Why Hybrid Work Is Better For Your Business?

Hybrid work model everything you need to know about.

The best thing about the hybrid work model is that it combines the advantages of both models which eventually leads to more productivity and satisfaction.

The hybrid work model varies according to the company’s policy and needs. There is no fixed method to divide the work between remote work and in-office work.

What are hybrid work models?

Hybrid work is a model that combines remote working and in-office work together. It is a flexible working model that similarly provides a range of benefits for employees and employers.

After all, hybrid work depends on flexibility to maximize the employees’ productivity and retain them in the organisation. As long as hybrid working has a policy that manages the schedule and attendance of employees, the model will offer a great return on investment for the company.

What are the 3 Types of Hybrid Work Models?

1. Scheduling-Based Hybrid Work Model.
2. Week-By-Week Model.
3. Department-Based Hybrid Work Model.

Companies may prefer to establish a fully remote working model where employees are not required to go to the office at all. Depending on the company’s needs, different hybrid models can help achieve business goals.

1- Scheduling-Based Hybrid Work Model

Employees can have a defined schedule of their working-from-home days and the days they need to go to the office. The schedule needs to plan ahead the working days of all teams to avoid any miscommunication. Scheduling-based hybrid work can be divided into two methods:

• Split-Week Model

The first method works by splitting the week team members. You can create a schedule where a group is required to work from home while the other group is working from the office then they will switch the other days.

The split-week hybrid model has its advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages:

1. The availability of team meetings at the office to maintain efficient communication.
2. Manage the headcount at the office.
3. Improve work-life balance.
4. Increase productivity.
5. Hybrid workplace to reduce overcrowding.

Disadvantages:

1. Not all teams would be able to communicate one-to-one.
2. Maintaining a split schedule can be complicated.
3. High operational costs.

2- Week-By-Week Model

This hybrid work model is much easier to manage. It splits your monthly working weeks into work-from-home weeks and in-office weeks. All teams will work remotely at the same time and they will be physically present at the office at the same time. It works well for companies with a large number of employees.

The same with a split-week hybrid model, week-by-week has its advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages:

1. Suitable for large teams.
2. Manage the headcount at the office.
3. Improve work-life balance.
4. Easier to maintain the schedule.

Disadvantages:

1. Lack of flexibility as it will have a fixed schedule and if there are issues during the remote work, there will not be employees present at the office.
2. Cannot accommodate urgent face-to-face meetings.

3- Department-Based Hybrid Work Model

This hybrid remote model depends on dividing the departments and teams according to their nature of positions. Those teams that should be psychically available at work will work at the office. There are certain teams that have to carry out their tasks at the office like engineers, factory employees, and network employees. Their positions require their presence at the company’s premises.

On the other hand, some positions can execute their job remotely like marketing, developers, sales and HR so your hybrid model will provide the option for these teams to be working from home while the other teams will work from the office.

As discussed earlier, each model has its pros and cons that you need to account for before implementing a method in your organization.

Advantages:

1. Reduce office operational costs.
2. Easier to manage teams with a clear structure.
3. Validation policy for hybrid remote work.

Disadvantages:

1. Lack of connectivity between remote teams and on-site teams.
2. Remote communication tools are essential for your organization so you need to invest in technology.

How to Implement the Best Hybrid Model for Your Company?

1. Implement a Robust Cybersecurity.
2. Extend Technical Knowledge for all Employees.
3. Conduct Team Building and Engagement Activities.

After thoroughly exploring all the different hybrid work models, you need to decide which method you will need to establish in your organization. Firstly, creating a remote working policy is key to avoiding overpromising or miscommunications with employees. Recruiters then can offer the hybrid remote working model as an edge or a benefit of your company so you can attract top talents that will be satisfied with the working environment.

Furthermore, whichever hybrid model you choose, there are common best practices to ensure the implementation of the best hybrid model. it would help if you created your own checklist that suits your company’s needs and goals and the structure of the team.

1- Implement a Robust Cybersecurity

The hybrid model includes various exchanges of digital data and documents across teams and across locations. Data breaches could easily happen if your communications channels are not secured. Your IT team should learn the best ways to ensure the security of all communications across teams. There should be some kind of prohibition on sharing data and emails outside the network. So your remote employees should be able to access the network remotely and it would be the only way to access their accounts.

2- Extend Technical Knowledge for all Employees

While IT will be able to fix all technical issues remotely as other teams, each individual should know the basic knowledge to be able to handle some functions remotely like accessing the network remotely, addressing any issue with their connectivity and explaining their issues clearly enough for IT. Your IT team can provide basic knowledge training for all employees to ensure a seamless working environment at home.

3- Conduct Team Building and Engagement Activities

When you have some team members who work hybrid and others who work on-site, you need to ensure a powerful connection between both sides. Each side should not feel alienated or excluded in everyday workflow. Your company should care about creating one-to-one engagement activities on-site if applicable. It is not possible to gather employees at the office, you can conduct online activities for team building and engagement to maintain a healthy environment across teams.

Is Hybrid working for everyone?

Of course NO, but there are organizations that follow a hybrid model where employees are required to work from home 2 days per week and the remaining working days are completed from the office. Other organizations may let some teams work from home and other teams work from the office due to the nature of the positions.

In conclusion:

Your HR agency partner will need to work closely with teams to help you implement a hybrid remote working model that boosts the overall health and productivity of your company. Start early by devising a hybrid policy, a clear schedule or model and communication of eligibility and rules.