As we move past the one year mark of the pandemic, all of us have surely been adjusted to the new normal - face masks, hand sanitizers, social distancing and a hybrid mode of working. Companies and employees around the world have been testing out different flexible modes of working to get their jobs done during the trying time. We started with working from home and zoom meetings earlier last year as outbreaks just began. With the numbers of cases going down, companies have allowed employees to head back to the office, often following a roster to maintain social distancing and allow flexibility to jump back to work-from-home in case an outbreak occurs. And thus, this hybrid work model has slowly become a part of our work culture.
Of course, we are all secretly wishing for a fully remote work model. Yet, its impracticality is undeniable with concerns of employees losing work incentives or employers and managerial staff having a tough time overseeing their teams. A hybrid work model, however, allows freedom for individual employees to work on their assigned task at their own pace while still maintaining a sense of collaboration and formality. Under a hybrid work model, employees can have 1-3 days a week working remotely. The designated office days are usually scheduled with in-person meetings and collaborating sessions for employees to get on the same page with one another and to report their progress.
Best of Both Worlds
Experts have predicted this hybrid work model of a mix of remote and in-person work will likely be staying even after the pandemic, particularly in finance, information technology and professional services sectors where limited face-to-face interactions are required. Here are a couple of advantages to steer you towards this hybrid work model and a few tips to overcome its potential drawbacks.
Cutting Production Cost
To survive the pandemic and the anticipated economic recession, many companies have been cutting costs. Besides laying off redundant employees, reducing occupancy expenditures is the next big step. With a hybrid work model, companies can downsize their offices to better utilize their spaces cost-effectively. Overhead expenses including rent, utilities, office supplies can also be greatly lowered.
Saving Expenses and Time on Commute
One thing none of us misses from the pre-pandemic work life is for sure, the horrid rush hours. We all know the suffocating feeling of being crammed on the MTR or the bus very well. It is not enjoyable. It wastes our time, stresses us out. It sucks. With a hybrid work model, employees can save transport expenses and commuting time.
Boosting Productivity
You would think a hybrid work model may gradually forge a slacking and overly-relaxed working culture. In reality, researches have shown that productivity is hiked up when employees start working remotely. This can be explained by their liberty to arrange their own schedule and plan their tasks to do on a day according to their individual preference. Employees are actually taking more responsibilities for their own task than ever. By offering the opportunity for employees to make their own decisions, employers are showing trust and validation. Tendencies for micromanagement (the biggest workplace vice, we can all agree) can also be minimized. By extension, another research on working during the pandemic found that those who work under a hybrid model are more satisfied with their jobs than those who work at home or at the office exclusively. The hybrid model redefines the measurement of working performance by putting the focus on the quality of outputs over the actual number of hours an employee is present at the office.
Better Well-being
The original intent for hybrid working is, of course, the physical health of everyone at the office. By limiting the number of people in the office at the same time can protect workers from catching and spreading the virus prior to full vaccination. The flexibility of working at the office and from home also gives employees a peace of mind. On the other hand, a hybrid work model can imply the prioritization of the employees’ well-being, creating a positive, work-life balance focused working culture at the company. A study also concluded that hybrid work models have positive impacts on employees’ mental health since the start of the pandemic.
How to make it work?
Team-building
One of the concerns for hybrid working is the lack of employee engagement and the bond between each employee. With a hybrid work model, employees are spending less time as a team and communicating face-to-face with their colleagues. Thus, it could be harder to build a shared social identity, impairing the loyalty and group dynamics amongst teammates. To tackle this, leaders can encourage team-building through scheduling regular informal, virtual or in-person get-togethers. Let work from employees get to know each other and foster a sense of community through a few games and drinks!
Make use of collaboration tools
With some of your co-workers working from home a few days a week, you may not be able to walk to their desks to follow up or talk about the task you are working on. However, the efficacy of workplace communication can still be ensured through digital collaboration and communication tools. Many digital platforms have emerged in recent years. Applications such as Slack and Trello can bridge the gap between remote and in-house workers. Employees can update and track each other’s progress on these platforms, facilitating virtual project management. As opposed to a synchronous mode of communication where employees are expected to respond instantly, hybrid working can be paired with online communication to keep employees on track while still allowing them to focus and work independently. Asynchronous communication may seem like a downside on paper, but you can definitely make it work.
Plan ahead
As a complement to the asynchronous mode of communication we touched upon, an organized team schedule would be crucial in hybrid working. With employees being able to choose their remote and in-house workdays, essential meetings including project brainstorming, kick-offs, mid-project status update and post-mortems should be scheduled unanimously ahead of time. Unlike having a meeting every week without a specific agenda, these mandatory focused meetings provide a clear structure and foundation for team members to work effectively on their own schedule.
Create your workspace
Another concern for employees could be the lack of formality when working remotely. Some tips for working from home that we have all heard would be to get dressed, have clearly defined working hours and keep a dedicated office space. For hybrid workers, in particular, employers can provide them with a work laptop they can bring to the office and use during their remote workdays. Nonetheless, co-working spaces can be an option for your remote workdays. These spaces are less distracting than your home office and less stressful and constricting than your office. Switching spaces and working in a new environment can also be refreshing and stimulating to your mind, providing you with a new perspective or a burst of creativity. With the BOOQED app, you can easily book a desk or room for remote working and work at your own pace.
