4 tips to prevent isolation at work in hybrid mode with tigrz

66% of employees under 35, believe that well-being is a priority for their employer, according to the Paris Workplace 2021 barometer. Still 34% to be convinced 🎯

With the health crisis, containment and Covid-related measures, remote work and other hybrid practices have taken on greater importance in our organizations. Since then, many positive effects have been felt, but there are also physical and psychological risks for employees. Isolation - a situation in which employees find it difficult to obtain assistance when needed - is one of them. It's a feeling that can have a negative impact on employees' health and well-being.

But how to fight against isolation at work? Finding concrete solutions is crucial to eliminate the discomfort that can result from it. So, to answer this question, we called on Océane Cuffel, who has the dual role of Admin Manager and Happiness Manager. She joined tigrzthe social marketing agency of the Labelium group, in March 2022.

In this article, discover his 4 easy-to-activate tips to strengthen your company's culture and prevent isolation and risky situations.

1. Listen and act upstream on occupational risks

"Prevention is better than cure!" The fight against isolation starts with prevention, even (and especially) in the case of remote or home-based work. It is much more comfortable to act as far upstream as possible, both for employees and the company itself. Before taking action, it is important to recognize the isolation. Listening to colleagues and observation come into play. Océane explains:

"To do my job well, it's essential to be sociable and talk to all the employees. Knowing everyone's first names is the foundation. I take a genuine interest in everyone, which allows me to spot the beginnings of potential problems or risks, and to prevent isolation. I adopt a logic of neutrality in this operation to keep things separate."

Without getting into control, observing your employees and their behavior is a good start. For example, if a person tends to stay away from the group and from discussions, it means that he or she may feel lonely. These situations can worsen and the sense of isolation and insecurity can intensify over time. An occupational physician, the CSE or a training course (Social and Economic Committee) can help you.

Hyperconnectedness can go hand in hand with loneliness at work, so make sure to :

• To set an example by respecting the right to disconnect for a better balance between private and professional life, the teleworker is also entitled to it
• Adapt to your contacts, whether or not they are teleworkers, through appropriate communication
• Prioritize face-to-face interactions if you have the opportunity, to re-engage those who may feel unintegrated
• Implement solutions and services accessible from any location, at any time for each employee

💡 To go further: find tips and advice from Swapcard, which regularly creates resources and documents to prevent feelings of isolation and promote well-being at work with a strong corporate culture, even for teleworkers!

2. Organize the workspace to reduce isolation

The optimization of the work space is useful on many levels. Beyond the savings that can be realized, designing your office space to meet your employees' expectations will provide an excellent employee experience. Whenever possible, involve them in the projects, consult them and take their points of view into account.

The flex-office is a good solution to encourage social links between employees, within companies and teams in the context of hybrid work. Océane explains:

"On a day-to-day basis, I'm a social facilitator, a landmark for some people. At tigrz, we have set up a flex office. Of course, we have quotas to respect, because at the moment, we don't have enough places for everyone in the office. But the flex office mixes teams and encourages the creation of social links. remote work allows us to optimize our space and meet our employees' expectations."

Implemented in an intelligent way, the flex office really strengthens team spirit. Employees who are enthusiastic about coming to work (in the office or remotely), who have a workstation, a screen, the necessary tools to perform quality collaborative work, a management that listens to them and spaces to relax, will be less likely to suffer from isolation.

3. Build on the sense of belonging to foster the collective

To keep the momentum going, what better way to maintain the collective than with team spirit? A sense of belonging is key to retaining employees. Committed and proud employees will be more loyal and productive. tigrz understands this and has put in place many processes and appointments, both within the teams and at the company level. Quality is a must. Océane goes back to a specific habit:

"I work closely with management. Every morning, we hold a Customer Morning Routine, where we discuss topics, highlights and priorities for everyone. This allows everyone to have the same level of information and exchange."

tigrz also relies on more informal rituals. For example, on Thursdays, we have a breakfast offered by the agency. This is a very appreciated moment of conviviality, which encourages exchanges. To celebrate the week's successes and the work that everyone does, tigrz also organizes a weekly afterwork where everyone is invited to have a good time in a pleasant setting. In addition, we organize two seminars per year, always outside the office and Paris. Bringing employees together is a mission to which tigrz attaches great importance:

"Through these moments, we celebrate the team's successes. Everyone has the opportunity to get to know their colleagues and integrate newcomers, while creating a strong sense of belonging."

These are examples of actions that promote well-being at work and a corporate culture where employees are very close-knit!

4. Create a work environment that fosters social interaction

Here, we mean the work environment in the broadest sense. On site, remotely or at home, the company's role is to ensure the health and safety of its employees. With the new hybrid trends, the risk of social isolation can turn the organization of work upside down.

Communication between the employer and his team is essential to maintain the social link. tigrz does not hesitate to involve its employees without limiting itself:

"We value curiosity: taking an interest in each other's missions is positive. In this context, I organize "live my life" events where everyone has the opportunity to spend a day with a colleague to discover their work. The relationships created go beyond the professional framework and are beneficial for maintaining social ties," explains Océane.

This is an original and easy to implement practice. Testing this activity in the workplace can be beneficial in preventing isolation. Its usefulness goes beyond the work itself. It plays a fundamental role in getting to know the other teams and thus creating links, while having a broader vision of the company's issues. Win-win!

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To summarize, here's how to prevent and cope with isolation:

• Take a sincere interest in your employees and listen to them in order to detect possible risks of isolation and create resources if necessary
• Focus on the workspace to ensure the best possible employee experience with simple tools
• Implement flex-office to mix teams if needed
• Conveying the company's own values and taking care of the employer brand to reinforce the team spirit and the feeling of belonging
• Encourage the creation of links between teams thanks to an efficient environment, regardless of whether the work is done remotely or in person

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Do you need help setting up an effective remote work or flex-office effectively? Don't hesitate to contact us at hello@deskare.io!

You can also read our article on preparing your employees to return to the office, to go further.