The 5 basic needs of employees when working in a hybrid way

Over the past few years, people have changed the way they work. Hybrid working is a familiar phenomenon for some, but for many organizations, it means a huge shift in how people work. No matter how you're doing as an organization, the mix of online and offline interactions means that we need to think about the needs of employees when they start working in a new way. And how the workplace and technology need to change to help them succeed.

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There are 5 common basic needs that employees have when it comes to hybrid working:

1 - Safety: physical and psychological

Physical safety remains paramount. Employees need to know that their organization is doing everything in its power to protect them and limit the spread of diseases. Employees are particularly concerned about air quality, and 62% of respondents to a recent McKinsey study said that improved air filtration could reduce the stress they experience when returning to work.

At a time when work is changing, psychological safety is becoming increasingly important. Employees need to know that it's OK to speak up, share ideas, ask questions, and make mistakes — no matter where they work and without negative consequences.

2 - Belonging

At a time when employees work from different locations, they need a workplace that provides a sense of community and “social glue” that makes collaboration and team cohesion possible. Strong communities have a clear common purpose and feel shared leadership. With a high level of trust and engagement, communities empower people to learn, adapt, and demonstrate resilience.

3 - Productivity: see and be seen, hear and be heard

Hybrid work requires new spaces and technology to help employees be effective and productive. They need places for 1-on-1 or small group video calls. This can be done by creating closed workplaces or by creating open workplaces with more acoustic privacy. Groups need new collaborative spaces that support both office and remote participants equally - where everyone can see and be seen, heard and heard. Rooms must be designed for a better virtual presence with key elements such as cameras, acoustics, decor, and lighting.

4 - Comfort

Physical comfort is critical for hybrid workers, especially when they spend a lot of time in video calls. Not only ergonomics is very important, an acoustically comfortable workplace also significantly improves productivity and job satisfaction. People also need to become familiar with how work is changing, how new types of spaces, and new technologies can be used to work well together within hybrid teams.

5 - Control

To get through a crisis and change ways of working, people want more security. They want more choice and control over:

· Where they work in the office

· When they work in the office or at home

· How they work, alone and/or with teammates

While it may look different for everyone, hybrid working is perhaps the biggest opportunity organizations have to reinvent their culture. Employees and supervisors should adjust expectations about how work is done and reconsider the office's role. See the hybrid workplace as a community designed to support employee needs. And as a workplace that embraces the new ways of working and interacting. For many organizations, this can be a dramatic and positive change.

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Get to know Akoesta's effective approach
We are convinced that the work environment contributes significantly to the health, productivity and happiness of employees. Happy spaces make for happy faces. That's why we're happy to advise you how the right acoustic solution can transform your office into a place where employees, business contacts and, of course, you can stay acoustically comfortable.

Every situation and space is different and requires a specific approach. The effective Akoesta's approach covers all aspects of acoustics such as acoustic measurements, acoustic advice, 3D visualizations and editing. Akoesta creates customized acoustic solutions and has a wide range of acoustic products for work environments.

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Source: Steel case

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