Unlocking Potential: New Research Calls for a Shift in Workplace Engagement Strategies

In the wake of rising sick days and plummeting productivity, UK businesses are facing a troubling trend: employee absenteeism has surged by 41% over the past three years. 

According to the recent Hiring Trends Index from Totaljobs, nearly 60% of HR decision-makers attribute this trend to a decline in workplace culture and satisfaction, creating a cycle of poor performance that negatively affects employees and employers alike.

The Totaljobs’ study identifies several key factors behind decreased productivity:

Underpinning all these findings is a fundamental lack of engagement driving a productivity, wellness and retention crisis;

But it doesn’t have to be like this

In the research, HR leaders identified three main solutions to re-engage increasingly stretched and anxious workers:

• Flexible working options to promote a better work-life balance (28%) 
• Improving communication between leadership and workers (27%)
• Increasing employee training and development opportunities (27%)

With a more confident, competent and collaborative workforce - researchers hope we can avoid a vicious cycle of overwork, disillusion and resignation. 

Making flexible working work for everyone

It’s a surprising suggestion to increase working flexibility when so many businesses seem to be pulling back on the remote working experiment.  

But the appetite for hybrid working is still strong in the workforce, and done right it can bring powerful benefits to everyone. It represents opportunities to rationalise office space, recruit a more diverse workforce and be more agile.

Yet, difficulties remain. 

The hybrid revolution might have given us more freedom, but poor execution of the braiding between digital and real-world collaboration has been a strain on many.  

According to the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), nearly a third of people find working from home is worse for their health and wellbeing. While recent research from Liverpool John Moore's University points out how autonomous home working can easily turn into overwork and isolation.

Make hybrid digital collaboration easy

A disembodied head on a screen high on the wall away from a long board-room table creates unnecessary distance between those in the office and the hybrid participant.

Ocular Tables

Instead, the crescent-shaped tables in Steelcase’s Ocular collection are specifically designed to bridge that ‘phygital gap’ - putting all participants on an equal footing and creating clear lines of sight between everyone involved.

These meeting room desktops do away with the corner struts of a typical table, meaning no one has an uncomfortable seating position as they angle themselves to face the screen.

Meanwhile, the tables themselves are sensitively designed to reduce tech-clutter.

• A universal aperture opening allows routing access for power, microphones,
• A hidden tech door in the drum base keeps technology hidden away.

If you’re dedicated to supporting hybrid working - you need the digital and physical facilities to make it work.

Making time in the office count

For those working in hybrid scenarios, finding opportunities for connection and collaboration when they are back in the office can be a challenge. They need to have flexible, comfortable communal areas to work, meet and socialise.

The Coalesse seating range creates gathering areas that can be configured and re-configured to help companies make the most of the time they have together.

Echoing the comfort of the sofas we have at home, but with a firmness and adjustability to support more attentive postures, seating can be used for working, lounging or simply catching up in small groups.

Coalesse Ensemble Lounge System

Screens, tables and planters can be used to divide up seating zones in different ways, to support different modes of working.

Coalesse Ensemble Lounge System

Meanwhile, private areas for individual work can be easily delineated - so that hybrid workers without allocated seating can find a space to work in peace.

Focus on wellbeing

According to TotalJobs, nearly one in four organisations report that mental health challenges and burnout are key drivers of turnover. 

Gallup’s 2024 State of the Global Workplace reported 66% of employees said they were not thriving in their lives in 2023 and for  workers under 35 years old that number rose to 69%. 

With the strains of hybrid working now becoming obvious, making the physical workspace an opportunity to focus on wellness is a smart idea,

By integrating nature-inspired design elements, access to natural light, and providing wellness rooms - those who are in the office have the opportunity to find respite from the isolation of the WFH day.

Some organisations are offering support for healthy eating in their canteens, as well as meditation and yoga sessions in dedicated spaces.

Design for active learning and skill development

With over 50% of HR leaders noting a gap in employee skills, creating spaces that support continuous learning is crucial.  

Remote working can be good for focused work - but to develop new skills we need more collaborative spaces optimised for teaching and learning.

For this reason, many companies have become focused on making employees time together a chance for shared development

• Creating dedicated learning zones: Set aside areas specifically designed for training and skill development. These spaces should be separate from regular work areas to minimise distractions.

• Implementing flexible layouts: Use modular furniture and movable partitions to easily reconfigure spaces for different types of learning activities, from lectures to hands-on workshops.

• Incorporating technology: Integrate smart boards, video conferencing equipment, and other digital tools to let learning flow between states.

Have you considered a maker space?

First conceived as practical creative areas where design teams could ideate, some businesses are opening up their ‘maker rooms’ to all their staff.

Airbnb is one brand who have fully embraced this idea with a maker room containing:

“3D printer, foil stamper, hydraulic guillotine, 2 plotter printers, vinyl cutter, exposure unit, washout booth. Also, lots of tools and materials — paint & drawing materials, bookbinding hand tools, cutting mats, exact-o knives, everything you would expect to find in a print studio.”

Alexandra, Former Organiser of Airbnb’s Common Studio.

For a creative brand, offering this kind of hands-on crafting facility - with free classes run by employer volunteers was a way of accessing a deep creative spirit across their team.

“The idea was for it to be a workspace for the Art Department, particularly the design team. The other goal was to create a space where teams from all over the company could take a break from the computer and their very rigorous jobs, and engage in an activity that utilised another part of the brain, and re-grounded them in their bodies.”

Alexandra, Former Organiser of Airbnb’s Common Studio.

Other brands are using maker spacers to teach digital design and coding - skills that will make the workforce much more connected and in touch with inspiration.

Conclusion

Research is showing that more adjustment to hybrid working is necessary - and that physical workspaces need to adapt to become hubs for wellness, training and more efficient collaboration.  

With workspaces that reflect the needs of our people to connect in more meaningful ways, it’s hoped we can stem the tide of sickness and resignation arising from a less structured working world.