Are Millennials lazy or is the American workweek getting a new face? You can blame a generation, or you can blame the pandemic, but the fact of the matter is that post-2020 work life is forever changed. Companies are desperately trying to refill their once-buzzing buildings, but employees are still clearly hesitant to get back into the office.

Luckily, a middle ground seems to be enticing for both parties: the hybrid office.

Since 2020, most companies have adopted the hybrid office work style. It has proven to have its difficulties. Companies adapted and are now revamping their workspaces. The goal is to keep employees happy with a flexible work schedule while also maintaining a buzzing office when employees make it into the office!

Sounds impossible, but it’s not!

Tips For a Successful Hybrid Workplace That Gets Employees Back into the Office

There are three things every employee is looking for when they come into the office.

The main argument seems to be fluid across the board. Employees are constantly alone when working at home. They love this aspect of work and don’t want to change that. However, when they come into the office building, they want to see other happy, passionate employees and a buzzing office. Coming into a ghost town office building is discouraging for morale. ]

That’s why hybrid scheduling is getting a new face! Below are tips for revamping a more productive hybrid work schedule and adopting other incentives to keep employees in the office more consistently!

1. Hybrid Scheduling *With a Twist* 

As much as employees wish to work 100% remotely, this type of schedule isn’t efficient for most businesses.

The best way companies have come to revise the hybrid schedule workweek is to have one or two set days per week when every employee comes into the office. These are the days when meetings, collaborations, and brainstorming sessions take place.

Communication and trust are critical to the hybrid schedule but so is having an efficient office building! Companies are finding that establishing a set office workday for all employees helps the business and gets the employees excited to come to work.

2. Make Sure the Office Layout Enables Collaborative Work 

The best way to incorporate this sort of hybrid workweek is to ensure the office floor plan matches this type of collaborative energy. When the employees come into the office for those mandatory days, the last thing they need is cubicle separation and silent working.

Employees need more social workspaces with direct wi-fi hook-ups, smart boards, charging stations for multiple devices (including cellphones), etc. They need smaller meeting rooms for one or a couple of people to get privacy when needed.

Plainly, the home is for silent diligent work. The office is for collaborative creative work. The floor plan has to enable that creativity. But there also have to be a few places for people to escape the noise if need be.

3. Revamp Office Incentives

Aside from scheduling that enables a buzzing, collaborative office, there are a few other incentives that will keep your employees coming back. Health, fitness, and food may be some of the main concerns for office employees.

The best way to find out what your employees want is to ask.

One meal together a month on the company’s dime goes a long way. Food trucks are a great way to bring food directly to the building, and it shows your employees that you are thinking about them.

When in doubt, you can always look to your recruiters to let you know what candidates are asking for.

If you would like to discuss the best ways to develop essential traits, book a call here with our team members at Raymond Search Group and we would be happy to share what some of the most successful construction leaders are doing right now to ensure they remain competitive in this ever-changing market.