Many companies are mandating their workers return to the office but recent workplace data shows that backtracking on hybrid work is “a big mistake.” While ushering employees back into traditional office settings five days a week may be an earnest attempt to curb financial fallout and increase profitability amid an economic downturn, ongoing research indicates hybrid work environments are still trending upward — and human-centric, flexible work designs will reap the highest returns for businesses in a post-pandemic world.

Ahead of Kyndry’s Workplace Experience Summit, held virtually March 1-2, 2023, Ivan Dopplé, SVP and Global Practice Leader of Kyndryl Digital Workplace Services, talks about five important IT strategies that will help business leaders drive higher employee satisfaction and retention in the workplace, and pave the way toward economic recovery and growth.

1. Sharpen digital workplace strategies

“While the majority of top executives understand the benefits of a hybrid work setup, one reason more business leaders are forging on with rigid return-to-office mandates, despite resistance from workers, is because the collaboration tools and digital technology investments they made in 2020 have yielded disappointing or disparate outcomes with diminishing returns in regard to employee productivity and engagement,” said Dopplé. “Most CIOs and transformation leaders can’t and won’t see improvements in workforce collaboration and innovation in a hybrid work setting if they’re still struggling to understand what types of data, insights and technology will effectively produce transformative benefits in 2023.”

2. Create more personalized employee experiences

“For businesses to succeed today, meaningful employee engagement requires a differentiated, personalized approach to how they measure and track employee-centric data in remote and hybrid workplace environments,” noted Dopplé. “Before the pandemic, measuring worker engagement and experiences were primarily centered upon productivity indices, with typical benchmarks measured against device data, such as the total amount of time spent on a specific task. But new research shows that today’s employees increasingly feel that this approach has made their jobs become more transactional and operational in a hybrid environment.”

The most impactful data insights that will help leaders make better technology investments will come directly from your employees.

Ivan Dopplé 
SVP and Global Practice Leader of Kyndryl Digital Workplace Services

3. Listen to employees

“The most impactful data insights that will help leaders make better technology investments will come directly from your employees,” said Dopplé. “Soliciting their input through ongoing surveys or enhanced IT support, not just tracking behavioral metrics, can help empower your workers and further improve overall employee satisfaction in new ways.”

4. Minimize ESG risks

“Companies are facing increasing pressures to minimize their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) risks and deliver positive social and environmental impacts,” said Dopplé. “A strong ESG strategy is essential for the long-term success of any business, as is the ability to operate sustainably, attract and retain talent, and establish a brand as an ESG leader and employer of choice.”

5. Collaborate with leading partners

“Having the right strategic partners in place to identify better digital management tools and investments while providing ongoing support is a critical first step in developing stronger employee experiences,” said Dopplé. “And that often leads to better customer experiences, business outcomes and tangible growth.”

 
Interested in learning more about workplace strategies?

At Kyndryl’s Workplace Experience Summit, held on March 1-2, 2023, attendees around the world will get the latest insights and best practices on improving customer experiences from Kyndryl experts, Forrester Research and industry leaders, including Microsoft and Five9, and learn how leading organizations are harnessing data, automation and AI to successfully inform, measure and deliver elevated employee experiences in the modern workplace.

Register now for the virtual conference here: