Making Hybrid-Working a Mentally Healthy Option
Covid-19 created a workplace revolution, changing the way that we work for the foreseeable future. Hybrid working and working from home were ideas on the periphery of business culture, but have been thrust to the forefront as companies have kept many of the patterns of working that were necessary during the pandemic, but seemed to work well for employees too.
That’s not to say that hybrid working doesn’t have its pitfalls and it’s integral to employee wellbeing, that practices are put in place that can keep them feeling connected to a workplace and other colleagues.
How can hybrid-working be promoted in the most mentally healthy way?
Benefits of Hybrid Working
One of the best elements of hybrid working is the flexibility that it offers to employees. This is especially pertinent for employees who may have extra caring responsibilities, e.g for children or disabled or elderly relatives. Hybrid working can allow employees to adapt their working day around extra needs.
There’s also a better work/life balance for employees if they can eliminate their commute time on certain days. Never underestimate the boost to morale that more leisure time can have and reducing the need to sit in a traffic jam or in a crowded train carriage can be transformative. This can be one of the best and cheapest ways to make your employees happier and more productive.
Offering up choice and different ways to work for employees can lead to better employee retention rates and attract better talent too. When recruiting, employees will be looking for companies that can offer them flexibility, so if your company is stricter then it may miss out on the best talent.
Isolation
To make your hybrid working policy as mentally healthy as possible, aiming to reduce loneliness and isolation is key. Not all of your employees will have the same lives or home environments, which seems obvious, but there’s a tendency from employers to always think of employees as part of family units etc. Lots of employees may live alone and they might want to come into the office more often than your policy promotes.
Making sure you have an inclusive policy that holds regular team days, buddy programmes and mentoring, regular calls, lunches etc. Allow your employees to give regular input about whether WFH policies are working for them – if someone wants to come into the office more then find a solution that works for them. Encouraging your line managers to do mental health training is a great way to help them spot any signs of isolation/mental health issues in employees and get them the support they need.
Regularly checking in with employees is one of the best ways to ensure that hybrid working and WFH is a success.
For more information about how you can set your business up with hybrid working options at Hyde Park House, get in touch with our team today and we can chat through your options and offer some advice for making hybrid working a positive move for your business.