The Future of Hybrid Working

After the advent of Covid-19, most companies had to transform their offices into remote work setups. The employers were forced to find ways to make hybrid working possible and keep their workers working creatively during the pandemic. It is true that hybrid working or working from home has its limitations, for example, lack of communication and collaboration. But the ease of remote working is next level.

Hybrid working is not like working from home, but a way of working in which some of the workers work from the office, while others keep working from home. Now that most companies have adopted hybrid working, it is important to discuss the future of this new era of hybrid work.

Is the future all about hybrid working?

According to the circumstances, we believe that the post-pandemic workplace is going to stay hybrid. Hybrid working is not a pipedream anymore; most companies are already preparing for applying a hybrid work module in their work system.

According to a survey by IFMA, around 56% of SMEs will shift the company budget away from physical workplace/offices and improve their employees’ digital experience. While 81% of SMEs may allow a major part of their workforce to work remotely, even after the pandemic.

Now, the question is, what happens if hybrid working becomes the new normal, and all the major companies around the world adopt this module permanently?

The benefits of hybrid working

Hybrid working can be a great development for employers and employees if adopted properly. The right hybrid workplace model will indeed help the companies gain many benefits. Some of the major benefits of hybrid working are as follows:

Hybrid working cuts off the expenses

First of all, hybrid working can cut off the high cost of the office space while meeting the global sustainability goals. For every company, having an appropriate office is necessary; however, if the hybrid working module is adopted and a major part of the employees are allowed to work remotely, the space needs will be reduced almost by half. Ultimately, the cost of larger office space and other expenses such as bills (electricity, water, etc.) will also reduce up to almost half or even more than that.

Employees find it easier

In a survey held by Forbes, an average of 64% of employees at major companies wanted to continue working from home. According to the study, 64% of Amazon workers, 67% of Google workers, and 62% of Microsoft employees prefer working from home permanently. Which makes it quite clear that most employees feel at ease when asked to work from home.

Hybrid working allows stress-free circumstances

If a long-term plan for hybrid working is smooth enough to allow the employees to have easy access to digital tools, and be more connected to their teammates, then it can be a great option. The employees would be able to work from the comfort of their home and still be able to communicate thoroughly, which makes it easier for both employers and employees. According to an IMFA study, most employers are now focusing on providing adequate digital tools to their employees along with proper training for remote workers.

Employees are more relieved and at peace

Hybrid working also allows the employees to be at peace. Most of the people who worked from home during the pandemic were reportedly less stressed and depressed. Hybrid working also allows the employees to have a better and stronger work relationship, and the risk of burnout is also less than the employees who either work completely from the office or entirely from home. Hybrid working actually balances out the proximity of being tired of doing the same thing every day.

Hybrid working reduces negative stressors

According to Accenture, 40% of the employees feel healthier and more effective while working from both home and onsite. While a small number of employees felt that they couldn’t feel effective or healthy neither while working remotely or onsite. However, this may be because of fewer negative stressors and a change in place while working in a hybrid module.

Some downsides of hybrid working

Hybrid work indeed has a lot more benefits than downsides, but we cannot deny the fact that everything has some cons along with pros. While discussing the future of hybrid working, it is important to mention the major problems this module can cause. Following are some of the downsides of hybrid working:

Too much reliance on technology

The hybrid working module may cause increased or total reliance on technology, which is not a good thing. Everyone working in a hybrid workspace needs to have access to certain technologies all the time, which increases the need for adequate hardware and other resources, making the employees rely completely on technology. Moreover, the hybrid office can become a mess if not handled properly, as several personal devices will connect to the IT department from God knows how many different places.

Lack of communication in hybrid working

Lack of communication is another issue that most employees face while working remotely. In a hybrid workspace, this issue may have a lower impact, but the fact is that it’s still there and can cause stress at times.

Employees may feel left out

Lastly, the employees working from home may feel left out when the other employees are working onsite in groups. It is somewhat impossible to work in the form of groups while working from home. However, this issue can be resolved by adopting a proper way of communication and support.

As the world is developing and moving towards a world full of technology, it is quite evident that there will come a time when all the companies around the world will follow the hybrid working module.

To be honest, it is not really necessary for all the employees to be at the office every day. With access to the latest technology, it is easy to get most of the work done remotely. It will provide the workers with the flexibility to work even when they cannot go to the office, which will reduce the stress that employers and employees go through during the unplanned off-days. Hybrid working is more about flexibility and convenience than the mixed criteria of working in-office and remotely.