In-person team connection (the missing piece of the hybrid workplace)

Most agree that companies have done an amazing job arming-up their workforce to operate in a virtual/remote workplace. Fortunately, when the pandemic hit, online collaboration tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams had reached a level of maturity that allowed organisations to migrate thousands of employees to a fully virtual workplace almost overnight.

Whilst this achievement shouldn't be understated, measuring the success of a move to a hybrid workplace purely through the lens of technology overlooks one key factor:

What about in-person connection within the hybrid workplace?

Most leaders are quick to point out that their #1 asset is their people. It is their people's energy, intellect, loyalty and dedication to their organisation that provides the competitive edge, and allows them to succeed and to grow.

It is therefore critical that the workplace and the work environment these employees operate in is designed to cultivate and drive these behaviours in a consistent and sustainable way. Because if it doesn't, then the company risks losing its competitive edge, right?

Embrace a balanced workplace leveraging tech, but driving in-person connection

Whilst we acknowledge today's new virtual ways of working, it is only one-half of the hybrid work equation. We as leaders need to proactively balance this by creating in-person moments for the team to connect. This needs to extend beyond a monthly drinks night and needs to integrate with the work-week.

Bringing people together in-person allows you to create more meaningful connection, more shared experience and will help improve your teams engagement (and enjoyment).

By balancing virtual "meetings" with more casual "moments", you can leverage the benefits of technology whilst also leveraging the benefits of real-world connection.

Do you have a genuine strategy to create a in-person connection in your teams?

An effectively managed hybrid workplace which strategically orchestrates both virtual and in-person connection will emerge as a differentiator for your team. This can create enormous benefits for your workforce, however it requires work. You need to purposefully cultivate the right balance between virtual and in-person connection for your teams to create a holistic employee experience and drive engagement in your workplace.

If you'd like to discuss how Nextround can help you bring your teams together in-person, just give us a shout!