Written by Andrea Frith

The debate around “is working from home or remote working staying “is over. It is now a fact that it was not just a way for employees to work during the pandemic, it is now here to stay, even if for the majority this is a combined office/home-based work pattern.

Many employers are now looking at Hybrid workplace analytics to get a greater understanding of how their company is working. Data can be sourced using various cloud-based technology collaboration platforms, CRM platforms and workplace management tools.  Anyone working remotely will be using these tools and will hold critical information about how work happens.

There are approximately 4 questions that hybrid workplace analytics can help employers initially address:

1)Timings: When are employees working, and what patterns are being created? This tool is used not just to ensure that the work is being done, but to check that people are taking a break and continuing to maintain a decent work/life balance. There is a trend to suggest that in some cases employees working from home are working longer hours and not taking a break.

2)How is information being shared:  Does the technology being used allow employees access to company updates? Collaborative working needs to be monitored when people are not together.

3)Are employees using the workplace tools available and does this enhance or increase productivity?

4) Are remote workers connected?

Over time, employees can look to understand what is working and what isn`t at various stages of the hybrid working journey. Understanding and gaining valuable insights from analytics will help employers know people better and support and motivate employees which will ultimately drive customer engagement and improve overall performance.

A good example is when managing a sales team, analytics will see the amount of time spent online in meetings internally and externally and any on a recurring basis. Customer service teams can be monitored to see how many calls are taken or made and the outcomes.

Finally, all the above can be used from an HR perspective to ensure that employees are not in continuous back-to-back meetings and working far too many hours.

Hybrid working can add extra pressure to managers on managing employees’ well-being and engagement.  Analytics will prove vital information to help manage this.