Unisys Corporation’s (NYSE: UIS) new research — “From Surviving to Thriving in Hybrid Work”, conducted in partnership with leading global research consultancy HFS Research — provides a roadmap for employers to drive employee productivity and engagement.

Improve technology deployment and support to boost workforce engagement
Access to best-in-class technology will continue to be a critical factor in employee engagement and performance, as evidenced by the report’s findings. Of the employees surveyed, 62% indicate access to technology as a highly motivating factor in their work performance. However, the report found that companies’ approach to deploying and providing ongoing support for technology solutions has created challenges for employees.

• Nearly half (49%) of employees estimate they lose between one and five hours weekly of workforce productivity dealing with IT issues. Yet, 42% of employers do not measure productivity loss due to IT issues.
• Employees want to help improve the IT experience, with 92% being somewhat to very willing to share their data if it would enable more predictive technology support.

Employers also need to be mindful of the generational differences in the perceived value of different workplace technologies to strike a balance between what’s new and innovative and what will move the needle on productivity. For instance, millennial employees see far higher value in chatbots, wearable devices and virtual whiteboards compared to their Gen Z colleagues.

Investing in employee experience programs
Many companies have formed or ramped up employee experience (EX) programs amidst the Great Resignation to improve employee recruitment and retention. Companies with very mature EX programs find their employees more engaged today than six months ago at a rate of 74%, compared to those with immature EX programs (24%).

Both employees and employers share similar viewpoints regarding the value of an employee experience program. More than 60% of employees and employers feel that an employee experience program significantly impacts employee productivity, talent retention, revenue and profitability.

Hybrid has set a new standard for work models
No one has to say, “hybrid work is here to stay,” because a hybrid work model has become the standard. Beyond simply implementing hybrid work, however, organizations must optimize it to attract and retain talent, train and onboard new team members, create new leaders, and maximize engagement and productivity. Other key findings in the report include:

• 70% of employers indicate that hybrid will persist as their primary workforce model.
• 67% of hybrid employees cite location flexibility for work/life balance as one of the top motivational factors influencing their work performance.
• Individual empowerment in the workplace is a necessity – 70% of employees state decision-making power is a critical factor for their motivation, compared to only 57% of management citing this as being important.

“The convergence of workplace technology and employee engagement has never been more imperative. Companies continue to face tough decisions and must evaluate how they invest in creating the workplace of the future and foster a strong workplace culture that boosts employee happiness,” said Joel Raper, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Digital Workplace Solutions at Unisys. “This report reinforces what we are seeing from our clients as organizations adapt to a hybrid-first mentality and embark on the types of organizational change management initiatives that drive long-term employee satisfaction and productivity.”

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