Hybrid benefits

There are many documented benefits to hybrid working. The EU Eurofound report, Hybrid work in Europe: Concept and practice, cites numerous benefits at the individual level, including improved work-life balance; time and cost savings from reduced commuting; and increased efficiency and productivity. At the organisational level, there are cost savings from a reduced need for office space; opportunities in recruiting more diverse workers; the introduction of new practices; and productivity increases. At the societal level, benefits are related to sustainability issues such as reduced commuting, which, in addition to reducing CO2 emissions, prevents traffic congestion and saves time for employees.

Virtual meeting fatigue

Not all employers see this new work model in a positive light, however. In the UK, only 35% of business owners, whose teams practiced a hybrid model, believed their workforce was more productive when working remotely. Although there is little evidence to suggest that employees are less productive when hybrid working, the negative perception employers feel about productivity levels might be a barrier to maximising the benefits of hybrid work. From the employee point-of-view, they might feel that they can only schedule hybrid meetings with multiple offsite attendees when they are in the office, because they find the technology complicated to configure. It seems a shame that someone might have to struggle with a difficult commute just to do a single meeting or not be able to hold a meeting from an alternative location to an office.

One of the main times an employer is aware of a remote worker’s engagement is during meetings where there is a mix of in-person and remote attendees. Any contrast in participation levels and enthusiasm is visible, creating a danger that virtual meeting fatigue might increase employers’ perception that hybrid meetings are not as productive as all in-person meetings. To combat this, it is important to understand that virtual meeting fatigue is more likely to be a result of mental underload and boredom rather than mental overload. Research found that employees who were highly engaged were able to stay active during virtual meetings, whereas workers with low engagement found virtual meetings very tiring. This was especially true when cameras were turned off, as participants are then left under-stimulated and may start to compensate by multitasking. Once multitasking starts, engagement inevitably falls as doing more than one task requiring cognitive attention is mentally taxing.

In person energy

Virtual meeting fatigue should not be allowed to stop meetings being productive and increase the risk of employees, and the organisations they work for, losing the benefits of hybrid working. As meetings can’t always be scheduled for days when everyone is in the office, there are a number of things that can be done to bring in-person energy to meetings even when the participants are a mix of physically present and dialled-in:

• Adopt a culture where virtual participants in hybrid meetings feel comfortable about keeping their cameras on. This avoids virtual participants making the mistake of reading or writing emails at the same time. Keeping cameras on should encourage participants to fully through listening closely, and visual and virtual responses during meetings.
• Organisations need flexible, scalable options for running engaging and productive meetings. This means smarter technology so that presentations can be more visually impactful, and meetings more immersive, engaging and collaborative.
• Smart meeting devices should ensure that all meeting attendees feel as part of the event as everyone else even if remote. This means that they pick up everyone’s voice clearly wherever their location and that everyone on the screen is equally visible. Knowing that you are just as ‘seen’ as an in-person participant, helps virtual participants feel engaged and more likely to raise a point.
• Easy-to-use, plug-and-play portable screens and audio equipment allow meetings to happen in unexpected locations, away from the usual uninspiring meeting rooms. With the right smart meeting devices, a hybrid environment meeting could be conducted from the factory floor or outdoor space (weather permitting) for example. Standing up for meetings instead of sitting around the boardroom table or at desks adds interest and helps generate a new energy for participants.

The right tools for the job

Some carpentry tools have not changed in shape or design since they were first developed hundreds of years ago. This is because they are the best tools for the job they do, so don’t need to change. Their design enables a carpenter to do a specific job in the most efficient way.

Today’s business devices are still evolving but the principle of investing in the best device for the job that needs doing remains a good principle. In today’s hybrid environment, that means making sharing effortless, while delivering a more personal, immersive meeting experience so that hybrid environments can have in-person energy.