How Important is the Office to Employee Wellbeing?

May 3, 2022

Many companies have now Implemented a Flexible Work Policy due to the Covid-19 pandemic and shifting attitudes towards a work-life balance. And whilst many businesses saw remote working practices have little impact on productivity, the effect on Employee Wellbeing is less clear. Indeed, recent surveys suggest there is a link between having a physical workspace and a positive company culture.

Changes at work

Having a hybrid workforce, a mix of people operating from both the company office and from home, has had some Considerable Benefits for Employees. But many people admit that there are still perks to having an office space as well. This sentiment is reflected in one study by Cezanne HR, which found that 63% of employees thought a physical workspace was important to a company.

In addition, the survey revealed that the value given to a place of work varies depending on the age group. Of those aged 54 or over, 85% believed a physical workspace was vital to positive business culture. Rather surprisingly, Cezanne also discovered that over 30% of all employees believed hybrid or remote work was causing them personal harm.

Another poll by OC Tanner of 2,500 workers saw 63% say that it was more challenging to form friendships with their colleagues when working remotely. Given that over half also believed the office was where most of their new friendships were made, there is some concern at these high numbers.

How could it affect Employee Wellbeing?

Many Remote Workers Already Feel Isolated Within Their Company, and these surveys certainly suggest that the new norms of hybrid work could have some impact on employee wellbeing.

For businesses, the consequences of this may differ. If the lack of physical interaction with other staff members impacts company culture, then Employee Retention rates could fall. Meanwhile, it could also lead to a decrease in Staff Engagement which, on top of lower retention, might cause productivity to suffer.

What can companies do?

We’re unlikely to see the full effect that this will have on company culture for some time. But some actions that businesses can take to support better employee wellbeing include:

Don’t force a return to the office – Unless it is absolutely essential and business-critical to their role, forced return to full-time office work will most likely be negative for many peoples’ newly found work-life balance

Encourage face-to-face moments – Offer to host client meetings in person, and encourage your teams to mix up when and where their staff meetings are held

Build your hybrid system around your employees – Ask people what they would like from a physical workspace and cater as far as you can to each department’s needs

Offer varied Employee Training options – Training needs to be accessible to all employees, but you can offer some courses in-person to promote interaction

Consider offering Employee Benefits & active wellbeing support – A robust benefits package should provide employees with work incentives as well as mental & physical health support so that staff feel valued and looked after

HIVE360 aims to help companies maintain a positive work culture through our Engage App. This employee benefits system comes as standard with our payroll, perks, & pension services, which you can Find More Information on Here.