10 Hybrid Work Advantages
Jun 23, 2022|5 mins read
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Ever since the pandemic struck the world in March of 2020 the vast majority of us were forced to hole ourselves up in our homes and work remotely. The nature of the way people work changed for good and we started hearing more about the hybrid work advantages.
Many have become accustomed to work from the comfort of their own homes, and are not particularly eager to step back into the office. Especially, when they have improved their mental health and wellbeing as well as have more time with their loved ones.
On the other hand, there are cases of employees feeling lonely and experiencing different levels of depression while being isolated during the social distancing period. For those people collaboration and being together with colleagues has its priceless benefits.
Below, youβll read more about the hybrid work advantages, or as many would say – taking the best of both worlds.
1. Improved Collaboration
While remote work has its perks, crucial elements like communication and collaboration can be harmed in such an environment. For example, Microsoft found that collaboration can take a serious hit when employees work only remotely. A hybrid workplace enables employees to have brainstorming sessions, team meetings and discussions that can actually save time, improve productivity and build strong company culture.
2. Increased Productivity & Employee Satisfaction
Gathering employees in one place out of their homes can be a huge driver of productivity and creativity. Although, noise and distractions are the two main objections to going back in the office, various policies can be arranged. For example, an activity-based approach is something that should be explored in a hybrid workplace. Tailored zones for focused work had been a proven success in boosting productivity. The office neighborhoods concept is a great example of productivity empowerment in an office environment.
Such initiatives can also prevent burnout states in remote workers and improve workflows. It also provides a great employee experience which is another productivity and satisfaction driver. Having options for focused work and at the same time collaborating with teammates, nurtures employee well-being and ensures well-maintained company culture.
3. More Opportunities for Continuous Learning
It’s important to offer your employees opportunities to hone any skills they may have that could benefit your organization. This can be a fun perk for those who work tirelessly for your company and it can foster community. In terms of onboarding or training new colleagues, working both from the office and from home can make a difference in the ease of this process. Offering on-site courses can be also beneficial for team-building purposes.
4. Socializing with Colleagues
Being in a physical space with your coworkers has a new value for people, especially for the remote employees. For example, part of our team at OfficeRnD prefers to come to the office more often because there are a lot of distractions at home. As mentioned earlier, we created office neighborhoods where people can concentrate better when doing deep work.
Collaborating in person, conferencing and being together in a meeting room will have a positive impact on businesses in the coming years as hybrid work policies are expected to become widely implemented!
5. Improved Mental Health
Depression has been all too common during lockdown. Unfortunately, being isolated can increase symptoms of this condition and lead to extreme loneliness, alienation, and even a decreased level of social skills.
On the other hand, interacting with others seems to boost mental health and productivity for many.
The keyword here is balance and that’s one of the main hybrid work advantages!
6. Flexibility in Hybrid Workplace
The pandemic resulted in flexibility becoming one of the most important perks for job candidates. According to an extensive McKinsey & Company research, over 52% of employees prefer some form of a more flexible working model. This means that talent retention will require organizations to the flexible, too. Hybrid work gives that both ways – companies have their physical space where workplace culture is enforced and on the other hand – people have the choice to work partly from home and occasionally come to the office.
Adopting hybrid work policies will help you maintain good communication with your employees concerning the new way of work. As an employer, you have multiple options:
- Requiring your employees to be in the office certain number of days per week (e.g. 2 obligatory days per week)
- Stating that your employees are expected to work in the office most of the time while offering options for occasional remote work
- Remote working being the norm and option to be present in a physical office.
The situation might be different depending on a person’s professional role. Either way, hybrid workplace models offer plenty of flexible work arrangements for both the employer and the employees.
7. Improved Work-Life Balance
One of the key and most important hybrid work advantages is the improved work-life balance. A well-built workspace offers the needed level of flexibility and adaptability that people need. Team members are not asked to choose from office work or working remotely – they can have both. No need to choose between work and personal life – juggling with childcare and commuting long hours everyday are in the past.
Speaking long-term – this can give your staff the employee satisfaction which is so important in the times of Great Resignation.
8. Access to Wider Talent Pools
Working in one office space with no remote options available can actually be quite limited. You’ll only have access to potential hires from your nearest location. If you have a hybrid work environment on offer, you can hire talent internationally. On top of this, diversity has been shown to increase the bottom line for quite a few businesses, and it’s a very effective marketing advantage for your employer branding.
9. Building Trust
The pandemic proved that employees can stay productive when working from home. Mercer, an HR firm, surveyed 800 employers and found that more than 90% say productivity has stayed the same or improved during Covid-19 crisis. Hybrid work can increase the comfort levels of employees and employers simultaneously. Employers can keep track of productivity metrics by including them in the OKRs of the organization and apply different hybrid policies. Employees, on the other hand, can achieve a better work-life balance, so the trust is built both ways.
10. Reduced Real Estate Costs
Another hybrid work advantage is space utilization and cost deduction. The model gives an opportunity to organizations to reduce their office footprint and significantly cut real estate costs. Some organizations managed to expand their team during the past 2 years but didnβt purchase a new office space. Platforms like OfficeRnD Hybrid can solve easily such problem. Our system can help you adopt hot desking β the practice of reducing office space and using it only when needed. Due to the reduced number of desks, employee overhead costs are lowered. This frees up resources that can be put to other use.
Use Technology for a Smooth Transition to Hybrid
Challenges of hybrid work can be overcome with implementing software solutions. Technology is at the heart of making a smooth transition and facilitate the shift.
Thatβs why we built OfficeRnD Hybrid β our complete hybrid workspace management solution that allows you to:
- Easily book desks and meeting rooms when going to the office
- Show team members who else will be in the office
- Integrate with your communication tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Calendar, and more.
Book a live demo and test OfficeRnD Hybrid today!
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