Hybrid Working

INDEPENDENTPUBLICATIONBY RACONTEUR.NET #0895 01/12/2023 10 14 HYBRIDWORKING 04 HASHYBRIDWORKINGKILLEDTHEOFFICE? HOWHYBRIDWORKINGIMPACTSWOMEN COULDARTCOAXSTAFFTORETURNTOBASE? TheOffice. Reimagined. Workspacestomakeyoureverydayextraordinaryforaspace.com 02 HYBRIDWORKING Commercialfeature RACONTEUR.NET 03 Whyorganisationsmustgivepeoplethespacetodotheirbestwork millannviaiStock SanjunaBudhani JoannaKori,headofpeopleatEn-thattakeplacewhetherasamentorcompassCorporation,explainsthatorasamenteeareessentialforca-herorganisationhasmadementor-reerdevelopment.shipsacentralpartofitstalentde-Inadditiontoensuringpersonalvelopmentstrategy.Koriexplainsinteractions,Encompasshasbeenthattheinterpersonalinteractionsabletobetterpersonalisementor- tartingacareerisanexcit-Singtimebutitcanalsobeananxiousone,especially foryoungpeople.Theworkplacecanbedifficulttonavigateforthosejuststartingout,especiallyintheworldofhybridworkingwheremanyinteractionsareviaascreen.Althoughgen-Zworkersareada-manttheywantflexibilityintheirworkspace,theyarealsoexperienc-ingsomenegativeeffectsfromhybridworking,with92%statingthatthey’remissingoutontradi-tionalofficeexperiences,accordingtoresearch.Thereductioninface-to-faceinteractionsisleavingmoreandmoreyoungemployeesfeelingdisconnectedfromtheircolleagues,makingitdifficulttoreachoutforhelpwhentheyneedit.OrganisationshavealsobeenstrugglingtounderstandthewantsandneedsofgenZ,withone-thirdofemployersfindingitdifficulttomotivateemployees.Anddespite77%ofgenZoptingforhybridwork-ing,manyyoungemployeesfeelunpreparedtoentertheworldofwork,citinglowconfidenceinsoftskillssuchaspresentingandinflu-encing.Someexpertsareconcernedthatyoungpeoplearestartingtheircareersatadisadvantage.Onewaythatorganisationstypi-callyhelpemployeestonavigatetheworkplaceisthroughmentoring.Fosteringsupportivementor-menteerelationshipscanprovidesafespacesforemployeestoaskquestionsandtalkthroughproblems.Buthybridworkingprecludestheadhocface-to-facetimethathelpsemployeestobuildrelationshipsandlearninter-personalskills,somentoringmustbeapproacheddifferently.Organisationsstillhavealottolearnaboutoperatinginhybridmodels.EmmaParry,professorofhumanresourcemanagementatCranfieldSchoolofBusinessMan-agement,saysthatbusinessesarestillexperiencingnewchallengeswithhybridworking.“We’removingintothestagewherepeopleareex-periencingsomechallengesthatperhapstheydidn’tanticipate–andmentoringanddevelopmentofyoungerpeopleenteringthework-placeisoneofthose,”shesays.Thementor-menteerelationshipcanbeanenrichingexperienceforbothparties.Buttobeeffective,mentorsandmenteesneedtobeequippedwithanunderstandingofwhatasuccessfulrelationshipcanlooklikeandhowtoachieveit. HRTEAMSAREEMBRACINGTHEBENEFITSOFMENTORINGMainbenefitsofmentoringschemes,accordingtoHRprofessionals 50%52% 46% 41%ImprovesBoostsUnlocksPreparesorganisationalemployeeemployees’employeesforcultureengagementpotentialnewroles HRResearchInstitute,2023 Thedaysofone-size-fits-allofficespacesareup.Fora,London’sleadingpremiumandflexibleofficeprovider,explainshowtobuildasuccessfulworkplace L ondon’sofficevacancyratesremainnearlydoublethelong-termaverage,yet againstthisbackdrop,premiumflexofficeprovider,Fora–whichispartofTheOfficeGroup–isbuckingthetrend.It’sinvestinginnewcitycentrespacesandactivelygrowingoccupancyacrossits3.2millionsquarefootofprimeofficespace. EnricoSanna,CEOofTheOfficeGroup,explains:“Theofficedebateseemstohavebecomeoneofthosepolarisingtopicsandisoftencategorisedintoadis-cussionoverwhetherornotworkersaresittingattheirdesks.AtFora,wehavelongchampionedthebeliefthatonesizeneverfitsall,andthatconformityhasalwaysledtocompromise. “Byofferinghigh-quality,flexiblespacesthatmatchindividualworkstyles,weareprovidingchoiceonwhenandhowourmembersfocus,collaborate,learn,socialiseandrest.” Forahasrecentlyrebrandedfollow-ingamergertobecomeLondon’slead-ingproviderofpremiumflexiblework-spaces.Today,ithasmorethan70premiumworkspacesacrossLondon,Cambridge,Reading,Bristol,Leeds,Berlin,FrankfurtandHamburg,andhasopenedfivenewworkspacesinthelastyearalone.TruetoSanna’scommit-mentthatonesizecannotfitall,eachistailoredtoreflectboththelocalchar-acteranduniversalneeds. “Eachbusinessisdifferentandtheneedsofonemightvarywildlyfromtheother,whichiswhyatForaweworkcloselywitheachofourcustom-erstocreatespacetailoredfortheirspecificrequirements,”hesays. “Yet,whileeachofourworkspaceshasitsownuniquecharacterandistai-loredtoboththelocalneighbourhoodandindividualbusiness’needs,wealsoknowthatourmembersseeksimilarfacilitiesthatgivethemtheautonomytochoosehowtheyworkthroughouttheday.That’swhyinourlargestspace,ChanceryHouse,wededicateoveraquarterofourspacetosharedameni-ties,suchasafullyequippedgymandfitnessstudio,aswellasbreakoutareasandfocusbooths.” ChanceryHousehasprovedtobetheperfectworkspaceforpremiumlife-styleapparelbrandPangaia.Itwasonthehuntforalocationwhichcouldnotonlymeettheimmediateneedsofitsteam,buteasilyscaleasthebusinessgrew.Thearrayofmeetingspaces,wellnessfacilities,caféandrooftop terraceallamplifyPangaia’scommit-menttowor