With many companies forced into remote work due to covid-19, many organizations are reconsidering their work model. Moving forward, the hybrid work model has a bright future. So what is a hybrid work model? As stated in its name, it can take on many variations. An employee can have a choice in whether they work permanently on-site or remotely. It can even be a combination of the two. Spending different parts of the week on-site or at home. It’s all about choice and flexibility.
A recent study from Accenture reports that 37% of Canadians feel they can be productive working remotely, and 41% feel they can be productive anywhere. Part of this study examined not just productivity but health too. These numbers together indicate that 78% of Canadians are interested in alternative work methods, and for a good reason too.
Benefits
Employees can work where and how they are most productive
Everyone has their way of being productive. A hybrid work model gives employees the flexibility to work when and how they are most comfortable. If you are more of an independent worker, the remote option is perfect. If you are someone who needs a more exciting environment interacting with team members, then you have the opportunity to work on-site. It’s really a win-win for everyone. Having these options creates a better work-life balance and happy and healthy employees.
Less exposure to illness
Covid-19 gave us all a real scare. For those returning to the office in the fall or even sooner, health and safety are probably a big concern. If an employee feeling a bit under the weather can still complete their day’s work without exposing others to illness. During flu season, this is the perfect solution in limiting colds and bugs.
Hire global talent
In a hybrid model, your geographical location does not have to be a limitation. The world contains so many talented individuals, and now you have just opened up your pool to them. With this broader network, you can hire people with specialized skills. Broadening your team’s skillset opens up new avenues and gets you ahead of your competition.
When transitioning to a hybrid work model, transparency is critical. With employees not confined to a single space, there needs to be an open line of communication through the appropriate channels. For a hybrid work model, the company culture needs to be strong, which begins at the top.
Discuss staff concerns and opinions
While you can’t always personally check in with everyone, as an employer, you should still find ways to check in. Find a window of opportunity for your staff to share any feelings or concerns they might have. You can do this in many ways. One way is to hold a town hall with representatives of each company department. Another is creating a virtual suggestion box or emailing out a survey to get a consensus.
Maintain employee relationships
One of the cons of working remotely is the feeling of isolation, especially for employees going through the onboarding process who haven’t even met any of their colleagues. Using apps like Slack can keep your employees feeling connected while also keeping up with transparency. Using apps like Slack allow for both formal and informal employee chats and discussions. Making space for virtual coffee chats can help to maintain a healthy remote work environment.
Building infrastructure to support flexible work
For this transition to go smoothly, your organization needs to have the tech and infrastructure ready to go. Investing in technology and communication equipment to ensure all employees are staying connected. Communication practices, whether they be synchronous or asynchronous, need to be put in place. An office schedule on a platform of your choice can ensure all employees are accounted for. It’s easy for miscommunication to occur, and simple things like a schedule can stop that. With some employees at home and others on-site, you got to be on the ball.
Staff Check-ins
Once everyone has started to get into the rhythm of things, keep checking in. This change is going to be a learning curve for a lot of people. As an employer doing check-ins and gathering feedback is vital to maintain a healthy and productive work atmosphere.
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