In any company, good communication is vital. Effective communication promotes trust and builds stronger teams across the company as it helps strengthen relationships. It boosts productivity and can help resolve issues quickly. Having the right communication strategies and policies in a hybrid workplace becomes even more critical and challenging. In-office communication is often synchronous, with many face-to-face interactions in real-time throughout the workday. But in a hybrid workplace, with employees spread out across various workspaces and time zones, much of the communication throughout the day becomes asynchronous, and it’s easy for communications to slip through the cracks. Here are some strategies for maintaining good communications in a hybrid workplace.

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Employment trends expert Rob Wilson weighs in on how employers can prepare for a recession

While many people were encouraged by the positive jobs report at the beginning of the month, other experts say that we should brace ourselves for the possible reality of another recession.

“The fact that we added so many jobs in June is wonderful news, but it can also be very misleading,” says Rob Wilson of Employco USA, an employment solutions firm with locations across the country. “I think part of the reason why we gained so many jobs at the start of the summer is that many college-aged kids and young people took summer work, but when fall hits, I think we may have disappointing numbers again.”

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The pandemic created dramatic changes in how we work. Where once remote work was less common, almost overnight, businesses had to pivot to enable their employees to work from home. For many employees, the ability to work from anywhere gave them better work-life balance. In some cases, businesses saved on operating expenses when they were able to downsize their office spaces and cut other related costs.

But remote workplaces come with various challenges for businesses, from problems with asynchronous communications, lack of engagement, and even burnout. As the world opened up again, many organizations called their employees back into the office. But with so many workers demanding remote workplace options, many businesses are having to pivot once again to a hybrid model that includes time working both in the office and remotely. These ever-evolving hybrid workplace models represent challenges for businesses navigating them.

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With inflation at a 40-year high, businesses are seeing inflation erode their purchasing power, adding to the higher prices already created by supply shortages. Companies are also experiencing inflation’s effects on wages and benefits, which affects their ability to compete and negotiate with existing and potential employees.

With the “great resignation,” businesses were already having difficulty attracting and retaining top talent. Many increased their wages to remain competitive. Still, even though wages are rising, inflation makes them worth less. And employees are starting to ask for more frequent adjustments to their wages. Evaluating your job market vulnerability is vital to determining how much your workforce is affected by inflation. Employco can help you assess the effect of inflation on your business and your employees and make recommendations for how best to manage inflation’s effects.

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Attracting and retaining a great workforce has always been challenging. The pandemic made the job market more competitive, with many companies losing employees during the “Great Resignation.” Workers re-evaluated their priorities and began looking for opportunities that provided better compensation and a stronger cultural fit. Businesses must step up their game to remain competitive. Here are some top tips for attracting and retaining talent.

Offer the right benefits
Offering competitive benefits and perks has always been vital in a competitive hiring marketplace. Where in the past, a good compensation package only included paid time off, health insurance, and retirement savings, today, that combination is just table stakes. When competing with so many other organizations for the best new hires, offering additional benefits in your compensation package can help you win the best new employees. The pandemic caused a shift in what workers consider important benefits, and we’re seeing more employees asking for benefits that focus on their overall health and wellness.

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The pandemic caused many workers to re-evaluate what they wanted out of work. Many left their jobs seeking employment with companies that matched their values or offered more competitive compensation packages. Keeping employees engaged, productive, and satisfied at work has always been challenging. Here are some tips for attracting and retaining top talent.

Build a strong company culture

Employees want to feel like their jobs make a difference and work for a company whose values reflect their own. Creating and maintaining a strong company culture is one of the best ways to attract employees who are the right fit for your company. It is also essential for keeping your employees engaged and retaining top talent. 

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Keeping employees engaged is always challenging, even when working in the same building. Add in the challenge of a hybrid workplace, where employees could be working from anywhere, and engagement becomes difficult. 87% of employees want the ability to work remotely at least half the time. Organizations will have to find new ways to engage with their employees no matter where they are. Here are three critical things for employers to consider. 

Prioritize health and wellness

When you see your employees every day, it can be easier to see how they work and feel throughout the day or week. When employees go remote, it becomes more of a challenge to know who has a bad day or never takes a break. A hybrid workforce needs processes and policies that prioritize health and wellness. Businesses also need to acknowledge that each employee’s hybrid work experience is different, whether the setting, the distractions, or even the access to resources from the internet to internal tools and software. An employee whose health and well-being are suffering is less likely to be engaged and committed to the organization.

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