It is clear that as offices begin to reopen their doors, some form of hybrid work experience will prevail. Employees going back to work will expect greater flexibility from organizations going forward. Factors such as structure, guidance, and collaboration entice people to work in the office. Still, not everyone will jump at the chance to rejoin conversations around the water cooler. Some jobs and career paths (such as accounting, writing, consulting, and recruiting) thrive in work-from-home environments, where some degree of adaptability and self-determination is available. That is why providing employees with the right home office furniture is essential to success in this new hybrid system.
Who is Likely to Remain at Home?
Analysis shows that the industries with the most potential for remote work are mainly those with highly skilled, highly educated employees. This includes industries such as customer service, medical and health, computer and IT, and education. In fact, most fields do in fact have room for people to work remotely. The success of individuals in a work-at-home environment ultimately comes down to each employee’s ability to self-manage, as well as management’s ability to trust that their team will complete the work. Having the right home office furniture can help employees remain on task when working remotely.
Diving deeper, these industries that promote success in work-from-home environments tend to have some common tasks or activities including:
- information gathering and processing
- communicating with others
- teaching and counseling
- coding data
How Can Employers Support Workers Through This Transition?
Research has identified that, while some individuals embrace work-from-home culture almost exclusively, others look to a more nuanced, hybrid workplace in the future. For those businesses that are less conducive to remote work or require employees to conduct physical or manual activities, a few things are important to consider. Steelcase studies have identified five critical employee needs that will change the overall work experience:
- Safety
- Belonging
- Productivity
- Comfort
- Control
This means that things like modern home office furniture, social connectivity, and access to extended health support would become priorities. With rising employee expectations, creating a clean and safe space enables employees to focus and connect better while in the office. When considering remote workers, regular conversation and engagement can improve employees’ sense of belonging, even from a distance.
How Will Resources Like Home Office Furniture Help Employees Succeed in a Hybrid System?
As one of the five critical needs identified by Steelcase, comfort leads to increased productivity and participation in employees, both at home and in the office. It is the role of employers to enable comfort in both environments and ensure some level of connectivity between teams working in a hybrid system. By implementing collaborative office solutions provided by the experts at POI, employers can help bridge the gap. Some key resources to consider are:
- Physical: Employees will be looking to their organizations to create physical spaces that are both safe and engaging. This means that factors like improved air filtration, open collaboration spaces, and ergonomically designed office furniture will be crucial in easing the transition from remote to in-office. Consider ergonomic chairs such as the Leap V2 or Amia, and height adjustable office desks such as Ology, that can help support employees in multiple working modes.
- Technological: With some people working from home and some in the office, providing technological tools that foster connectivity and collaboration is key to establishing success among teams. Resources such as online scheduling, video conferencing, and project planning platforms can supply employees with easy-to-access structure and routine. Also important are tools that help with the conferencing experience. Noise cancelling headphones can optimize sound in real time, so that employees are not impacted by distractions or background noise.
- Mental: Each employee is unique in their needs, and that includes mental health resources. Offering ongoing programs and education, as well as flexible work options or paid sick leave helps employees feel supported by their organization. Asking what people need from management can aid companies in gaining a clearer picture of the expectations.
Get Home Office Furniture from POI Today
Some employees do better work when surrounded by the liveliness of coworkers and the leadership of management, while others thrive when given the flexibility of remote work. Offering a dynamic, hybrid work environment appears to be the best way to fully engage employees going forward. For suggestions on how to implement a successful hybrid system supported by home office furniture, contact the experts at POI.