Do you prefer working from home or going into the office?

I have been asking this question since Covid hit and the responses have been quite an eye opener. According to Dimensional Research, almost 57% of people in SA said that they would consider leaving their current company if they had to return to the office full-time. What this means for businesses is that, if you don’t adapt, you might lose your key employees.

Hybrid work is one of the hottest topics employees and employers are talking about.

“Hybrid work is a flexible work model that supports a blend of in-office, remote, and on-the-go workers. It offers employees the autonomy to choose to work wherever and however they are most productive.” - https://www.webex.com/what-is-hybrid-work.html

We have listed the benefits and challenges of Hybrid working:

Benefits:

1.      Improved individual productivity due to reduction in commuting times and less in-office distractions.

2.      Greater autonomy and flexibility within orgs from employee perspective aspect. Better work life balance, Increase motivation and turnover. Greater efficiency.

3.      Money saved on petrol, especially with the increased prices.

Daily global CO2 emissions decreased by 19% during the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly half of which resulted from reduced ground transportation, according to research by Nature.

4.      Businesses see an opportunity to reduce real estate costs: 74% of CEOs from large organizations expect to reduce their office space, according to Fortune.

5.      Reduction of operational costs.

Challenges:

1.      Team communication feels fragmented. Less face to face (Human) interaction which influences team spirit especially in a sales environment. This leads to staff feeling the FOMO.

2.      Company community and culture is negatively affected.

3.      You just can’t stop working. Prioritizing your work and home life will be essential. See the tips in the link below.

4.      Working from home, you avoid co-workers dropping by your desk and other office interruptions. Unfortunately, you'll likely have to deal with other kinds of interruptions and distractions at home, whether it's your dogs or cats wanting your attention, Courier Guy with a delivery, or a friend dropping by unannounced.

5.      For the Property / real estate industry there are implications. Commercial properties need to adapt / pivot to survive perhaps with flexibility contracts or creating co-working spaces.

According to statistics and surveys it is predicted that by 2023 33% of all SA business will allow staff to work remotely. This is the future and its here to stay, so gear up and get yourself ready. Here’s an article about the 7 biggest remote work challenges (and how to overcome them).

https://zapier.com/blog/remote-work-challenges/