A Healthy Hybrid Culture
2nd February 2022
Developing an Inspiring Environment will Attract and Retain Talent in 2022
For businesses that can accommodate it, a healthy hybrid culture can be key in retaining and attracting new talent alike. This is particularly pertinent in todays high demand, candidate short market. But how do you ensure hybrid working doesn’t compromise your business’ culture?
Firstly, Effective Management
We believe effective leadership is key in promoting healthy, productive and successful teams. Read more about leading remote teams effectively here.
Strike a Balance
Flexibility rates very highly amongst candidates. Striking a balance between individual choice and the overall team objectives can be tough but creating a flexible physical work environment and clear policy guidance that structures those needs and you will ensure when teams come together physically the interaction is meaningful.
Communication & Rhythm
Successful, high performing teams are built on regular, open communication. Working remotely can at times be lonely, so regular comms is vital for both productivity and well-being. Consistent meeting scheduling helps teams structure their week and improves productivity. Coffee machine chats have in the past been a great way to update on wellbeing and the social side of the workplace. Many employees miss these updates, consider hosting virtual equivalents with a cuppa in hand.
Be Clear
Joining a new business can be an exciting and at the same time a daunting experience which is even more uncertain when remote working is a part of the weekly routine. Build clear expectations in to your on-boarding programme so new employees fully understand what is expected of them and what hybrid working looks like at your organisation.
Check the Tech
Few things can be more frustrating than tech that doesn’t work. The early days with an employer leave lasting impressions on a new employee so try and get the tech side working smoothly with existing team members and if possible make new employees high priority with your IT department so you can get them up and running as soon as possible if you do run in to technical problems.
Why Do I Want to Work for Your Company?
Having a strong mission and business purpose can attract and retain the best talent but they have to be authentic and accessible. Your choice of, and how you portray, your core business values tells a lot about your company and acts as a guide, underpinning many business decisions and framing short to long term goals.
You can read more about hiring remotely here.
Provide Opportunities
Professional development is not all about training courses and certificates. There are clear benefits from learning by osmosis from your seniors and peers. Mentoring schemes and clear points of contact are key in introducing and developing from day one to recognising and promoting existing employees.
Hybrid working is likely to take many forms depending on the organisation and the nature of work being undertaken. Organisations should therefore view hybrid working as one of many possible ways of working – and if hybrid working is not practicable, other forms of flexible working may be e.g. time flexibility.
MD Comment: “We have seen many employers expand their candidate pool, reach and hiring success by implementing hybrid working. The very same organisations have also experienced measurable improvements in staff retention. From a recruiters perspective, we find hybrid working is one of the most sought after elements from candidates, indeed for many roles it is expected as a matter of course. There’s little doubt hybrid working is here to stay in one form or another and that in itself is one of the key points to remember, it’s not a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Whatever approach you take, accept and communicate that your hybrid system will inevitably require tweaks here and there as you seek to find the ideal balance. As we emerge from Covid its clear the very best examples of hybrid working are those with tangible upsides for employers and employees alike”.
