How to make a success of hybrid working

As businesses around the world begin to recalibrate post pandemic, many are evaluating what their future workplace should look like and how to make a success of Hybrid working.

Employees are adjusting, with some itching to get back to office life and others keen to continue with stay-at-home employment.

Hybrid working offers a solution with a mix of home and office working. But with no hard and fast rules about how to implement a hybrid model, it can be difficult to get the balance right.

Some businesses choose to split the working week, with employees working 3 days in the office and 2 days remotely. Others bring back entire departments, while certain departments continue working from at home.

No matter how you choose to shape working patterns, the hybrid model looks set to stay, providing a best-of-both solution for those cautious about a full return to the office.

Like any change to working practice, hybrid working brings challenges and benefits. Here we explore some of the pros and cons as well as how to overcome those hybrid hang ups.

Advantages of hybrid working

Prioritise safety

Let’s take a moment to consider why the adoption of remote working has been so widespread and so rapid in recent years.

Covid-19 has changed the way we work because it increased risk in the workplace. Particularly for those employees with an underlying health condition or with vulnerable relatives at home.

Hybrid working creates a safer environment for all employees because there are fewer people in the office at once. With less staff on site and more room for social distancing, employees will take fewer sick days and the risk of a company-wide COVID outbreak is kept to a minimum.

Reduce costs

A reduced in-person workforce can help cut costs, facilitating lower overheads and reduced demand for amenities at work. With less staff in the office, you may even be able to shrink your office footprint, leading to lower rental or office costs.

Employees can see similar benefits with a reduction in their weekly travel costs and less time spent commuting.

Not only does this lead to significant environmental benefits, but it also sees employees keep more of their monthly pay packet. Making home working a ‘win win’ for many employees.

Increase productivity with Hybrid working

Hybrid working can be a success as it offers increased flexibility, empowering employees to work to their own strengths. Those who need quiet for deep focus tasks, for example, can work from home, while those who thrive in a dynamic office environment can return to work.

For many businesses, there may also be hidden advantages. The opportunity to work remotely could help those previously unable to work back into the workforce. Remote working also reduces geographical barriers, providing an expanded talent pool when recruiting new staff.

By enabling employees to work where they are most comfortable, you will increase creativity, improve results, and boost productivity.

Disadvantages of hybrid working

Impact on metal health

While many people believe hybrid working can improve mental health by providing a better work-life balance, for some it can be the reverse. Those employees that are prone to over working may find it difficult to switch off, leading to problems with burnout.

The workplace is a social space, so for some employees, working remotely will prompt feelings of isolation. Those working from home on a regular basis may miss those spontaneous office chats and impromptu social events and can feel demotivated.

To maintain morale and build a sense of community, look for ways to include all employees in meetings, team building activities and even non-work events. Cloud based communication tools can help you achieve this, enabling employees to work together no matter where they are located. Check in with remote staff regularly to ensure they feel part of the team.

Restricted collaboration with hybrid working

Hybrid working can be difficult to work together effectively when some of your team is office based and others remote,. Virtual meetings eat time and ensuring everyone feels heard can be challenging.

Aside from scheduled meetings, many employees also feel that hybrid working thwarts spontaneous collaboration.

To help teams collaborate across any distance, you’ll need to set out a clear collaboration policy detailing expectations on attendance and reaction times. You may want to assign one manager to oversee remote teams, focusing on inclusion and providing regular check-ins. Consider using productivity intelligence tools to gain insight into how employees are working day-to-day and who might need further support.

Security concerns

In a hybrid working model, staff will move between the relatively secure environment of the office network, with its firewalls and software patches to a potentially vulnerable environment using home WiFi, personal devices, and weak passwords. In an era when cyber attacks are ever more prevalent, your customer data could be at risk.

To support those working remotely and protect valuable data, companies will want to invest in their cybersecurity infrastructure, as well as establishing strict guidelines for remote working practice. Businesses may want to enlist support in adopting cloud-based tools to ensure risks are minimised.

Ensure everyone thrives in a hybrid environment

With remote working well established for most businesses, managers will want to create a success Hybrid working strategy and will a good idea of which tasks are suitable for remote work to be a success.

In some cases, you can adjust schedules according to staff preferences. In other situations, managers will have to establish one uniform model that delivers the best overall performance and deal with any issues on a case-by-case basis.

As a rule of thumb, good workers will thrive wherever they are based, however a well-devised hybrid policy will help everyone work to the best of their abilities. Clear expectations and best practice management are therefore a must.

With the right combination of cloud-based business tools, productivity intelligence and communications software, you can help your in-office and remote teams work together seamlessly. Ensuring every team member feels involved, engaged, and able to deliver optimum performance no matter where they work.

Is your business ready for a Hybrid working future?

Interested in learning how Strenstone can create a successful Hybrid environment? Find out how we can layer productivity intelligence over your existing cloud-based systems to help you better predict and improve performance for the whole team. Request a Discovery & Demo call.