The uncertainties and irregularities that were brought upon workplaces due to the pandemic resulted in rapid changes in the way corporate landscapes function today. This has led to the evolution of the traditional workplace into a flexible space, one that feels more personal and is functional in every aspect.

Driven by evolving employee preferences, organisations have started focusing on building a workplace that can fulfil the diverse demands of growing businesses in record time, thereby rendering agility and efficiency in operations. Let’s look at how building a diverse and inclusive workspace can encourage teamwork and enable holistic growth for all:

Keeping employees inspired and motivated

The pandemic has affected us all in unprecedented ways and has altered the work-life equilibrium enormously. In such scenarios, keeping employees motivated and keeping them inspired to do better at the workplace is a big task for companies. Besides being empathic towards their needs and the loss they may have gone through, a way to fulfil this need is to invest in an inclusive workplace atmosphere with varied initiatives that help keep up the bonhomie. 

Retaining existing employees and attracting new talent

With the changes brought upon by the pandemic, people are giving priority to the organisational employee value proposition (EVP). For instance, millennials and Gen-Z are prioritising their workplace and the culture it fosters. EVP is useful for companies from the point of view of branding themselves as a 'Great Place to Work' that attracts good talent. It also involves experience management that balances the rewards and benefits for the employees. To act as a key driver of talent attraction, engagement, and retention, an EVP must be unique, relevant, and compelling. 

Keeping up with the hybrid model

Through the pandemic, employees have shown a willingness to work remotely, along with infrastructural requirements to aid them in operating effectively. This has given birth to the hybrid model of work where the companies need to keep up with this emerging trend and make provisions for the same.

According to the findings of a survey by The Office Pass titled “Workplace preference post covid”, coming to the office 3-4 times a week seems to be the most popular format for both employees (54%) and companies (41%). Furthermore, 27% of the employees prefer a “professional work environment”, with another 25% mentioning “superior work-life balance” as the most important factor that enhances productivity. Given these scenarios, it is becoming imperative to help employees cope with the challenges and needs to be brought about by the pandemic. 

Digital collaboration to increase efficiency

Communication has always been the key driver of successful teamwork. In recent times, be it under remote work of the hybrid setup, employees and their managers have faced many challenges.

To solve these issues, companies must encourage digital collaboration, which can do wonders for employees by making it easier for them to reach out to team members and leaders, thus increasing their efficiency. Making use of technology to the fullest can enable real-time collaboration, file sharing, automated workflow, app/desktop virtualisation, and much more.

Supporting biophilic spaces

With employee well-being a priority for all companies, it is time to explore the idea of investing in creating biophilic workspaces. Generally perceived as an office space designed around nature, a biophilic approach also seeks to connect building occupants more closely to nature rather than just adding some foliage. It includes elements such as natural lighting, ventilation, and landscape features, which help create a more comforting and healthier built environment for people.

Many research papers support biophilic design as beneficial to employees’ overall well-being. For instance, according to The Global Impact of Biophilic Design in the Workplace report, in India, green office colors were linked to productivity, with natural light sources across green areas considered the strongest predictor of productivity. 

Two years is a long time, and the changes brought in by the pandemic are here to stay for the long haul. In this environment, investing in creating an efficient and thriving offline workplace is the only way to achieve employee-led business growth and the only one that is sustainable for the future.