Hybrid working in 2024: What it means for your workforce

The professional landscape has undergone a profound transformation in recent years.

Remote work is now far more common, digital technology has changed the way we interact on a day-to-day basis and a huge number of companies have had to reassess their priorities, placing employee wellbeing front and centre.

This seismic shift has many business leaders scratching their heads: designing a hybrid working policy that suits everyone isn’t easy – which is why Vitality, a leading provider of business health insurance, took part in a piece of research to better understand the implications of hybrid working on employee wellbeing and engagement. Here’s what it uncovered.

Employees want more health and wellbeing support from their employer

While it’s not uncommon to hear people talking about the pandemic as if it’s something far off in the distant past, the truth is its effects on the working world can still be seen today, particularly when we consider how workers see their employers.

Post-pandemic, 82% of employees now believe employers have a greater responsibility to offer health and wellbeing support. In fact, 29% of UK office workers say they would rather take part in wellbeing initiatives provided by their employer than take responsibility for their own health.

These findings highlight just how much the needle has shifted in recent times. As the boundaries between home and office have blurred, the expectations of employees have changed too. 45% of employees now say they would be prepared to leave their job for an employer who prioritises health and wellbeing as part of a hybrid working approach.

Employees are divided on the best ways to support their wellbeing

Although many businesses have their workforces’ best interests at heart – and it’s clear that firms and employees believe that hybrid working is here to stay – employees are still divided on how best to balance work and home.

According to Vitality’s research, women’s health suffers more than men’s in a hybrid world, with over a third of women (35%) reporting increased stress levels compared to men (24%). A greater proportion of women also report a decline in mental health (28% vs 18%) and physical fitness (31% vs 17%).

There’s not just a gender divide either. Different generations disagree on what’s best for their wellbeing, too. Those aged 55 and over still believe the office is the best environment for their health.

Businesses must prioritise health and wellbeing to boost productivity

While 52% of businesses surveyed said they find it challenging to tailor health and wellbeing support to meet the needs of different people within their business, there is a clear business case for developing a “healthy hybrid” approach.

Implementing or evolving wellbeing policies has also been shown to improve staff recruitment and retention, a key issue for the majority of UK business leaders, 60% of whom say skills and labour shortages are the biggest issues facing their business, with talent retention and attrition in third (48%).

Measurement is key to creating an effective health and wellbeing policy

While the challenges that businesses face are significant, there are steps that can be taken to simplify the process and implement a policy that meets your wider business objectives.

Over a quarter (28%) of businesses do not measure health and wellbeing within the workplace. This means a sizable proportion of UK businesses lack the necessary data to fully understand their employee base and plan for the future.

Given that we have just undergone one of the biggest shifts in workplace practices since the Industrial Revolution, it’s vital workplaces start from the ground up and take steps to better understand their unique situation.

In response, Vitality has proposed three key areas of focus for CEOs and business leaders:

1) Establish a ‘Healthy Hybrid’ culture with engagement from the top

• Incorporate health and wellbeing into your company risk register.
• Put health and wellbeing on the board agenda.
• Establish a boardroom benchmark, and understand the current employee experience through data and employee feedback.

2) Drive positive behaviour change through practical interventions

• Use data and information on your employees to target health and wellbeing interventions.
• Promote inclusive productivity gains by assessing performance based on outcomes, rather than hours or traditional work patterns.
• Reaffirm ‘right to disconnect’ policies, especially for the times when people are working hybrid from home.

3) Maintain impact through insights and measurement

• Implement effective and data-driven wellbeing monitoring.
• Identify the best metrics for key performance outcomes (such as productivity), and assess the relationship between those outcomes and metrics like employee engagement and wellbeing.
• React quickly – leaders should monitor metrics, track progress and employee sentiment, and be ready to shift course if necessary.