If there’s one thing that has come out of Covid-19, it’s flexibility. We all had to pivot when the pandemic hit. Overnight, the office was shut down – just like that. Employees woke up the next day to a new workplace – their homes.

Employees worked from home, and they were productive. Now, companies are opening up and employees are coming back to work. As a result, an employee divide happened. Some employees can’t wait to return to the office, while others are perfectly happy to keep working remotely.

Today’s employers and employees have an opportunity to change the way we work. Hybrid work is not new, but it’s now the new normal going forward.

Here are 9 ways enterprise organizations can deliver on a flexible, hybrid workplace:

Involve employees in the conversation

Don’t assume that all of your employees want the same thing. Employees should be able to contribute to the hybrid workspace. Survey or poll your team and be respective of their answers. There is a greater chance your hybrid workplace will be successful if employees feel included in the journey and help contribute to the plan.

In a study conducted by Fortune with Momentive, almost 50% of workers who are still remote or hybrid say they will look for a new job if their employer forces them back to the office after the pandemic ends.

Make room to collaborate in the office

Gone are the days of rigid social and physical structures that many companies believed were essential to a productive work environment. Organizations must create more adaptable office designs, adding communal areas that are meant to foster teamwork, creativity, and a sense of engagement and connection.

Invest in the necessary technology

The same technology that powers remote working is also at the heart of a well-oiled hybrid workplace. Use cloud-based tools, productivity software, and video conferencing to create a bridge between those who are working remotely and those who are in the office.

Create an online community

Do you remember hanging out in the break room, or gossiping around the water cooler? Employees gather and talk, informally about what they did over the weekend or the TV show they love watching. With some workers in-office and others working remotely, it makes for a divided workforce. Slack, and other chat programs, can help build a community among a distributed workplace. These online tools mimic a casual in-person interaction, and you can make it more playful with emojis and gifs.

Add more social spaces

With fewer people in the office, you can easily implement a layout that’s optimized for employee safety. Introduce plenty of personal space and create shared spaces within the office.

In addition, the physical workplace must satisfy all health and safety requirements. Contact local health and work safety authorities and ask questions relating to maximum number of employees, cleaning and hygiene, employee communication, and social distancing.

A survey from job-site Indeed showed that 45% of US remote workers missed in-person meetings with their colleagues.

Rethink old office habits

In the past, everyone was in the office and accounted for. But with some employees working from home, others working in the office, and another group that’s working a combination of in the office and at home, leadership must be sure everyone is equal and has the same opportunities no matter where they work.

A hybrid workplace requires the management of two distinct employee experiences. Invest an equal amount of effort into your at-home employees as you do for your in-office employees. Find ways to connect the two halves. Host virtual social hours, use chat platforms, and share your values and goals across the company.

Be transparent

It’s important to be transparent with your employees. The better and more clearly you can align your business processes, the happier your employees will be. Good communication helps streamline business. Incorporate things like workflow, process automation, forms, and wizards to walk employees through data entry step by step. You can also use an enterprise mobile platform to manage your connected workforce.

Overall, companies must assess how workspaces enhance corporate objectives, employee collaboration, and creating a smooth exchange of information so everyone feels valued at your company.

Consider a no-code enterprise mobile platform

At CatalystXL, we want to help you quickly and easily share information and foster collaboration across your entire organization. We can deliver a no code, custom-branded enterprise mobile platform that unlocks answers and provides insights via Cardware™ platform — sharing categorized content in a powerful flashcard format. Our Connected Workplace mobile platform fosters a community of collaboration, engagement, and connectedness for your employees – both in and out of the office.

Book a demo today.