Employee productivity is top of mind for organizations navigating hybrid work, rapid technological change, and rising employee expectations. While leaders seek new ways to increase efficiency, the most effective approaches combine flexible work models, advanced digital tools, and monitoring practices that track device telemetry instead of user activity. This article explores expert-backed strategies, supported by research and actionable steps, to help companies boost productivity while maintaining trust.

Hybrid workplace models offer enterprises a competitive advantage when managed thoughtfully. From testing different workplace setups to rethinking how office space is used, IT and operations leaders can take clear steps to balance productivity, collaboration, and employee satisfaction.

For an HBR study with 1,600 employees at Trip.com where half of employees worked on a hybrid schedule and the other half worked completely from the office, managers thought hybrid workers would be less productive but were ultimately more productive than in-office colleagues. The study showed that careful testing can challenge assumptions and unlock better workplace policies.

Action step: Consider running a similar experiment to see how remote, office, and hybrid work impact employee productivity at your own company. Based on the results, revise your workplace policy.

As companies cut costs and redesign work environments, global office occupancy has surpassed 100% for the first time ever. This highlights the tension between space limitations and the growing demand for collaboration hubs. Adjusting workplace design can directly increase employee productivity.

Action step: To encourage employee productivity in the office, align your workplace model with available desk and collaboration space. Outfit meeting rooms with collaboration experience management tools that monitor how technology in these spaces is used, then adjust layouts to maximize effectiveness.

While hybrid work arrangements matter, the technology employees use every day has a much greater impact on output. From upgrading digital tools to prioritizing embedded AI, technology leaders can make strategic decisions that directly impact productivity.

According to a Future Forum study of 10,000 knowledge workers, employees who work at companies they describe as technology innovators are 1.6x more productive than those working for technology laggards. This data underscores how upgrading technology and processes can increase employee productivity more effectively than location policies alone.

Action step: Equip employees with the latest digital tools (computers, peripherals, conferencing equipment) and use digital employee experience (DEX) platforms to monitor device performance and reduce digital friction. Integrating employee productivity software ensures consistent system uptime and reliability.

A study by the St. Louis Fed revealed that time savings from generative AI translate to just a 1.1% increase in aggregate productivity. This shows that while generative AI garners attention, embedded AI features often deliver more measurable gains in employee productivity.

Action step: Instead of depending on generative AI to increase employee productivity, adopt more technology with embedded AI. For example, HP integrates AI capabilities into its devices and applications so employees can access productivity features within the tools they already use.

Monitoring practices have traditionally focused on employee oversight, but modern approaches prioritize technology performance and employee sentiment. By shifting focus, companies can foster trust while uncovering opportunities to boost efficiency.

“Employee monitoring software of any kind is a breach of trust and personal privacy,” Jaya Dass, Managing Director at Randstad, told CNBC. Companies that monitor device performance instead of employee activity can improve the digital employee experience which, in turn, boosts productivity without undermining workplace culture.

Action step: Use a DEX platform to monitor and optimize all employee-used technology, or a collaboration experience management platform to specifically monitor collaboration tools (e.g., Teams, Zoom) and improve employee productivity during meetings.

Research from Forrester shows that 58% of employees would rather live with unresolved technical issues than contact the service desk. This reluctance signals an opportunity to measure employee productivity indirectly through sentiment and satisfaction data.

Action step: Measure employee sentiment with targeted surveys, timed around technology refreshes or organizational changes, to isolate key sentiment drivers. For example, HP measured a 70% increase in employee sentiment toward workforce technology after implementing a new PC refresh strategy.

• Run controlled hybrid work experiments to determine whether remote, office, or hybrid models deliver the highest productivity gains in your organization.
• Redesign office layouts around collaboration hubs by replacing large boardrooms with mid-sized, tech-enabled meeting spaces that support hybrid work.
• Invest in employee productivity software and DEX platforms to monitor device health, proactively resolve IT issues, and reduce digital friction before it impacts output.
• Adopt technology with embedded AI such as endpoint management, automated diagnostics, and AI-powered conferencing instead of relying solely on generative AI for productivity gains.
• Shift from monitoring employees to monitoring sentiment and technology, using collaboration monitoring tools and pulse surveys to build trust while uncovering bottlenecks in real time.