While there is a heightened conversation about hybrid work as the world eases through the COVID-19 pandemic, the new study from Microsoft revealed that it is creating a growing disconnect between employees and leaders.

Microsoft’s Work Trend Index Pulse Report titled “Hybrid Work Is Just Work. Are We Doing It Wrong?” is based on an external study of 20,000 people in 11 countries including five markets in the Asia Pacific (APAC). It drew on analysis of trillions of Microsoft 365 productivity signals, LinkedIn labor trends, and Glint People Science insights.

The report found that while 83% of employees believe they are productive at work, 89% of leaders think otherwise, saying the shift to hybrid work has made it challenging to have confidence that their employees are being productive. The report also discovered that 58% of companies rarely, if ever, collect employee feedback.

Microsoft bolsters security offerings with Microsoft Security Experts
Microsoft introduces cloud solution for public sector customers

“Leaders need to create clarity and alignment around company goals, eliminate busywork that doesn’t support those goals, and listen to their people,” Microsoft said in the report.

After experiencing that work can be accomplished even off-site, 76% of employees in APAC say they need a better reason to go into the office than company expectations. The participants in the study, though, admitted that they would be motivated to go in if they could socialize with co-workers (83%) or rebuild team bonds (83%).

Microsoft Viva solutions

“Digital communication will be crucial to keep people connected inside and outside of the office,” Microsoft said. “Both employees and leaders rank communication as the most critical skill needed to be successful in their roles this year.”

To address these challenges, Microsoft is expanding its employee experience platform Microsoft Viva to help companies deliver an employee experience optimized for the way people now work. Microsoft enhanced and introduced new apps, Viva Pulse, Viva Amplify, which are meant to provide channels for employees and leaders to communicate. The other applications include Answers in Viva and Viva Engage.

Microsoft also enhanced integrations between Viva Learning and LinkedIn Learning and launched its first role-based experience app in the platform, Viva Sales, which brings together a seller’s CRM with Microsoft 365 and Teams to provide a more streamlined and AI-powered selling experience.

To streamline access to Viva and help employees start their day on track, a new home experience in Viva Connections will bring all the Viva apps together in one place, and updates to the Viva briefing email will provide more personalized productivity recommendations to help employees catch up on work, meetings, and learning.