The aftermath of the COVID pandemic has seen the most dramatic changes in Finnish working life over the past 70 years. Our perceptions of work and its location have shifted. For most companies, hybrid working has become the new norm. While some organisations have successfully continued their operations, many are still uncertain if hybrid is truly beneficial for their company. 

What does hybrid mean for ordinary workers and organisations?

Many individuals have either loved hybrid work or absolutely hated it. For some, working from home has offered freedom and a sense of empowerment, a space where they feel absolutely in control of their career and personal life. For others, hybrid work has represented isolation and stress, a space where feelings of isolation and exclusion exist. For organisations, hybrid work has been uncharted territory, and it has taken a number of years to understand the true impact it has had on the organisation and staff. 

How we function in organisations

Every organisation relies on communication to ensure that everyone understands their role, function, and tasks, as well as how the organisation should be directed. This is essentially the lifeblood of any organisation. However, every company possesses a secondary channel of communication. This informal line operates in the coffee rooms or corridors and plays a pivotal role in bringing unspoken knowledge and meaning to the official communication channels. This secondary form of communication serves another function: it conveys the organisation’s culture, as well as everyone’s role and value. More importantly, it fosters the bonds and networks that provide a sense of belonging, equity, inclusion, and, above all, a sense of purpose.

Workers need this unofficial communication; it helps them to ensure that they are valued as people and as workers. It brings a sense of inclusion and a sense of belonging but, more importantly, gives them purpose and meaning to their work.  This sense of purpose and meaning is what drives motivation, but critically, this motivation is the foundation blocks of innovation. Without purpose and meaning, innovation becomes harder to sustain.

So what happens when hybrid work removes this unofficial communication channel?

When the restrictions on COVID-19 were lifted and people were able to return to work, Finland experienced a significant surge in recruitment. When these individuals were asked why they were changing jobs, many reported feeling that their work had lost meaning or that they had lost job satisfaction. Some expressed a sense of disconnection from their colleagues. The absence of this informal communication had a profoundly negative impact on organisations, where the bonds and networks that previously connected people had disintegrated. 

Working in a hybrid and removing secondary communication can lead to doubts among employees regarding their skills and value within the organisation. When feedback on projects and performances is scarce or absent, it has a lasting negative effect on individuals. For some employees, the reaction to these stressors has been to withdraw from active engagement in work life, maintaining only minimal contact with colleagues. These uncertainties are not confined to employees. From the employers’ perspective, doubt can raise questions about whether employees are genuinely content, whether their well-being is in good condition, whether their motivation is suffering, and, as an organisation, we are able to navigate market changes. 

In our work in Yeppis, we hear these themes recurring time and again in our workshops. Clients discuss their worries of being treated unfairly and inequitably. They hope their employer will place inclusion and equality at the heart of its operational strategies and values. This is not abstract or imaginary; rather, it is a natural consequence of the bonds and networks of an organisation having been digitalised into a hybrid environment. When the secondary line of communication, the chats in the corridor, and the coffee break chats are taken away, workers lose their ability to measure their value as workers, their sense of inclusion, and the motivational purpose of their work and become unsure of their role in the organisation. At an organisational level, this is challenging as they cannot maintain a healthy and equitable level of well-being and motivation. 

The Role of Yeppis Team Days

Rebuilding these essential workplace bonds is not just desirable—it is necessary.

In our work with organisations, we focus on four key goals in our team-building workshops:

1. Re-establishing connections and networks – Strengthening relationships to restore trust and cohesion.
2. Creating a shared sense of purpose – Ensuring every employee understands their role in the bigger picture.
3. Fostering inclusion, appreciation, and value – Making sure all voices are heard and valued.
4. Reigniting motivation and engagement – Helping individuals reconnect with their work and their teams.

These goals are not merely aspirational—they are strategic. Without them, organisations risk losing not only talented individuals but also the collective energy that drives innovation and success.

The hybrid work era is here to stay. The question is, how do organisations adapt to ensure their teams remain engaged, motivated, and connected? The companies that actively prioritise these elements will not only survive the challenges of hybrid work but will emerge stronger, more resilient, and more innovative in the years to come.

If you would like to discuss the topics in this article, please feel free to contact me at gabhan@yeppis.fi