Is hybrid work the new norm or just a trend?
Since the pandemic began, hybrid work has become a part of our daily lives and continues to be a preferred work arrangement. Many businesses nowadays are keen to bring employees back to the offices and restore pre-academic standards. However, it has become clear that job seekers choose positions that either offer entirely remote work or are more in demand as a hybrid working arrangement.
There are various hybrid work models, including:
- Hybrid at-will: Enables employees to pick the day(s) they want to come into work in the office.
- Hybrid Split-week: When the business designates particular days and remote work by team or function.
- Hybrid manager scheduling: Managers determine which day(s) their team attend to work.
- Hybrid mix: A combination of the choices.
Nowadays, most businesses use the hybrid at-will working model, demonstrating their trust in their staff members, and giving them the opportunity to choose the days they are most comfortable attending to work on-site. The flexibility of the hybrid working approach is another of its many benefits. However, there is a negative aspect of Hybrid working creating a few disadvantages as well.
Advantages
1. Satisfied and motivated employees
Employees have the ability to choose what will make them comfortable, efficient, and happy when working thanks to the hybrid work model.
2. A better corporate culture
The ability to set their own schedule is one of the things that inspires employees the most. When employees rotate between on-site and off-site work, they are more ready to interact and contribute to the company’s mission and vision once they are in their offices.
3. Organisational improvements
Ever since they started using hybrid models, employers have been trying to modify the workplace to resemble the comfortable atmosphere of an employee’s home more closely.
Disadvantages
1. When work can be done anywhere, scheduling is extremely difficult.
Large complexity is produced by the degree of flexibility. Does the business run the risk of waste and additional costs such food waste and underutilized technical equipment if there are 200 employees who attending to work on Monday and 20 the following day? Or should they skimp on preparation and risk upsetting their workers?
2. Collaboration with remote workers is more challenging
Employees on-site and off-site may often have problems communicating with each other due to network issues, technical problems with the company’s servers, and holding meetings with both groups of employees. In these situations, the employees who are already present in the offices should take note of the people off-site and pause to ask them questions or to ensure the connection is strong throughout the meeting.
3. Quicker employee burnout
In addition to the hybrid model’s benefits, such as increased employee performance and quality, off-site workers frequently experience signs of faster burnout. They might occasionally be asked to work longer shifts or resent other workers taking time off to relax at home between shifts.
References
Fowell, T. (2022) What is hybrid work and why do employees want it? Envoy. Available at: https://envoy.com/blog/what-is-a-hybrid-work-model/
Akhter, M. (2022) Benefits and disadvantages of the hybrid work model, Envoy. Available at: https://envoy.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-hybrid-work/