According to KPMG, UK CEOs predict hybrid working and remote employees will return to the office completely, full-time, in just a few years. As a result, businesses are looking for ways to ‘magnetise, not mandate’ office attendance, and are turning to their facilities teams to help create positive, engaging workplace experiences that are worthy of the commute.

Our managing director, Alistair Craig, recently released an exclusive top tips video series on his LinkedIn profile about how corporate businesses and facilities managers can enhance the workplace experience. In this blog, we recap the series and provide simple and practical ideas that can be easily implemented to encourage hybrid working employees back into the office.

Tip 1: Provide quality coffee and amenities for employees to enjoy

A great day often starts with a good coffee. Encouraging hybrid employees into the workplace could be as simple as providing barista-style coffees, a variety of healthy snacks and drinks, as well as other treats and amenities that make a hectic commute worthwhile, and mirror some of the benefits of working at home.

Additionally, research suggests that 46% of UK workers are scrutinising employee perks in the workplace more closely now than ever before. Providing a good selection of benefits, no matter how small, can have a big impact on talent attraction and retention, too.

Tip 2: Create collaborative working environments for hybrid employees

Collaborative work is best suited to take place in the workplace. It is therefore important to ensure that the office is a destination that cultivates collaboration and makes space for this to happen effectively.

When a hybrid worker comes into the office, their time is usually spent collaborating and interacting with their peers face-to-face, which is difficult to do effectively at home. Reconfiguring existing spaces and creating environments where collaboration can thrive makes for a positive workplace experience.

This could include creating more open-plan workspaces, break-away meeting rooms with configurable furniture and even multi-occupant pods for more private projects and group focus.

Tip 3: Embrace technology to enhance the workplace experience

Our recent blog post discussed the various ways that technology can support office and facilities managers, especially concerning optimising spaces for collaborative work.

IoT sensors monitor environmental factors like air quality, prompting floor captains or office managers to act, while occupancy sensors can provide cleaning teams with insight and employee behaviours to focus on areas that need deeper cleaning or more regular freshen-ups – especially in high-traffic areas.

These systems, and many more that are emerging, can be used to proactively make improvements to the office which creates a more enjoyable employee experience during their in-office days.

Tip 4: Champion employee wellbeing and health in the workplace

There is now a greater emphasis on employee health and wellbeing in the workplace as employers begin to understand the links between wellness, productivity, attraction, and retention. As a result, businesses are reacting, and now provide wellbeing-focused incentives and initiatives for employees working in the office.

Examples include everything from subsidised gym memberships to improve employees’ physical health, yoga classes to promote mindfulness or even quiet areas and spaces specifically designed for employee downtime.

Tip 5: Provide exceptional in-office support

Providing in-person support or a dedicated point of contact for employees to approach when they’re struggling to work in the office is our final tip.

When an employee steps through the door they expect their day to be as productive as possible, and it needs to be a better experience than when working at home. At Anabas, our floor captains are instrumental in supporting all employees and visitors in the workplace to create a five-star experience. They can help hybrid employees set up meeting rooms before their arrival, carry out essential checks to ensure spaces are fit for purpose and can even help with AV set-up and IT support in some instances, too.

In conclusion…

As corporate workplace strategies evolve, facilities managers are pivotal in helping to create the ultimate experience for employees that choose to work in the office. By implementing small changes and taking an employee-first approach, the corporate workplace will become a destination that is memorable, positive and worthwhile attending.