Hybrid workplace model basically merges the in-office and remote work environment. Rather than task management around desks in a physical office space, hybrid work allows employees to manage their jobs right from the comfort of their own homes. Some or all employees in a typical hybrid workplace have the flexibility to choose where and when they work, splitting their time between working from home and working in the office. Companies in this model give employees the autonomy to choose their preferred work environment.
A hybrid working model allows a company to have one or more offices where a portion of its workforce consistently visits, while the rest works remotely or from home.
Why Hybrid Workforce?
A hybrid workforce is one in which an organization can enhance the value of remote work with the collaboration opportunities of on-site work.
A hybrid workforce helps employees be more productive while also allowing them to have a better work-life balance. Furthermore, companies can save money on leasing or property expenditures because some employees would be working remotely, requiring less office space.
Factors to consider while building a Hybrid Workforce
Here are some pretty firm factors that are drawn from Microsoft’s research conducted back in the end of 2020, which played a vital role in designing a hybrid workplace model:
Health should always be the top priority!
One aspect of the worldwide pandemic that has emerged, is the emphasis on health and wellbeing. Any company that does not prioritise this may soon encounter the consequences, and if they continue to do so, they will most likely be overtaken in their markets by those who do. It’s not just smart business, but it’s also the right thing to do.
It’s that critical! Make sure you offer mental health support to your employees as they may sometimes tend to feel stressed and low. And for this, you need to gain your employees’ trust so that they do not hesitate to reach out to you. Building trust among employees is difficult and time-consuming. A vital component of effective hybrid approaches will be ensuring that individuals understand this commitment on the most basic of levels.
Offering innate support in both the environments
Companies will need to revamp all of their procedures and people management methods, as well as create an employee experience that works for everyone, regardless of where they work from. Given some of the communication rhythms that would have to change, and an emphasis on providing excellent mental health results, a renewed appreciation for human-centred, empathetic, and experience-driven professionals will serve organisations well in this area.
Flexible work opportunities
While for many insistence is more on remote or home working, there are ways to adapt and develop a rather inclusive and powerful hybrid workplace experience. As the study points out, there is a lot of untapped potential in this area – changes to job responsibilities, working hours, job rotation, and regulations – all contribute to a stronger and more flexible workforce. Companies can personalise their employee experiences in a way that connects with each unique individual with the proper technologies in place and a far stronger commitment to flexible working.
The Future of Work
We are no longer constrained by traditional notions of space and time to work together. Instead, we can let go of long-held notions and restructure our conceptual framework to accommodate extreme flexibility. Business leaders can rewire their operational model for a successful shift to hybrid work using these five strategies.
- Leaders must think about how to give all employees the tools they need to contribute, whether they’re working from home, on the manufacturing plant, in the office, or on the go.
- Create a strategy for empowering individuals to be as flexible as possible, and then provide guidance to employees to experiment and learn.
- Teams must reframe network-building as a proactive activity, encourage and reward managers who emphasise creating social capital at work and strive to create a culture that values social support.
- Addressing digital tiredness must be a top concern for leaders everywhere as we strive to create a better future of work. Create a culture that appreciates and promotes taking breaks whenever required.
- Employee expectations have transformed as the talent landscape has evolved. The best leaders will understand the specific demands of each group inside their company and use remote work as a tool to attract the brightest and most diverse personnel.
