Last week, we at HubSpot released our annual Hybrid Work Report. Here’s a recap of what the data has found:
- The loneliness of remote: 33% of flex employees find relationship-building and establishing connections to be the biggest challenge of working with a hybrid team
- Relationships more important than salary: When given the choice, more than half (52%) employees would prioritise relationships with colleagues over a salary increase
- Lack of connection impacting promotions: Remote workers (especially those newer to the workforce) more likely to report that lack of in-person time with their boss has impacted career progression
We’re entering a new frontier in the future of work, and it’s one that’s increasingly defined by connection. And whereas it’s clear that the workforce of today has become accustomed to the autonomy to live and work from wherever they choose with remote work, there’s certainly a trade off between communication and connection with culture and colleagues.
What are the challenges plaguing hybrid working?
Our latest Hybrid Work Report validates this, with 33% of flex employees surveyed finding relationship-building and establishing connections are the biggest challenge of hybrid working.
Connection is critical to high-performing teams. When employees feel connected to each other and their culture, it boosts alignment, enables problem-solving, and strengthens productivity. At HubSpot, we have employees living all over the country, from Perth to Bathurst to Far North Queensland. There’s no doubt that a hybrid work model improves job accessibility within the tech industry, especially for talent living in regional or remote areas.
It doesn’t matter where you work from — connecting to your firm and colleagues is a vital aspect of the employee experience. Achieving this means being intentional about how, when and where people come together to create a culture where everyone can do their best work.
How to build a robust work culture for your hybrid team
We know that the quantity of the interaction doesn’t equate to the quality of connection. That’s why at HubSpot we are reimagining community and connection by introducing ‘Connect4’, a new ground-breaking initiative based on employee feedback that ensures every employee, regardless of where they are on the planet, has an equal seat at the table.
We’ve designed hybrid meeting rooms across our global offices, including our Australian HQ in Sydney, that include features like camera technology that frames individuals so everyone is seen by remote audiences, and digital whiteboards for collaborative brainstorming sessions.
By the same token, we know that people are choosing to come into the physical office to intentionally connect, we’re seeing this with our team in Australia, and across our global office. So, we’ve built around the organic movement, and are adding some of the activities that people previously loved about the office, like coffee carts, lunch or breakfast and social activities (our Sydney office has been talking about setting up a Pickleball competition).
We like to say that work culture doesn’t need four walls in order to thrive. No one should need to come into an office to experience or enjoy culture. The office isn’t dead, it’s different — and the companies who will find success will be those that recognise that connection is the thread that binds together co-workers, their purpose and their productivity.
Kat Warboys is the Marketing Director for APAC at HubSpot.
