Hybrid work has become very popular and continues to grow as more companies are realizing just how valuable it is not only for their business model but also for their employees’ well-being and productivity.
If you would like to learn more about what a hybrid model is and all the ins and the outs of implementing one in your workplace, make sure you take a look here.Â
In this article, we’ll talk about what exactly constitutes a hybrid work model, its importance, the benefits, and the first few steps to implementing one in your workplace.
What is the hybrid work model?
A hybrid work model has many different variations, but the essence of it is that there is a remote work component as well as an in-office work component. How every company chooses to go about that is up to them and their business model.
For example, some companies might choose to have all their employees work in the office 3 days a week and outside of the office the remaining two. Another company might choose to only allow some of its employees to work remotely depending on their roles, and come in whenever they want, and others may be a mix of both.
A hybrid work model can work well for a company that is looking to grant more flexibility to its employees. Although a lot goes into implementing it, hybrid working can have great benefits and be a great way to bring more productivity and autonomy in the office.
Why is the hybrid work model important to employees?
Hybrid work has proven to be a great way to prove to your employees that you trust them and want to give them more flexibility and space to do their work as they find most productive.
“In a recent report out of Accenture, 83% of 9,326 workers surveyed say they prefer a hybrid model — in which they can work remotely at least 25% of the time.” – Forbes
Hybrid work is clearly important to employees who are now more than ever looking for flexibility in their work environments. For example, you may have employees who are parents and need certain days or hours of the days to pick up their children from school. With a hybrid work model, they can do that without feeling guilty or stressed out. Instead of constantly monitoring your employees’ productivity based on the hours they put in, you could instead
A hybrid work model would not only encourage flexibility but also allow employees to feel more valuable, and independent, and give them an opportunity to prove their autonomy. A hybrid workplace can be very beneficial for everyone involved, especially employees.
What are the benefits of a hybrid work model?
A hybrid working model can have many benefits for the companies that implement it. Employees tend to be happier, increasing productivity and in turn increasing revenue. Things like these are important and are a direct result of implementing a hybrid work model.
1. Increased Productivity
It has been proven that a hybrid workplace can increase productivity for its employees. The Global Work-from-Home Experience Survey reported that 86% of respondents feel fully productive working from home.
Research conducted by Gallup found that the productivity increase among remote workers was equivalent to an extra day per person per week.
In addition, it was calculated that for an organization of 500 employees working remotely three days a week, an average increase of 5% in productivity could save the company approximately $3,000 per employee. Comparatively, a rise of 15% in improved productivity could save a company up to $8,00 per employee for an annual $4 million premium.
These statistics prove that hybrid working can increase productivity and in turn increase revenue for many companies, which is why a hybrid working model is something that every company should consider.
2. Increased Well-being
Another benefit of hybrid work for employees is increased well-being and job satisfaction. Survey findings revealed that 77% of workers are satisfied with the flexibility they have working at home and that 69% are satisfied with their well-being.
This means that the more happy your employees are the better their work will be and the more productive they will be. A good work-life balance is essential to the mental health and well-being of your employees, and a hybrid working model can provide that for them. They will have more time to do necessary personal tasks during the day, meaning that they will be less stressed and more focused on the work they have.
3. Reduced real estate costs
In the traditional work model, real estate costs are based on accommodating as many people as possible in one space. If your business grows, you will need a bigger space to accommodate more staff. With a hybrid work model, you will only need a certain amount of space that people will share based on their frequency of in-office work. Switching to an activity-based work model alongside part-time remote work is a great way to save up to millions in real estate costs.
If done properly, you could even save up to 30% on real estate costs.Â
4. Reduced absenteeism
In a hybrid work model, people who are absent because of illnesses can have the opportunity to still do work if they feel up to it, without the risk of getting other employees sick. It is also easier for employees to attend personal or family appointments when necessary and reduces stress. A decrease of 30% on absenteeism levels would represent savings of $1.2K per employee.
In addition to this, you will also contribute to making your flexible workspace safer for the rest of your employees. Many other employees may have an underlying condition that would make them feel unsafe at work if someone had come in while being sick. By allowing people to work from home when they are sick, the rest of the staff will feel safer and more comfortable staying in the office and performing their tasks.
5. Reduced turnover
If your employees are happy and satisfied, your company can save hundreds of thousands of dollars to reduce its employee turnover. The money spent on recruiting, training, and onboarding a new staff member could be saved by reducing the need for turnover. A 10% reduction in turnover could mean savings of over $500K per year per 1,000 part-time remote workers.
How can you get started with a hybrid work model?
There are three main steps to getting started with a hybrid working model. They include understanding, planning, and implementing. Each step contains different action items that need to be taken in order to make sure everything is in order. If you are considering turning your office into a hybrid workplace then it is important to make sure you follow these three steps.
1. Understanding the needs
There are a couple of things that need to be considered when trying to understand what has to be done for the implementation of a hybrid workplace. First, you must think about your workplace needs as well as your employees’ needs, among others.
Step-by-step on gathering all the important information
1.1 Survey: It is important to gather data from your employees about the idea of a hybrid workplace, as well as understand what their needs could be for it. The main goal is to find out your employees’ expectations regarding remote and on-site work. Additionally, the survey will indicate how well members of the organization understand the proposed change and the reasons driving it and their response to it. (link to survey article)
1.2Â Draft a hybrid work policy: Moving to a hybrid work model will require flexibility to respond to changing workforce demands and expectations. It’s crucial to set clear expectations between employees, managers, and the company to ensure that everyone’s demands are addressed. The best way to do this is to establish clear hybrid work policies for your company. Your company’s hybrid work policy will need to include the agreement protocol, performance expectations, and terms for remote work.
1.3Â Define office supply needs: With hybrid a work model you will also develop the need for different kinds of office supplies. Perhaps you will need better video chatting equipment such as microphones or cameras, or even more desk spaces and fewer private offices. You will have to analyze the needs of your space to find out exactly what you will need.
1.4Â Identify security needs: Security needs will have to be taken care of early on. With a hybrid work model, you want to make sure you have security not only around your building but also cyber security for all of your employees’ computers so that the company data will not be compromised.Â
1.5Â Create a budget:Â Once you have identified most of the things you have to identify, you will have a clearer picture of what you will have to spend in order to achieve hybrid working. You will have to create a budget that you feel would meet the needs, however, keep in mind that things will most likely change later on and some of the funds may need to be allocated differently.
2. Planning for a hybrid work model
2.1Â Create an action plan: Effective change doesn’t happen by coincidence, and any plan you develop must be tailored to your company’s needs. For effective planning, you will need to consider how to secure support from high-level members of your company, who is best positioned to be involved in the change processes, and if you will need external support.
2.2Â Communicate the changes: Once you have developed a plan it is important to communicate the changes to your team and staff. Communicating thoroughly and clearly is essential to avoid confusion and frustration on the part of your employees and yourself, so make sure you have everything outlined and are prepared to answer questions people may have.
3. Implementing the hybrid working model
3.1 Put the hybrid work model into effect:Â once you have established everything in the previous steps, it’s time to put your hybrid work model into effect. It is a good idea to take a few weeks in the beginning and treat them as a trial period to understand how it is working for all your employees and any other needs that your space or staff may have.
3.2 Collect feedback: After a few weeks, it is important to collect feedback yet again and have your staff tell you exactly what works and what doesn’t for them. Once you have understood what needs to be changed or kept the same, then you can go ahead and implement some more changes according to everyone’s feedback.
Conclusion
If you have followed the steps above you’ll have understood the hybrid work model, its purpose, and its many benefits. Implementing a hybrid work model into your office will require work, but you along with your employees will reap the many benefits.
