A company that takes a hybrid approach to work remotely can have one or more of its workforce work outside the office while the remaining workers work remotely. In a successful hybrid work model, the company offers remote work policies for employees who are scattered between work outside and inside the office but do not distinguish between the connections and opportunities office workers get with the management team.
According to a report by Accenture, 83% of workers say the hybrid work model in which they work from home is 25–75% cheaper for them. Employees agree and the latest Gartner study shows that 75% of hybrid remote knowledge workers report that their workplace expectations rise when four of ten employees leave, even if they insist on returning to a personal office environment. While most hybrid work models allow people to work remotely, sick employees often stay at home.
The idea of hybrid work models has become an important issue in the business world as employees are increasingly reluctant to leave their remote lives and business leaders are contemplating how to solve this problem. Hybrid work models have huge potential for companies and their workers, but unlocking this potential will require conscious efforts by business leaders to focus on employee experience.
Customize Your Company’s Hybrid Model
When managers try to design and implement a hybrid work model, one of the first decisions they have to make is to order employees to be on a given day at the site. Depending on the needs of the company, this could be a relaxed policy that requires employees to come to the office of their choice two days a week, or a fixed requirement that employees work in the office on Monday.
Additional planning and attention to ensure the success of the hybrid model will make remote employees feel isolated and idle, which most companies would prefer to avoid.
Remote-first Attitude is The Key
Remote working not only reduces the costs for the maintenance of office space but also increases the productivity of employees. We are seeing an increase in co-working spaces, which means that pockets of staff in remote areas will need to be housed, many offices will need to be reorganized to accommodate social distance measures, and we will see an increase in closed meeting rooms where staff can connect with their distant colleagues.
Remote and hybrid work models also require up-to-date cybersecurity programs to protect remote employees, protect their digital assets and address growing cyber threats.
Performance Will Be Enabled, Not Just Managed
In order to retain top talent and remain competitive in today’s work environment, the hybrid environment of the future is not only about controlling employee work but also about enabling people with dynamic, cadenced OKR and goals.
Organizations with the largest productivity gains during the pandemic are preparing for hybrid work by training leaders in remote leadership, reinventing processes, and rethinking how they can help employees succeed in their roles. Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, organizations around the world have become distant, and many organizations must build successful hybrid work models or risk losing their staff.
Setting up The Flexible Work Plans
It offers workers a wide range of options to choose from including options in the office, remote options, and flexible working options where employees work two or three days a week outside the office. Hybrid work gives workers more autonomy to integrate work and the rest of their lives into other parts of their working time without having to register at the office.
Bloom suggests leveraging additional flexibility by offering employees a set number of home days that they can redeem for mandatory office days if they want to work remotely.
Plan Out Office Visits With Colleagues
Some companies and teams require employees to report to work every day, while others allow them to work whenever they want. If you commute to work while the rest of your team works remotely, it would be a pity to miss out on face-to-face communication.
Despite the fact that internet collaboration can be quite effective, meeting in person is often preferable. If at all possible, organize critical meetings on days when teams can commute together, and set up hybrid office furniture for the group ahead of time.
Build The Infrastructure That’ll Support Flexible Work
Employees will be able to work together more easily with hybrid work because it will bridge the gap between remote and on-site locations. You’ll need to invest in communication tools and on-site video conferencing equipment to make this possible. Establish company-wide communication standards and encourage team leaders to communicate with their staff clearly.
In The End…
For employees, companies, and customers, the future of work is a focus on developing more helpful, intuitive processes. Businesses were able to adopt technology, but the next stage of development will demand business leaders to connect more with their staff in order to completely integrate new technologies and build a more sustainable style of working in the future.
It takes time and effort to successfully develop a long-term hybrid work model for your company. Nonetheless, the advantages outweigh the costs, with higher productivity and a better life/work balance for your staff.
Whether you are in the product discovery phase or are looking for a partner to launch your software development project, CONTACT US! We’re happy to help you discover the advantages of a dedicated remote team!
Originally published at Upstack.co on 6 Feb 2022, by Sheetal Munjal.
