If there’s one thing businesses have learned over the course of the pandemic, it is the fact that the rigid social and physical office structures are not tantamount to a productive workforce.
After more than a year of juggling house and work duties in the remote setup, workers have proven that they can be more productive when they are given flexibility.
This 2022, employers have finally given workers the chance to manage career responsibilities while having a balanced lifestyle through a more flexible work arrangement post-pandemic. Enter hybrid work.
What is hybrid work?
Hybrid work comes in all shapes and sizes. Its structure varies from one company to another, but in essence, hybrid work is a work model that incorporates a mixture of working on-site and working remotely.
Some companies provide employees the option to work from home and at the office–depending on their workload and responsibilities.
It’s helpful for both company and employees to develop a hybrid model based on their needs to plot the necessary adjustments in addressing productivity needs. So far, the hybrid model is working–and it’s looking good.
Things to expect in a hybrid workplace
If your team is now foreseeing a transition to this mixture of work arrangements, take notes on what you should expect in a hybrid work model.
It’s unconventional
In a hybrid work model, people are not required to always follow an eight-hour shift–unlike in traditional office work. This arrangement allows employees to have more freedom on when they want to go to the office or when they want to spend time working at home.
Employees have the free will to get their work done when they’re most inspired and most productive. This flexibility is beneficial for people who aren’t stimulated to work in a specific period but are more energized on other parts of the day.
This encourages employees to produce more high-quality work and be positively conscious about their workload and productivity.
It offers a better work-life balance
Work-life balance refers to the balanced handling of work-related activities and a healthy lifestyle. Since employees have more freedom to manage their time, hybrid work offers a more fluid and balanced living.
The liberating aspect of hybrid work makes it easier for people to find the flexibility they need to do the things they want while still being productive and engaged at work. On periods they feel uninspired, they can use the time to do some errands, spend quality time with their family, bring the kids to school, or just have a good rest.
In return, this boosts their energy and engagement in work-related activities, at a time when they are at their best.
It cannot survive without collaboration tools
The sudden, unprecedented shift from on-site to remote work when the pandemic swept the world required us to adopt technology quickly. We could not have soldiered through the last two years without virtual tools.
We’ve eaten our breakfast over Zoom while sending good morning emails to our co-workers. We’ve achieved an optimum state where remote employees can multi-task. These are all possible because of collaboration tools.
We need the right tools today more than ever, especially in a hybrid work arrangement. It’s important to coordinate with people both in the office and at home. Collaboration tools make it easier for teams to communicate, share tasks, and foster camaraderie–anytime, anywhere.
Hot desking is part of the norm
Hybrid work arrangement upholds open-plan offices, coworking spaces, and hot-desking–these are usually part of its agile working policies.
Hot desking is very popular in companies that employ hybrid work arrangements. Since people aren’t always in the office, it’s not necessary to assign an exclusive work desk when it can be used by other employees.
Hot desks are friendly options for teams who don’t want to feel constricted in a cubicle or one sole area when working. Hot desking lets employees use any available desk instead of an assigned workstation, giving them more freedom to collaborate.
This is also one of the most effective ways to ensure the circulation of knowledge among peers. It encourages shared communication, teamwork, and networking–all key components to open workplace culture.
Thriving in hybrid work
The pandemic is already difficult and life-altering as it is. There’s no reason to make our work and personal life even more complicated. As we battle through the new normal in the workplace, it’s best to employ changes that are suited to the needs of every employee.
Businesses can do this by shifting to a working model that can liberate employees from the constrictive means of working and have them manage their own time and work whenever they feel at their best.
Not only will employees benefit from the flexibility that hybrid work brings, but it will also reflect on the productivity, output, and engagement of the entire organization.
