2020 brought on many changes and the world is still adjusting. Remote and hybrid workplaces used to be a rarity, but they are quickly becoming a mainstay for many businesses across the country. In one of our recent LinkedIn polls, we found that 62% of workers prefer to work exclusively from home and only 2% preferred to be in the office five days a week. There is no question that remote work is here to stay.

With the undeniable shift to a nationwide hybrid workforce, businesses will need to make changes in many areas of their operations in order to successfully adapt. Most notably in how they communicate. What used to be as simple as walking down the hall to mention something to an employee now requires software that allows for quick communication. 

Employers must learn to stay connected with their employees in new ways. This includes everything from day to day communication to wellness checks and employee support. Employee experience is an important factor for employers to keep in mind, and communication is the only way to keep tabs on the way employees feel.

Communication Strategy for the Hybrid Workplace

It can be tough to adapt to an entirely new way of doing business. Operations need to be rethought and new strategies need to be implemented to keep productivity where it needs to be. Reworking a company’s communication strategy is essential when it comes to the mass migration to hybrid and remote work environments. 

By implementing a range of communication tools, companies can actively communicate throughout the work week. In some cases, using a variety of digital communications tools can increase the clarity and consistency of communication compared to traditional models. It is important for this integration to reach each aspect of the business. 

The future of work environments could be changing more permanently than some initially thought. As the pandemic has proven, workers and businesses can function well utilizing hybrid work models. When it comes to reworking a communication strategy, one of the key components is consistency. 

Maintaining a consistent stream of communication can be a tricky feat for many companies implementing a hybrid model for the first time. Utilizing digital tools to help make communication channels more accessible is a great way to keep people on the same page. Tools like Slack, OpenTable, and WorkVivo are good examples of effective communication tools for hybrid and remote workforces. 

Implementing one of the tools above, along with other apps that facilitate consistent and accessible communication will be vital to a well thought out strategy. When you make communication easy and simple, employers can avoid the burnout that can often come from hybrid working models.

The Importance of Communication in Hybrid Models

There is no secret about the importance of clear communication in the workplace. Businesses rely on efficient communication to operate on a day to day basis. With a nationwide shift to more hybrid-centered workplaces, this only gets brought more to the forefront of priorities. 

One proven way to keep employees happy and motivated is to offer wellness programs in their benefit packages. As a business leader, communicating these benefits to employees can help keep spirits high and prove that they work for a company that truly cares for their wellbeing no matter where they are working from. 

For insurance providers, providing fitness and wellness programs in their coverage could help employers offer their hybrid workforce exactly the benefit they need to keep their hybrid employees happy and healthy into the future.

Encouraging Non-work Talk in a Hybrid Environment

One of the best parts of working in the office is the camaraderie. Interacting with coworkers is crucial to creating a positive work environment for your employees. This sense of community doesn’t have to disappear when you migrate to a hybrid working style. In fact, it can prove to be even more possible with the appropriate care from business owners and management.

Communication can become something employees actively look forward to, rather than feeling like another task they have to check off each day. One of the important aspects of communication that is often lost when companies retreat from the workplace is the non-work talk. 

Wellness benefits can benefit a communications strategy for employees who are now working from home for a portion of their work week. Integrating a fitness program like Peerfit will not only meet health and wellness needs, but also offer yet another form of non-work talk in a hybrid workforce.

Communicating within the Peerfit portal itself can help foster a sense of community when face to face interactions are limited. Providing a place for coworkers to celebrate fitness achievements and hold each other accountable for fitness goals can create a positive and healthy work culture, even without an office to connect in. 

Benefits of Communications in a Hybrid Workforce

With more ways to communicate quickly, employees are finding that they have an easier time connecting with each other and forming bonds that make for a positive and healthy workplace. These bonds can go a long way in keeping people happy and more willing to work hard. This extends into the other forms of communication as well.

When you can communicate with your coworkers on a fitness app, friendly competitions can arise. People can bond over helping each other reach fitness goals and track each other’s progress. Any time a workforce can connect and communicate about things outside of work, bonds are strengthened and morale increases. 

The more opportunities you offer to your employees to connect, the better. When it comes to wellness and care, communication is even more important. Offering fitness programs in employee benefit packages that support communication within a workforce are invaluable in the world of hybrid workforces.