Dominic Fitch is Head of Creative Change at Impact.
Hybrid challenges
Hybrid is undoubtedly the no. 1 work arrangement for many of us now. We love the benefits brought through the combination of remote work flexibility and in-person collaboration. Accenture’s study of 9,000 workers showed a massive 83% of employees who have the option to adopt a hybrid working environment prefer it. And other research backs up the benefits, including better mental health, more inclusivity, and stronger working relationships. This much is clear: hybrid is here to stay.
Empowering people to take control of when, where and how they work is crucial. But... (there’s always a but) hybrid does present challenges.
Gallup research shows the biggest challenges of hybrid work as seen by leaders and employees. For leaders:
- 48% report decreased workplace communication
- 44% note a decline in collaboration
Meanwhile, for employees:
- 28% feel less connected to their organisation’s culture
- 21% feel working relationships with colleagues are impaired
However, these challenges can all be overcome with intentional interactions. Because when hybrid works really well, the face-to-face time is carefully thought through. It isn’t just employees turning up to the office and doing the same work, in the same way, as they would have done remotely. It’s recognising the power of in-person, collective experience and maximising it to boost performance.
Catalysing performance with company-wide events
Getting your people together for a one-off, face-to-face event can catalyse this performance. It demonstrates your commitment to culture, it gives you a platform to get a consistent message out, and it brings people together who might not ordinarily interact. That’s all the Gallup challenges addressed in one event!
A key part of this is scale: separate functions and intact teams can get together (and likely do) more often, but getting your whole division or organisation together is next-level investment and with that comes next-level opportunities and next-level results.
It’s a huge opportunity for a hybrid workforce, but one many organisations get wrong.
Often, too much time is spent transmitting messages to passive audiences and there isn't enough focus on what actually creates a meaningful human experience. Your audience might be plied with free lunch and an inspirational speaker, but people rarely leave events like this engaged and excited about the future.
Memorable experiences that shift the dial
Done right, large group events can accelerate business results:
- In-person interactions enable better and more sustained focus
- They fast track the creation of trust and psychological safety required for open and honest dialogue, thereby strengthening relationships
- Immersive experiences empower people to collaborate and innovate together – faster
- They create energy, inspiring people to take action and make change happen
At Impact, we understand what makes a memorable, enlivening event.
We use our experiential learning methodology to create emotional, engaging experiences that people remember – experiences that invite people out of the everyday and empower them to have great conversations and think differently.
If you want to move from passive to powerful, find out how Impact can add value to your next large group event.