition easy for their workforce?

We need to invest in our processes, communication, facilities, and training. Technology is a key piece of the puzzle, making sure that you are providing seamless solutions to prevent gaps in communication should be a top priority. Our team emphasizes the importance of integrating "click-to-join", a virtual meeting experience that requires a single click for participants to join, with a unified communications platform, like Teams, so that communication is as easy as responding to email. At the end of the day, we trust our employees with the knowledge that we have given them the technology, tools, and support they need to be effective.

What do you see as the biggest benefits of hybrid work for organizations?

A hybrid model provides employers and employees with a unique opportunity to offer balance. The days of managing employees based on their start time and end time in the office are in the rearview mirror, make peace with that expectation. Allowing employees to work their way, where they are most productive, and rewarding them based on results will be a unique byproduct of the impact the pandemic has had on the workplace.

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