Hybrid Working 101

In our previous blog (https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/does-working-from-home-really-increase-productivity-boardman-rule/ ) we mentioned the possibility of hybrid working. Of this being the new way forward or the modern workforce, and a good way to bridge the work from home and the in-office models. We got a lot of questions about what that is and what it might look like, so today we want to look at hybrid working a little more in-depth, and explain how it all works and how you could integrate it into your business. After all, hybrid working may well become the new normal, so it’s time to get on board!

?What is Hybrid Working?

Hybrid working is basically what it says on the tin. It’s a hybrid of office-based working and home-based working. Employees would spend some of their time working from the business premises, and some of it working from home. Using digital collaboration tools, employees can work together no matter where they are and still achieve the same, if not better levels of productivity. This method allows businesses to balance the needs of their business with the needs of their employees, and get the best performance out of both. That’s really all there is to it!

The important thing to remember is that hybrid working isn’t really a brand-new thing. Sure, the pandemic has meant more and more people are becoming aware of it and taking advantage of the flexibility it gives, but that doesn’t mean it’s only just come into existence. And so the benefits have been proven over years of experience, and there are even some best practices in place to make sure you get the most out of the hybrid working model.

?Why Choose Hybrid Working?

The reasons for choosing to adopt a hybrid working model are really very simple. It combines the needs of businesses to have employees in their offices, and allows employees the flexibility to work from home and gain all of the benefits from that (see our previous blog – Does working from home really increase productivity? - ?for more info). It’s literally the best of both worlds, and one of our best chances at creating a more balanced, healthier and happier workforce. And you know what they say – happy employees are productive employees.

From an employee perspective, the hybrid working model seems to be the ideal. Video conferencing giant Zoom (who we are all very familiar with at this point) ran a series of surveys asking employees what their feelings about returning to work are. The results show that although 65% of workers were eagerly anticipating returning to work, according to the report:

• 65% of respondents who have been working from home over the past year said that hybrid work was their ideal work model.
• Of that 65%, 33% said they prefer to work mostly from the office, with 32% preferring to work mostly from home.

So, it’s pretty clear that employees would prefer a hybrid approach to work. For employers, this means understanding what their employees want, and providing an environment and flexibility to allow that to happen. They need to ensure their office spaces are outfitted correctly to accommodate hybrid working, and equip employees with the tools to connect, collaborate and work efficiently no matter where they’re working from.

?Top Tips for Hybrid Working

So, how can you make sure your business is set up for success? Here are a few simple things you can do to create the ideal hybrid working environment:

Get Employee Buy-In: As with any change in the workplace, employee buy-in is critical. If you’re thinking about adopting the model, bring your employees into the fold early and get their input. They may be able to provide you with insight and information that could help shape the way you implement hybrid working, and having them engaged means they are more likely to accept the changes easily.

Invest in the Tools: The right tools can make or break hybrid working. Investing in the right tools can be as simple as moving from a desktop software to cloud-based tools so employees can collaborate in real time, no matter where they are. Or it could be more involved, including equipping conference rooms with video conferencing equipment, or switching your local services to cloud-based ones.

Create Online Community: Water-cooler chat is one of the big benefits of being in the office, and many remote workers tend to miss that. Informal gatherings, chatting about your weekend and generally bonding with your team mates is important for the general health of your teams, so it shouldn’t be underrated. Take the time to create a community online that all workers can be involved in. Tools like Slack can be a great place to start, and gives employees the opportunity to recapture that

Set Realistic Metrics: When it comes to things like promotions, you need to be very aware of unconscious biases that could be at play. A study run by Stanford in 2014 showed that remote employees were about 50% less likely to be promoted compared to their in-office counterparts, despite the remote workers being more productive. This is mainly because management have a ‘butts in seats’ mentality, and tend to judge performance by the amount of time they physically see the employees working. In a hybrid working model, that just won’t fly, and you need to be aware of this and set realistic goals.

Rethink Old Habits: This one applies to everything you do, from the way you onboard new hires to the way you ask for input on projects. You will have a way of doing things that works for in-person employees, but not necessarily for remote ones. Rethink how you do things and come up with new systems that include everyone in a hybrid working model.

Of course, no new system is without its flaws, and many businesses will be learning as they go with hybrid working. At Ten2Two, we have years of experience in designing flexible roles and helping businesses hire flexible, part-time and hybrid employees. We can work with you every step of the way to finding the best people for your growing hybrid team, and making sure you have the right policies in place to make it a success.

If you’d like to find out more, we’d be happy to help. Just get in touch with the team today to book your free consultation:?email [email protected], or call us on?01252 856 862?