When the coronavirus swept the world, everyone had to adapt. Among the biggest changes was the shift to hybrid or remote work setups. With health risks still high, establishments around the globe operated at limited capacity in order to protect their employees from exposure, wherever possible allowing them to work from home.
Prior to the pandemic, a limited number of companies had introduced hybrid or remote work policies. Now that it’s become the norm across the globe, there seems to be no end in sight, paving the path towards a continuous transition to a digital world.
If you’re considering implementing a hybrid work setup for your business, here are some of the benefits that you’ll be able to enjoy once you do:
Increased productivity
A Bloomberg study of over 30,000 employees revealed that productivity had the potential to increase by 4.8% when employees spend at least one day per week working from home. When done correctly, employees can continue to create connections with their teammates, as well as contribute to the overall success of the business. Mismanaging the implementation of this work setup, however, can lead to negative results.
Companies can ensure increased productivity in hybrid work setups by establishing and maintaining clear lines of communication, as well as ensuring that their employees’ needs are being met. Many make the mistake of assuming that their employees know policies, who to talk to, or that they’ll move forward and ask questions if they need to — but before all of this can be assumed, companies must take the initiative to ensure that they create an appropriate environment and ensure the success of their hybrid work setup.
When people know who to talk to, when they’re available, and what needs to happen for them to collaborate, hybrid setups can generate considerable advantages.
Continuous learning and collaboration
Another benefit of implementing a hybrid work setup is that it means employees will need to take the initiative to communicate with one another. Since people can’t just pop up at other people’s desks or take the elevator down to a different floor, people will have to learn how to make more professional approaches to each other in order to successfully complete their tasks. This gives room not only for increased productivity, but also to create better working relationships. Collaborative efforts can help team members become more in sync with one another’s schedules, priorities, skills, and personalities.
Additionally, while many people have already started hybrid working, the processes and best practices aren’t exactly perfectly refined yet. That’s why hybrid situations are the perfect opportunity to learn from each other and determine what works best for everyone. Depending on the needs of your company and its employees, you can try out different set ups. For example, some may opt to implement day shifting (Monday-Wednesday-Friday at the office or something similar), or opt to go to the office one or two days a week only. Perhaps you could have people only go in for meetings or in-person events.
Learning how to make your hybrid work setup successful all begins with identifying the needs of your team and what your company can provide, then meeting in the middle.
Work-life balance and employee satisfaction
Most importantly, employees can feel more work satisfaction in a hybrid work setup. 56% of workers say that working in a hybrid model helps them feel happier. When done correctly, a hybrid setup can give employees more freedom to manage their personal lives, rather than feel like they have to be caged up in an office all the time. Allowing employees the freedom to control their schedule is more likely to motivate them rather than simply imposing when and where they should be working.
Implementing a hybrid work setup also gives employees the opportunity to travel and explore new places and hobbies as they fulfill their duties. More recently, the number of “nomadic workers” has been on the rise — in 2020, there were 10.9 million digital nomads on the go around the world. Of those, a staggering 6.3 million had traditional jobs, representing a 96 percent increase on the previous year. When companies allow their employees the opportunity to focus on growth both within and outside the company, the payoff tends to result in loyalty, productivity, and increased work satisfaction.
Not all digital nomads go far from their origin locations, though: some opt to seek convenient places nearby. Everyone loves an environment that fosters productivity without being too strict or stuffy. Cafes are a favorite among digital nomads around the world (if you’re ever in the Big Apple, here are the best cafes in NYC), as well as libraries and other public spaces.
Another increasingly popular alternative for hybrid employees is coworking spaces, for a whole host of reasons: location convenience, appropriate facilities including private phone booths and meeting rooms, a sense of community, networking opportunities, 24/7 access, virtual mail services and more.