But employee interactions have shifted to problem-solving and away from socializing
More than nine in 10 (94 per cent) of senior executives believe their company has a shared culture it can maintain in a hybrid working environment, according to Genpact, a global professional services firm.
The setup, however, presents challenges. Ninety-one per cent of respondents agree that since the pandemic’s onset, employee interactions have shifted toward problem-solving and away from socializing, finds the survey of 500 senior executives across the U.S, U.K, Germany, Australia, Japan and Canada.
Nearly half (48 per cent) of executives also say increased remote work has negatively impacted their organization’s ability to integrate new hires into the culture, and 42 per cent say it has negatively impacted the connection between senior and junior leaders.
"The rapid shift to remote work has been one of the most important management innovations of the past 20 years. It's proven work can be done remotely at scale,” says Tiger Tyagarajan, CEO of Genpact.
“In a post-pandemic world, leading companies will be defined not just by their ability to get work done, but in their ability to create agile, adaptable, hybrid work environments that allow culture and creativity to thrive.”
Nearly six in 10 (59 per cent) workers in the U.S. prefer to work in a hybrid model – both at home and the office – and two in five (42 per cent) actually did so in February, finds a previous report.
Tech solutions
Asked which technology holds the greatest potential for enhancing teamwork, 59 per cent of executives surveyed say virtual meeting technologies.
"As people adjust to a hybrid world, companies must remember that work requires collaboration and deep human connection — wherever it is performed," adds Tyagarajan. "Technology can play an important role in supporting a hybrid environment that works for both employees and customers, while delivering long-term business and individual success."
However, only 11 per cent recognize the potential that improving onsite meeting room technologies has on effective collaboration. This suggests that “aligning remote and office experiences may need more experimenting,” says Genpact.
Here are some work-from-home tips for your hybrid team, according to Jesse Kerema, digital marketing manager at Sine, a software for the workplace:
- Put trust in your employees.
- Always offer opportunities for connection.
- Work with employees to create the hybrid work model.
- Remind everyone to block off whitespace.
- Embrace all things virtual.