Well-being in the hybrid workplace

What is a hybrid workplace?

In a time of technological development and change, the concept of 'hybrid workplaces' has entered the modern work culture. But what does it really mean to have a hybrid workplace?

The hybrid workplace combines the best of both worlds: the physical office environment and remote working. This means that employees are no longer tied to a fixed office, but instead can work from different locations - home, coffee shops, coworking spaces or even from other countries. Technological advances in cloud services, video conferencing and digital communication tools have made this blending of working styles possible.

One of the biggest benefits of the hybrid model is flexibility. Employees can customize their workday according to personal preferences and needs, which can contribute to a better work-life balance. For organizations, it also provides access to a wider talent pool as geographical constraints become less relevant.

However, there are challenges associated with this model. Leading a dispersed team requires new management methods, and maintaining a strong company culture and wellbeing can be challenging when employees don't physically meet on a daily basis.

But with the right approach, the hybrid workplace can be the key to a more flexible, inclusive and productive future. It's important for organizations to understand the dynamics of this work model to take advantage of its many opportunities.

In a world where change is the only constant, the hybrid workplace may well be the answer to how modern businesses can adapt and thrive in the digital age.

Wellbeing and leadership in the hybrid workplace

A few years ago, working flexibly in terms of time and place was a rare commodity. Indeed, it was often an exotic phenomenon. Today, it's an expectation for many - especially in knowledge work. And the prevalence of hybrid working is only likely to increase.

But the task of creating wellbeing in the hybrid workplace is challenging for many managers. In fact, it differs in a number of ways from how managers improve wellbeing in the physical workplace.

At LEAD, we have the expertise to help you achieve widespread employee wellbeing in the hybrid workplace. This applies whether you're a small, medium or large organization - and whether you're in the public or private sector.

The importance of balance

We use the demand-resource model as a starting point when explaining wellbeing in the hybrid workplace. The model balances the demands and resources of the job. The balance must be maintained to avoid stress and burnout on the negative side and create motivation and well-being on the positive side.

According to the demand-resource model, wellbeing occurs when there is a balance between job demands and job resources. This increases engagement and performance. If the balance of job demands is heavier than the balance of resources, it can result in unhappiness and poor performance.

Wellbeing is not just the absence of a range of risks and problems such as stress, conflict and workload. Wellbeing also involves resource factors such as autonomy, meaningfulness and job satisfaction.

Managers struggle with wellbeing in the hybrid workplace

But how do managers do it? Several studies indicate that managers find it difficult to keep track of whether employees are thriving when they are fully or partially remote. In other words, it can be difficult to maintain strong relationships with employees who work remotely.

When we work with well-being in the hybrid workplace, it's about ensuring the necessary development of employee skills and, for example, being aware of differences between digitally native and digitally learned generations. Other concrete management measures focus on developing common ground rules for digital communication and digital meetings to increase employees' sense of competence and predictability.

Furthermore, the immediate manager is especially important in the hybrid workplace. However, the relationship between manager and employee has a fragile foundation when it comes to well-being. More and more depends on the quality of this relationship when there is an absence of physically present colleagues.

As compensation for the physical presence of colleagues, the presence of the manager becomes even more relevant. For this reason, the task of managing wellbeing in the hybrid workplace becomes much more of a management task that must be carried out consciously and explicitly - on an equal footing with other management tasks.

LEAD's approach to creating well-being in the hybrid workplace

In a collaboration with LEAD on wellbeing in the hybrid workplace, we can focus on how the manager:

Shows interest in the individual situation of employees
Supports the need for relationships in virtual work communities
Create structured spaces for informal conversations
Build digital skills
Formulate common ground rules for digital communication.

How we can help you

We offer you management and organizational sparring, research-based teaching and presentations on visioning processes, as well as training courses with a specific focus on giving you and your organization general management skills. Read examples of our services here.

Presentations

Inspiring research-based presentations on hybrid workplaces for all levels of your organization

Sparring

Sparring in the development of your strategy, decisions and initiatives.

Workshop

Facilitation of active workshops focusing on competence development at management and executive level.

Contact us to learn more about what we can do for your organization

Are you facing an organizational change? Do you need strategic advice or a cultural development program?

Contact us and together we will tailor a process that develops the exact competencies and structures that strengthen and future-proof your organization.

Rikke Lindekilde

Partner

Cand.psych. aut. & Ph.d

E-mail: rli@lead.eu

Phone: 28 89 06 16