Hybrid working Guide: Everything You Need To Know

Only 32% of the population were working from home prior to the pandemic. However, as a result of the unexpected outbreak of Covid-19, we are seeing an increasing number of businesses, including those who previously believed that remote working would not work, begin to understand the benefits of flexible working, which allows their employees to work from anywhere.

Everything, like everything else, has its drawbacks. Although the advantages are numerous, there are considerable reasons to work in an office, including cooperation, the development of a company culture, and in some situations, greater efficiency. A hybrid working style would be the best option in this scenario because it allows employees to split their time between the office and working remotely.

What is a Hybrid working model?

Hybrid working model is a type of work that allows employees to work from a variety of locations. At home, on the go, and at the office, for example.

Flexibility, excellent performance, a good environment, and effective work habits are all promoted by a successful hybrid work model.

Employees at some companies may work full-time remotely or full-time on-site. Others may allow a combination of the two.

How to adopt a hybrid work model?

You'll need the right people, processes, and technology to successfully implement a hybrid work model in your company.

So what should you consider when moving to a hybrid working model

Survey

Speak with your employees to learn about their needs so you can create a hybrid model that works for your organisation. You may design a work culture that keeps your employees motivated to accomplish their best work by involving them.

To do so, put out a poll to find out how employees feel about hybrid work. Make sure to inquire about and provide instances of the working environment in which they would thrive.

Some examples of questions you may want to ask is:

• Have you relocated within the last year from your designated employment location?
• How many days a week do you think you'll be available to work on-site?
• Would you rather use a home office than commute to work if you had access to one closer to your home?

By doing this you will discover what your employees are most interested in and if they will be happy going for a hybrid working model. This will not only help you to understand the need for hybrid working but to also know how you can model your work accordingly.

What are the benefits of hybrid working?

Employees with hybrid jobs have more flexibility, leisure time, and autonomy. Employees can devote more time to their personal lives or families while still earning money thanks to this potentially harmonious work-life balance. Companies have the potential to utilise this new approach to work for their own benefit and develop a flexible, dynamic, and positive work culture as it evolves.

Improved mental health

According to Microsoft data, one out of every five global survey respondents believes their boss is unconcerned about their work-life balance.

While work and life are rarely perfectly balanced, work-life balance is an important part of every good workplace. And hybrid employment allows each individual to balance their professional and personal lives in a way that suits them. This helps to relieve stress and prevent burnout.

Working entirely from home diminishes interpersonal interaction, which might have a negative impact on your employees' mental health. As a result, it's critical to develop chances that improve communication and promote mental health. This will also build the bonds that enable teams to succeed.

Increased productivity

Teams can achieve a good balance of creativity and cooperation by promoting a culture that considers remote work as a beneficial option to completing deep-focus tasks in the office. Employees who require peace and quiet to concentrate or who thrive in an office atmosphere can work where and when they are most productive.

According to Gartner, in order to create a successful hybrid environment, companies must invest equally in four different work modes:

• Working together, together: When teams are colocated, they can participate in meetings in a common area.
• Working alone, together: when teams are distributed, but participating in virtual meetings.
• Working together, apart: when teams are in common areas but are not working at the same moment.
• orking alone, apart: when teams are dispersed and individuals are working on deep focus projects.

Leaders should be deliberate in providing collaboration opportunities and growing employees' abilities in each area, with four approaches to select from.

Improved collaboration and working relationships

It's really no surprise that working in an office and having face-to-face conversations makes teamwork easier. It encourages employees to interact with one another, allowing them to talk during their breaks.

Although certainly there are a great number of remote working tools that are useful in allowing employees to interact with one another, it just isn’t the same experience as they would have in an office. Therefore the hybrid working model balances that out and gives the employees the best of both.

The disadvantages of Hybrid working model

Remote employees may find it more difficult to communicate with coworkers on-site in a hybrid work environment. Instant replies, spontaneous dialogues, and face-to-face contacts all contribute to the development of workplace connections and culture.

Some of the major disadvantages of hybrid workplace model are:

• Potential burnout
• Increased reliance on technology
• Redesigning the office layout
• Team building when there’s distance

How to make hybrid work for your business?

In the coming months, we're going to see more businesses than ever shift their focus from figuring out how to make remote work possible to completely embracing a future where hybrid work is the new normal. As businesses consider what hybrid work can entail, we'll see a variety of approaches. While there will almost definitely be no one-size-fits-all solution, employers who are able to properly reconcile employee preferences with the business' strategic needs will have an advantage.

Create a hybrid working policy

If you are considering going for a hybrid working model, you need to create a hybrid working policy, and once your policies and procedures are in place you should review it often to check if any improvement can be made.

What is hybrid working policy

A hybrid working policy is a piece of paper that contains the following information:

• Explains how things function and establishes boundaries while allowing for some flexibility.
• This allows line managers and employees to talk about specific arrangements and come to an agreement.

Employers can keep track of their employees not just in the workplace, but also remotely, thanks to Hr software that can be used from anywhere.

From the workplace or from home, keep track of employee absences, manage vacation requests, and save all of your key HR papers. The incredibly simple online system from OfficeSimplify will help you free up time for what matters most: managing your team has never been easier.