What is hybrid work and how to build a successful worforce model?

This might be a surprise for you, but even long before the pandemic, the idea of working from home was still favourable to a vast majority of workers. It is just that no one had thought of a consistent remote working environment before. Now the situation is coming back to normal, but employees want to continue working from home or at least have what is now known as a hybrid-work model.

Employees are now expecting flexibility both in how and where they work. The transition toward this hybrid work model is underway in many organizations. This has been made possible mostly because of rapid advancements in technology such as high-speed networks, smartphones, and cloud computing, which ensures that teams can collaborate from literally anywhere. 

It is difficult now for companies to return to the previous status quo. Many businesses are therefore adopting this hybrid or work-from-home model to compete and succeed in these tough times. Another crucial reason for companies to shift to hybrid work is to retain their top talent.

Do you think so too? As per a global workforce survey sponsored by Cisco, only 9% of workers said that they expect to return to the office completely when they open up. In such a situation, as an organization, unless you show flexibility, this will seriously affect the chances of attracting and keeping top talent in the company.

Let’s look at hybrid working

• What is Hybrid working?
  • Hybrid Work Survey
  • Difference between a hybrid workplace and workspace
    • Hybrid Workplace
    • Hybrid Workspace
• Characteristics of hybrid work
• What are the 6 things you must include in your hybrid work policy?
• What does hybrid work look like in 2022?
  • Is hybrid work the future of work
  • Difference between hybrid work and remote work
  • Will we ever return to the office?
• Why are companies shifting to hybrid work?
• Benefits of hybrid working
  • The value of hybrid work
  • How does hybrid work increase productivity?
• Hybrid working model
  • Hybrid work model definition
  • Environment in hybrid working
• Examples of hybrid working models
• Hybrid Work Policy example
  • What should a hybrid policy include?
• Challenges associated with hybrid work
• Why you should shift to hybrid work?
• How to adopt a hybrid work model?
• Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is hybrid work?

Hybrid work, also known as part-remote and part-office work, is the model where employees go back to their offices after having worked from home at least one day a week. The definition of hybrid working, however, can vary in different organizations.

Some companies might allow all of their employees the flexibility to work on-site or remotely during the week, while in others, they may extend only it to certain teams. Even a combination of on-site or remote days could be pre-defined or may be left to the choice of the employees in the company.

Hybrid work survey

We now know that the new workplaces will be more hybrid and flexible compared to earlier, as their employees’ expectations have changed. As a result, digital services and virtual interactions are in high demand. Improved technology has enabled and supported remote working. 85% of organizations are now looking to speed up their digital strategy, including cloud adoption and increasing SaaS. 

Under a survey, 97% of employers are comfortable with their employees working hybrid. Clearly, the future of work is hybrid in some form or the other.  However, there are some hurdles in the way to completely adopting a hybrid work model.

These are

(i) keeping up with the employee motivation and well-being (35%), followed by

(ii) keeping pace with technology disruptions (32%) and

(iii) managing expanded security risks (31%). Most companies are not yet completely prepared to support a long-term hybrid work model.

Difference between hybrid workplace and hybrid workspace

Hybrid workspaces and hybrid workplaces are different things. The hybrid work model has developed from a location-centric view of where work is done (workplace) to a more human-centric view of where work is done (workspace). 

“Hybrid Workplace“:

Historically, a workplace has been a company’s physical office location, where employees may work onsite all or part of the time.

“Hybrid Workspace“:

A workspace is where the employee does the work. It represents the physical space of the work being done and not the worker.  

Characteristics of hybrid work

Future hybrid workforces will require safe and smooth access to corporate software as well as feature-rich, user-friendly collaborative tools. This allows them to safely communicate, meet, call, exchange material, and collaborate from any location.

Some important criteria are required for a successful hybrid work model: adaptable, welcoming, encouraging, safe, and well-managed.

Flexible hybrid work arrangement:-

In a hybrid work arrangement, employees may be dispersed across time zones and nations, working at various hours. They demand versatile tools that can adapt to their work styles, jobs, and gadgets since they have diverse needs. 

Inclusive hybrid work culture:-

Work that is hybrid should be inclusive. That means companies go to great lengths to guarantee that all of their workers have equal work experience.

Supportive hybrid work system:-

Work, as we know it, has been upended by the current global health crisis, but it has also provided an opportunity for people and their businesses to reinvent it. The emergence of the new hybrid work environment is proof of this.

Secure system to make a shift to hybrid work:-

Connectivity must be stable and secure for the new hybrid work environment to succeed. This ensures that all team members may confidently work and contribute.

IT and admin requirements in hybrid work:-

Because the hybrid work paradigm is complicated and dynamic, it necessitates a distinct approach to IT administration. IT teams must be able to do the following:

• Users and devices may be provided at a large scale and with simplicity.
• Get access to reliable and timely data.
• End users, devices, programs, and environments may all be secured and troubleshot from anywhere.

What are the 6 things you must include in your hybrid work policy?

 

 

 

What does hybrid work look like in 2022?

Work from home was on the rise even before the pandemic, but the current situation has forced the organization to completely rethink the traditional ways of working. More and more organizations are now moving towards full-time remote or hybrid working models. But there is a common debate between working from home vs working from the office and the productivity associated with them.

While there are some benefits of working from home, such as saving time on the commute, the opportunity to spend more time with family, and time for personal hobbies. However, work from the office still has a strong case most of the time. One of the biggest setbacks of working from home is that the employees feel isolated from their colleagues.

Difference between hybrid work and remote work 

Work from home allows employees to work from outside the traditional office setting. Now it is possible to execute work responsibilities remotely by accessing the office network from a remote location (mostly their homes). In contrast, a hybrid work model allocates certain days to in-office work and other days to remote work that requires individual focus.

This model assumes that an employee’s physical presence in the office is not always necessary for work to be completed.

Is hybrid work the future of work?

Here, a third model emerges- the hybrid office. One of the key features it offers is flexibility and sociability. It offers the freedom to choose when and where to work. A report published by Microsoft supports hybrid work: Over 70% of employees want flexible/hybrid working options to be there even after the pandemic.

Hybrid models are here to stay. Companies need to make technological and structural changes to support this transition towards hybrid working. Both the employer and employee need to adapt to this change in order to thrive.

Will we ever return to the office?

Remote working today is the preferred choice by employees, thereby the idea of a full return to the office is officially dead. Organizations have become increasingly positive about working from home. They have adapted their management, organization and IT to cooperate more efficiently with working from home employees. 

Why are companies shifting to hybrid work?

Employees expect to be able to work from anywhere and in whatever way they want. Companies may find it difficult to return to their prior status quo due to new business models, work procedures, and technological investments made since the commencement of the global health crisis. To compete and flourish in the future, many organizations are transitioning to a hybrid work model.

Retaining top staff is another reason why organizations are adopting a hybrid work approach. Only 9% of workers indicated they plan to return to work 100 per cent of the time when their workplace reopens, according to a worldwide workforce poll sponsored by Cisco. Companies may be unable to recruit and keep the talent they require in the future if they do not embrace a hybrid work model.

Benefits of hybrid working

Hybrid work has several upsides to it. It positively affects your organization in multiple ways when planned carefully and strategically.

The value of hybrid work

According to a poll, over half of employees (47%) would likely search for another job if their company did not implement a flexible working style. As a result, workers obviously value mixed work. What draws people to a mixed work model, though? Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of hybrid employment for both individuals and employers.

Saves time to commute

Whether it takes 10 minutes to reach the workplace or 1 hour, it saves time when an employee works from home. According to a survey report by Airtasker, a worker, on average, saves 8.5 hours of time a week by not commuting to work. Employees can therefore start their work earlier if they don’t have to commute to the office every day. Besides, the actual commute itself is not always easy.

While commuting through public transport has its own share of hassles, even driving your own car is linked to stress and exposure to pollution, leading to respiratory problems in the long term. 

It decreases social isolation and improves employee’s work/life balance

According to a survey, only one in five global respondents say that employers don’t care about work-life balance. Work/life balance is an important attribute of a healthy work environment and hybrid work not only enables employees to fit work and life together but also supports in reducing stress and burnout.

On the other hand, remote work experiments have also revealed that prolonged work from home can feel lonely and can affect the mental health of an employee. Providing opportunities to interact and communicate with colleagues will foster mental well-being and increase retention.

Reduces overhead costs 

Let’s face the fact that office space is expensive and, according to a report by Global Workplace Analytics, almost 6 out of 10 employers find cost savings as a major benefit of employees working from home. It is estimated that 10%-30% of desks will go unused post-pandemic.

Offering remote work can significantly reduce the overall overhead cost for the organization. Businesses with remote workers can also save costs related to utilities, cleaning services, food, and taxes.

More possibilities for team-building

The office workspace also serves as a cultural space to anchor sociability. This helps in continuous learning, connection, team-building, and collaboration. Hybrid work, which has elements of co-working while also offering adequate time to oneself, helps in self-improvement and reflection. 

Better collaboration and work relationships

With prolonged time, remote workers often struggle with a lack of effective communication. Organizations can now find the right tools to enable seamless collaboration from a remote environment, but a hybrid work model can help bridge the gap completely. They get the benefit of in-person communication with no dependencies on their software to constantly perform at its best.

How does hybrid work increase productivity?

As we know, hybrid work offers flexibility to employees and empowers them to work according to their strengths, which helps to improve productivity. Deep-focus tasks can be done from home, while also offering an equal opportunity for creativity and collaboration in the workplace. Both types of employees, those who thrive in a peaceful environment and those who perform better in an office setting, can thrive in a hybrid model. There are four work modes that employers must invest in for a successful hybrid environment.

Synchronous

• Work together-together mode: Teams are co-located and meet in a shared space
• Work together-apart mode: Teams are distributed and meet virtually

Asynchronous

• Working alone-together: Teams share spaces but work at different timings
• Working alone-apart: Teams are distributed, with each individual performing deep-focus work remotely.

Hybrid working model 

Each organization is unique in terms of its working and employees. Employees need to adapt to the work culture of an organization, whether it is in-office or remote. They need proper guidance and support from their employers.  Hybrid work may be a good mix of both fully in-person and fully remote work, offering the benefits of both. This includes a set of employees working from the office and some working from home.

Many organizations have experienced the success of this model in terms of better employee satisfaction and higher productivity. Hybrid work culture includes four categories:

• “At-will” model
• “Split-week” model
• “Shift-work” model
• “Week-by-week” model

Hybrid work model definition

This model involves an employee combining in-office and remote work during their working day. There is sometimes an option for employees to work from home or come into the office at their convenience. There is no one-size-fits-all hybrid model. Each company develops a hybrid model based on the needs of the company and the needs of their employees. One of the best features of a hybrid working model is the flexibility and autonomy it provides to the employees.

The environment in hybrid working 

A hybrid working environment is a flexible work structure where some employees work remotely and other team members work from a central location or office. It does not conform to a single working environment, as all the employees work differently and are managed differently.

Examples of hybrid working models

Here are some of the popular hybrid work model structures:

• Remote-First
• Office-Occasional
• Office-First, Remote Allowed

Remote-first model

The idea behind remote-first is like that of fully remote models, with few exceptions. Notably, in this model, most companies will keep their office space only for the employees who value it.  The definition of the remote first model may look different for various companies, but the key principle is that the company should be like the fully remote one where employees from different time zones can work and collaborate through online communication.

Note that, just like fully remote work, remote-first does not mean that employees never meet each other. Companies should organize semi-annual or annual meetups.

Office-occasional model

Unlike the remote first model, where office space is purely for collaboration, the office’s occasional model requires employees to work from the office a few times a week. This setup can be put in place where companies have not completely adopted remote working, or do not want to lose the investments made in their office setup. The number of days an employee needs to work from the office can vary as per the company’s policies.

For example, a company may expect employees to work in the office every Monday or they need to work in the office two days a week. The main idea behind this model is that companies do not want to go remote-first, instead they want employees to work in the office. Here, the workforce is mostly local.

Office-first remote allowed model

This model was common prior to the pandemic, where companies allowed remote work but designated office work as primary. Companies allowed a small percentage of employees to work remotely while most of the team worked from the main office. This set is common where the leadership team works from office space so that the entire team becomes office-centred because the leadership team will have in-person communication and collaboration.

Companies offer remote work policies for the employees scattered around different locations. But it may differentiate employees from the opportunities and connections they will have by working closely with the leadership team.

Hybrid Work Policy example

A hybrid work policy is an agreement that outlines where, when and how employees can work. These policies also describe who can work hybrid, best practices and the legal rights of hybrid employees. Companies should create hybrid work policies as it offers the following opportunities to employers:

• Attract and keep the best talent
• Increases productivity and innovation
• Provides flexibility and autonomy to existing employees
• Helps in team building, collaboration and relationship
• Reduces cost of real estate and employment

If you are expecting a hybrid workplace, then creating and implementing a successful hybrid work policy is a must. This ensures employees know what you are expecting from them.

Check out also our blog on “How to create an Attendance Policy for your company (with free downloadable template)“

Challenges associated with Hybrid work

Managing a consistent work/life balance

You can promote work/life balance by providing flexibility and reducing the time to commute. It can sometimes also make work and personal life overlap with each other. There are often situations where extended work hours are being put in by employees just because there is no defined end-of-day.

Differentiation between remote and on-site workers

Apart from work, team-building activities, opportunities and culture are differently experienced by the employees who are working remotely. This is especially relevant for those employees who are onboarded in a remote or hybrid setting. Companies should strive to keep the experience balanced and offer the equipment to those who are working from home. Plan company events and get together with a hybrid in mind.

Inconsistency in transparency and communication

If your hybrid working model is not implemented properly, then it will cause a misalignment of communication between the employees working from the office and those who are working from home. You need to make sure hybrid work supports both autonomy and collaboration. 

Office space and rent 

You need to make sure the office workplace is for employees who value it if you are going hybrid. But you may think that keeping a dedicated office may be a waste of resources. A co-working space can prove to be the best solution to save costs and resources or you may look for distributed workspaces.

Why you should shift to hybrid work?

Employees now realize that they can collaborate effectively regardless of where they work — as long as they have the necessary tools. The freedom to choose one’s own schedule allows each individual to work when they are most inspired or creative, even if it is 3 a.m. Not only is this more productive, but it also increases work happiness. Flexibility also helps to achieve a better work-life balance.

How to adopt a Hybrid work model?

To adopt a hybrid work model, you need the right workforce, the right process, and the right technology to support employees.

Survey your employees to find out what they need

To build a successful hybrid work model, learn more about the needs of your employees. And how would you do that? Sending surveys to your employees helps in understanding their opinions on hybrid work. But be sure to include questions asking about the work setup they want. Analyzing the results of the survey helps you understand the demand for and tailor the work model accordingly.

Build Infrastructure to support flexible work

Hybrid work bridges the gap between remote and on-site. You need to invest in the right technologies to support hybrid work, such as communication tools and on-site video conferencing equipment. Create office schedules to manage office traffic. For example, you may allow employees to work on certain days of the week or custom schedule.

Invest in company culture

Invest in opportunities that delight your employees, like gamifying parts of your company’s onboarding experience. You can use software such as Slack to hold virtual team-building activities where you can create an experience for a hybrid work landscape around your company’s core values

Create a great work experience

Sometimes employees may lose interest in working on-site, which leads to no shows and a dull experience for those who do show up. So it is important to create a great on-site work experience that employees want to go to.

Continuous feedback

As you build an ideal hybrid model for your organization, it is important to take continuous feedback from your employees. Send out quarterly feedback surveys to employees and provide a channel to share their thoughts. This feedback will help you iterate your hybrid workplace that is ready to succeed.  

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Not to be considered as tax, legal, financial or HR advice. Regulations change over time so please consult a lawyer, accountant  or Labour Law  expert for specific guidance.