THE 7th BENEFITS OF A HYBRID WORK MODEL
When it’s done properly, hybrid work fosters an employee-centered workplace experience. That means it’s aimed to please employee needs and to be a nice and lovely place to work. So, Let’s look at three ways hybrid work can benefit the workplace and its people.
1 – Better space efficiency and cost reduction
Effective space management ensures that your workplace doesn’t feel too empty or packed out and helps you continually to identify which areas need to improve. As a result, your business may need less office space, reducing overall costs; when more people work from home, there will be less need for an office that can house all employees at once. Companies can save substantial costs over office space. The costs of rent contract represent a huge part of the expenses of a company. Potentially, a company can save thousands of dollars per employee each year by providing hybrid work arrangements.
2 – More engagement in the workplace
When your people have more flexibility where they work, they are more likely to balance their workloads, fully participate in work activities, and find job satisfaction.
If they don’t, the opposite turns up. Not only the engagement, participation, and morale will decrease, your employees may leave completely. A report on employee commitment and retention suggests that up to 52% of employees will seek new job opportunities in 2021. Not only employees are more likely to stay, according to Gallup, they also tend to produce better results.
3 – Increase employee productivity
In contrast to popular belief, hybrid work can increase employee productivity. When workers are in the comfort of their own home, many reports that they can work on their tasks more effectively without distractions or interruptions from other employees. It can also increase the overall productivity and management in the employee’s personal life; For example, some housework can be done during breaks in the workday, increasing the overall work-life balance.
Businesses have a lot to gain from this increased productivity, and employees who are better able to balance their daily lives with work generally perform better at their job duties.
4 – Improved business culture
One of the top concerns for executives considering a hybrid work model is if it will be the end of company culture. A fifth part of executives think that employees need to be in the workplace five days a week to keep the company culture strong. Although, giving employees more voice when they must work on site can help improve the culture.
Hybrid work allows employees to switch between different environments according to their needs and goals. As a result, when they enter at workplace, they will feel more purpose-driven in doing so. For example, an employee can work on individual tasks at home that do not require being in front of teammates. Then they can come to the site for collaborative projects and build relationships with their coworkers.
5 – Higher employee satisfaction
As we mentioned earlier, employees can gain a lot from a hybrid working model when it comes to productivity and work-life balance. This, in turn, can dramatically increase employee satisfaction. Many employees report a decrease in stress when they work according to a hybrid working model. Hybrid work is most likely one of the key offerings in attracting top talent to your business, as this type of offer is increasingly expected.
6 – Open the door to more talent
Employees are most likely to be able to travel long distances to the office if they can work partly from home. This, in turn, opens the possibility of employing people who live further away from the office, increasing the number of workers to choose from. Giving employees the option to work hybrid can greatly increase your ability to hire suitable workers.
7 – Increased trust between management and employees
Hybrid work models place a lot of trust in employees and receiving that trust from an employer can greatly improve the relationship between these two parts. Employees with managers who truly believe they can take personal responsibility for their job duties generally perform better and excel faster in their work life. Having agency and power over your own workflow is an effective way to create a good relationship between management and workers.
THE DISADVANTAGES OF HYBRID WORK
As all work model’s hybrid work has advantages and disadvantages. Still, there are ways your team can address these issues and keep your workplace running smoothly.
1 – Remote employees may be disadvantaged
In a hybrid working model, remote employees may have a more difficult time communicating with people on the site. Spontaneous conversations, immediate responses, and face-to-face interactions help build relationships and culture in the workplace.
Fortunately, there is a way to ensure that distance does not end in social isolation and poor communication. By making the right investments, you can bring remote employees into the fold on a regular basis and ensure that they remain connected with their colleagues on site.
2 – The workplace may seem boring
While the employees may enjoy the flexibility, the people on the site can feel a bit bored if there aren’t many people in the office. A busy workplace can be energizing, but if half of your people are working off-site on any given day, then it can feel lifeless. This could leave employees feeling unmotivated and unproductive.
It is important to create a workplace where people want to work. Companies can follow the advice of the hospitality industry in the workplace to do so. For example, welcoming your employees with a welcoming lobby or entrance can get them excited about their workday. You can also create moments of pleasure by providing snacks and beverage carts throughout the workplace. These spaces can help bring people together and generate interactions between employees who may not work together on a day-to-day basis.
