A proportion of people would happily never set foot in the office again, but for many others work equates with colleagues, friends and a social life. The Microsoft study found that connecting with colleagues is a key motivation for working in person. 84% of employees would be motivated by the promise of socialising with co-workers, while 85% would be motivated by rebuilding team bonds. Employees also report that they would go to the office more frequently if they knew their direct team members would be there (73%) or if their work friends were there (74%).
Designing for a hybrid future means accommodating people who want to work remotely and those who want human connection, and creating a culture that gives them both a purpose and the means to collaborate.
A thriving hybrid workplace needs more than a reconfiguration of desks and space. It needs a set of people who want to be there together. So give people a compelling reason for using it. Social capital, friendship, creative and strategic thinking, some things are easier and more enjoyable in person. But you may still need to spell that out. Build in opportunities for getting people together. Make the commute worthwhile. Company culture is created and experienced in actions, so make your expectations clear.
The means to collaborate goes beyond digital tools and processes, it requires new skills and the adoption of a new digital etiquette. Some of us will be used to coming into an office and being with people all day, some of us have only ever worked remotely. And all of us need to learn how to navigate the hybrid landscape together. Unless it’s made explicit, we’ll all make up our own minds on how we should behave durings meetings where some of us are in the room and others are online.
