5 Tactics to Boost your Employee Engagement in a Hybrid Workplace

According to an Employee Mindset Study* conducted by Aon, 66% of the Irish workforce are disengaged with their jobs with one in three respondents saying that they are likely to seek new employment within the next year.

With the new ways of working such as remote, hybrid ways of working, employees often feel isolated from the company and their colleagues, which results in a decrease in engagement between teams and with the company’s overall goals, leading to a decrease in engagement and retention. Moreover, with the offices being left in their pre-pandemic state, some companies struggle to build connections, collaborate and ensure continuity with the hybrid environment of employees, within their own physical workplace.

 The more workplace becomes virtual the more employees need a connection with one another.

Great Place to Work-Certified companies ETU, Scurri and ACB Group have successfully adapted to the hybrid model of working and have agreed to share some fantastic ideas with us. We have gathered them into 5 main tips to accelerate employee engagement in a hybrid workplace:

In a virtual space, it is essential to adopt healthy habits to enable a harmonious work experience. For example, Scurri encourages social interaction and collaboration through meetings by leaving cameras on. Regular visits to the office are also arranged where teams try to come together where they can.

As for ACB Group, the company utilises multifunctional and cross-dynamic teams. Power Teams are made up of inter-disciplinary individuals (both Senior and Junior) from different departments in ACB and are based globally. These remote teams work collaboratively through effective dialogue enabled by our digital systems including MS Teams, BIM, Airtable, and SharePoint.

Want to know more about how to keep a healthy work-life balance in remote? Click here.

2. Leave no one behind

Believe it or not, we are unequal when it comes to using digital tools in life. Some people are great with digital tools, for others, it can be quite a hassle that can seriously impact their daily lives. Some employees are afraid to use certain tools and do not use them at all for fear of embarrassing themselves or making a mistake, leaving them isolated and behind.

To address these challenges, Scurri brought in external professional Zoom training to be rolled out company-wide to ensure that all colleagues were optimising their use of the tool as it is such an integral part of successful hybrid working.

Simple things can make a huge difference.

Leaving no one behind means also ensuring that any initiatives, events or conferences are inclusive of those working from home too. When it comes to wellness initiatives, Scurri organises talks/seminars that are accessible to all via Zoom. Their most recent one was ‘Desk Yoga’ where they had colleagues practising meditation in Wexford, England and Poland all at the same time.

3. Strengthen your team's bonds and have fun

ETU online events provide a source of bonding and foster a sense of camaraderie among their employees.

With a hybrid working model in place, it can be challenging to know if the team needs a little boost to promote communication and cohesion among colleagues. Entertaining and stimulating exercises provide a source of bonding and foster a sense of camaraderie among employees, create meaningful connections within a group, and even provide a little healthy competition. At ETU, the company has a social get-together each quarter. Online events such as online escape rooms, online trivia contests, and soon an online magic show.

Sinead O'Sullivan, Head of HR at ETU shares “Here at ETU many of our staff work remotely 100% of the time, and we are in different countries. This makes meeting in person more than once a year very difficult. We run multiple virtual events during the year, some for fun and some to support charities. This gives us all the opportunity to interact in a social setting, and get to know each other better on a personal level.”

At Scurri, the whole company, including colleagues from the UK and Europe, were invited to attend a company day and night at a luxury hotel in Co. Waterford. The company’s Vision, Mission and Values were embedded in every activity with a particular emphasis on employee wellbeing and team building. The event was a huge success with many people meeting for the first time due to remote working. It built a great rapport and ensured that all colleagues were aligned with the company’s values.

4. Opt for consistent and informal communication

ACB Group ‘Good News Friday’ themed-catch up.

The power of good communication is to provide structure, clarity and consistency to all employees. It is an essential tool for achieving productivity and maintaining strong working relationships at all levels of an organisation. Every Friday morning, ACB Group take the opportunity to involve all team members in a catchup-themed ‘Good News Friday’, whereby team members share personal news stories and individual milestones reached throughout a week. There are also project updates shared here to keep all team members in the loop of what happens on-site in Ireland and Europe.

On the other hand, Scurri organises a formal remote gathering of all employees via Zoom. The All Hands is led by its CEO bi-weekly. It is a catch-up on what has been happening in Scurri on a global level. There is an opportunity to ask questions at the end of this session.

5. Recognise their work and efforts 

Show your employees that they not only exist, but they matter. Whether it's through a simple email or the delivery of hampers, recognizing your employees' work will make them feel valued and appreciated. ACB Group hosts the Chairman’s award as the company’s way of awarding outstanding performers every quarter. The idea of the award is to recognise the work of #TeamACB who are based in Ireland, the U.K, and Europe. ACB Group also celebrates the wins of individuals and teams separate from the Chairman’s awards. Such awards include on-the-spot prizes, vouchers, team nights out, and company get-togethers.

About Great Place to Work®

Great Place to Work® is the global authority on workplace culture. We help organizations quantify their culture and produce better business results by creating a high-trust work experience for all employees. We recognise Great Place to Work-Certified™ companies and the Best Workplaces™ in more than 60 countries.

To join the thousands of companies that have committed to building high-trust company cultures that help them attract, retain and take care of their people, contact us about getting Certified today.

Do you want to foster your employees' engagement but don't know where to start? Listen to them first! Join the Great Place to Work Programme and survey your employees to collect their feedback and act on it.

The cherry on the cake? 🍒 Earn recognition and attract more talent while retaining your workforce.

More helpful resources on employee engagement and hybrid workplaces:

• 10 Tips for Retaining Your Top Talent 
• Employee Appreciation Day: 7 Great Ideas to Give Back!
• 10 Points on Retaining and Attracting Talent through Employer Branding
• 5 Best Practices for Leading a Hybrid Team
• 7 Tips for Better Zoom Meetings 
• 9 Tips on Improving Employee Experience by Building a Healthy Culture 
• Mental Health Supports in the Workplace: A Mutually Beneficial Approach 
• What is it like to be part of a Great Company Culture?

*Employee Mindset Study* by Aon by Coyne Research:  https://www.aon.com/ireland/employee-benefits/employee-mindset-study.jsp