An office-first approach to hybrid working is where the office/HQ remains the primary workplace. With a fully office-based strategy, employees are expected to be physically present five days a week during regular business hours. Roughly a third of leaders describe worker-choice hybrid as the ideal model2, while workers prefer hybrid as much as 83% of the time. These models have serious potential to boost performance and productivity; one study found that 63% of high-growth companies have already implemented hybrid models. No matter which option they choose, employees operating under a hybrid work model are expected to finish their work and meet their performance goals. After COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of remote and hybrid work models, many companies experienced the benefits of these models in terms of productivity, cost savings, and employee satisfaction first-hand.
Hybrid work offers a flexible, adaptable model that meets employers’ and employees’ evolving needs. We’ll walk through what hybrid work is, why it’s becoming the new norm for digital workers, and which jobs lend themselves to hybrid work. 44% of fully remote companies agree that some degree of in-person working is important for maintaining company culture, followed by 38% of hybrid companies. Firstly, it boosts productivity and engagement by allowing employees to work how they want, where they want. This level of inclusivity ensures all employees — regardless of location or background — feel valued and trusted by their employer to work to the best of their abilities.
Create a crystal-clear hybrid work policy
- This level of inclusivity ensures all employees — regardless of location or background — feel valued and trusted by their employer to work to the best of their abilities.
- Employees have total control over their schedules in a hybrid at-will system.
- A comprehensive guide packed with detailed strategies, timelines, and best practices — to help you build a seamless onboarding plan.
Hybrid working gives you a hybrid workplace model guide unique opportunity to hire remote workers from all over the world, fostering greater diversity. Use it to your advantage, and don’t undermine it through carelessness. These initiatives bring people together around your company’s shared values. They’re an important way to maintain a cohesive culture, wherever your teams are based.
Develop a hybrid work policy
To summarise, hybrid working is a flexible work arrangement that combines remote work with office work, allowing employees to split their time between working from home and in an office environment. A strong work culture will also work wonders for hiring top talent and retaining valuable employees. Hybrid companies with positive cultures promoting flexibility, autonomy, and choice are more likely to be sought out by skilled professionals, helping drive the organisation’s long-term success. We’ve put together a quick guide on how you can ensure your stratgey aligns with your business goals and employees. For example, they could allocate days where it’s fine for employees to work from home.
How to secure a hybrid workforce
That means adopting the right digital tools, and giving your team the hands-on training they need to get value from them. It also means educating managers on how to lead teams, build culture, and create a sense of belonging in a whole new way, and potentially assuaging their fears about losing relevance in a remote-first climate. Another much discussed concern is mitigating unconscious bias towards workers who spend more time on site. Mandated hybrid work In these hybrid work models, the employer determines when their workforce is present in-office. These decisions might be ruled by company-wide policies, or each manager might be instructed to decide on the best schedule for their team.
Why should HR leaders care about the hybrid work model?
There are plenty of ways for businesses to create and implement a hybrid working policy. But since “hybrid work” is still relatively new, it can be tricky to know where to start (or restart!). If a significant proportion of your team wants or needs to be in the office most/every day of the week, taking an office equivalent to one desk per person may still be the choice.
Employees can take advantage of office equipment, meeting rooms, and other physical resources when they need them, while also benefiting from a wealth of virtual tools and resources when working remotely. But while hybrid work will remain a popular workspace strategy, its evolution will undoubtedly involve experimentation. A hybrid or remote work environment is both the physical and cultural environment you cultivate for your employees.