ENSURING EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING IN THE TRANSITION TO HYBRID WORKING

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We live in a new world of hybrid working. In the last year, organisations have accelerated their digital transformation to connect distributed teams and enable virtual collaboration. With employees now returning to the office, hybrid work poses new challenges in connecting teams and creating inclusive workspaces, regardless of their locations.

As companies try to navigate through the transition successfully, employers are discovering all the different challenges they need to consider for the change. Leaders need to consider the effects of hybrid transformation on the well-being of employees who split time between spaces, and others who work from the office.

Jabra offers products like the PanaCast series for video conferencing, the Speak series for high-end sound quality and noise-cancellation, and the Evolve Headsets series that provide intelligent solutions.

Virtual Meeting Fatigue

From back-to-back zoom calls, noise distractions, and difficulty creating a healthy work-life balance, employees collaborating remotely are experiencing virtual fatigue. Most people aren’t used to spending so much time looking at their screens. To add to their troubles, they are having difficulty creating healthy boundaries between professional and personal lives. 

Reports suggest that having virtual meetings all day can decrease the ability to focus and engage, which subsequently means a drop in efficiency and performance. By introducing immersive and easy-to-use collaboration technologies, organisations help their employees find a better work-life balance. 

The goal for companies should be to provide tech tools that will avoid cognitive strain and miscommunication. Equip your employees with plug-and-play devices like the Jabra Speak 750. It works with all leading UC platforms and Microsoft teams. Your teams can come together and collaborate efficiently as it provides a seamless connection experience and maximum flexibility.

 

Promote Hybrid Inclusivity

One way employers can nurture their employees’ well-being is by ensuring inclusivity. Despite hybrid working becoming the new norm, it is difficult for everyone to adopt it quickly. For some, working from home is an ideal choice, while others enjoy being in the office. However, it is natural for employees to feel disconnected from their colleagues depending on their location.

The ability for teams to still collaborate well with each other despite their location is how organisations can instil a sense of inclusivity in hybrid teams. The best way to establish hybrid inclusivity is by technology. Companies can improve collaboration practices by keeping employee well-being and inclusivity one of their top priorities.

To foster a sense of equality in virtual meetings, managers need to make sure that every participant has the same amount of screen space. The new Jabra PanaCast 50  has an innovative 180°field of view, making sure that all participants in the meeting room are visible to the receiver. This way, companies can follow social distancing in meetings or offices without affecting work quality and employee well-being.

For those working from home most of the time, the PanaCast 20 will change the way you work. It is a personal camera with crystal clear Ultra-HD image quality and advanced integrated artificial intelligence to offer you a set of clever features that will take your video transmissions to a completely different level.

Upgrade Your IT Infrastructure

Don’t forget that going back to the office after the pandemic or transitioning into hybrid work is a stressful time for many, and keeping your teams connected is essential. 71% of Millennials say that a company’s use of technology will influence whether they want to work there or not.

While following healthy work practices is always a good idea, leaders should consider how their IT infrastructure affects their workforce’s long-term well-being. It is high time that employers consider whether their IT infrastructure helps bridge the distance between office and remote locations and is inclusive for everyone despite when and where they work.

Personal tools such as Jabra’s new UC Certified, noise-cancelling headsets are one of the most effective ways for employees to block out noise disruptions. These headsets have dual connectivity and they work with all leading platforms including Microsoft Teams and Zoom. 

During the pandemic, many companies equipped their teams with professional tools. But sometimes, these were cheap corded stop-gaps or workers were equipped with only one work mode – home. For a hybrid working future, employers need the right tools for each work mode to be included and help their employees stay productive.

Disability & Inclusion 

An inclusive workplace values all employees for their strengths and acknowledges that every employee has their own skillset. For employees with disabilities, it is crucial that employers offer them equal opportunities to succeed. This will not only boost the company morale but also show the core values of the company. 

Companies need all the tools to create a workplace that accommodates different needs. The Jabra Evolve Series has a solution for everyone, from wearing style to work preference because one size doesn’t fit all while considering additional needs.

Products like Jabra Evolve 80 are specially designed for users who are hard of hearing, with or without a hearing aid and need almost to block out all background noise they can hear around them while having some awareness of high-frequency noise. These headsets are an excellent choice for users who use a wheelchair as wired headsets could be a hindrance for them.

Optimising The Employee Experience

Organisations with high levels of flexibility are almost three times more likely to see high employee performance. It can be challenging to create a new work structure and culture around hybrid working. 

Productivity and performance are linked to employee satisfaction. Companies need to focus on decreasing the stress levels and increasing the ease with which employees can work from anywhere, with anyone.

UC Certified headsets are one way to do it. Unfortunately, the majority of headsets in professional environments are not UC certified. The Jabra Evolve Series provides total noise cancellation and a busy light, and these features are engineered for concentration and flexibility in an open office environment as well as remote spaces with high level of noise distractions. 

With clear communication and supporting technology, businesses can foster a resilient workforce culture that enhances productivity and ensures that they succeed in the new normal.

To learn more about how Jabra can ensure employee well-being, join us at GITEX Technology Week in Dubai from October 17 – October 21. We will showcase our audio and video conferencing solutions for hybrid working.

GITEX is a global tech event where world industry leaders, startups, and key decision-makers come together to unveil the future of technology. This year, the main focus for Jabra is to showcase our new innovative solutions to create an inclusive and flexible hybrid working future. 

Book a Demo now for your chance to win ‘Meeting Room in a Box’, which includes PanaCast, Speak 710 and accessories.