Your 101 Guide for Hybrid Work Model

Key Highlights:

• Hybrid work can offer flexibility, but benefits depend on the role and agreed arrangements.
• Employees who engage in hybrid work can work both onsite and remotely. Increasingly employers are transitioning to hybrid employment and changing how their businesses operate.

What’s a Hybrid Work Model?

Hybrid work combines onsite and remote days; fully remote work has no regular office days. Location and hours are separate choices: remote days do not automatically mean flexible hours. Check role and task suitability, then agree attendance and hours in your policy. Since 2020, organizations such as Hubspot, Apple, Microsoft, and Slack have embraced the new normal of the hybrid workspace.  

What is a hybrid, and why has the word become so popular? Employees that engage in hybrid work can work both onsite and remotely. Hybrid employment has grown increasingly acceptable across employers, altering how their companies run.

Perks of a Hybrid Model

Let's look at three potential benefits for employees and employers:

1. Employees have a better work-life balance 
2. Save Money 
3. Widen recruitment reach 

‍1 - Employees have a better work-life balance 

Hybrid work can offer choices about work location, but it does not by itself establish flexible hours, higher productivity or protection from burnout. In a survey conducted in March 2021 across 11 countries, Accenture surveyed 9,326 employees on the future of work, and 83% of workers prefer a hybrid model. This describes the surveyed workers' preferences; it does not demonstrate a causal improvement in productivity or prevention of burnout.

Employee's Ideal Work Environment

(PWC, 2021)

2 - Save Money

The $11,000 amount shown in the legacy graphic is not a verified saving for your workplace. Review office costs rather than assuming less space is needed. Savings depend on attendance and space needs. Employees can save on commuting because they can work in the comfort of their homes.

3 - Widen recruitment reach 

Instead of hiring people from a specific area, your company can access a wider talent pool. Required office attendance still limits recruitment reach; a wider pool does not guarantee demographic diversity, stronger hires or higher productivity.

How to get started on a Hybrid Work Policy?

Not sure where to start? We have some tips on how to start adopting the hybrid work model.

Discuss these decisions before choosing days:

• Which tasks and equipment require onsite work?
• Which office days and hours of availability will you agree?
• Which channels suit updates, questions and meetings?
• How will you assess work quality against agreed objectives?
• When will you review the arrangement and employee feedback?

Illustrative arrangement: Office Monday–Wednesday and remote Thursday–Friday, with agreed 9am–5pm hours in both locations. Remote days change location, not necessarily hours.

1 - Build a Positive Workplace Experience

Although not everyone's in the office anymore, you must keep up the great work culture!

In Accenture's study, people are driven to work from home because it makes them feel safer. For those who don't always show up in the office, you can encourage employees to participate in virtual coffee chats or team-building activities. Snack Nation has created 57 virtual team-building activities to boost employee morale.

What drives people to want to be remote?

Flexible schedules, not having to commute, and higher productivity are reasons why employees might prefer to continue working remotely even after lockdowns.

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(Accenture, 2021)

2. Be Transparent with your Employees

Be Transparent with your Employees It's important to be transparent with your employees and make sure they're up to date with the work policy. Companies should get input from their employees before enforcing a hybrid work model. This can be done through surveys or meetings. Involving employees in the process can motivate them to work harder and create a better work environment. 

Don't forget to collect continuous feedback, so your company can thrive.

3. The Right Tools 

It's crucial to establish office schedules and communication channels. Select tools for sharing attendance plans and using agreed channels. Check access and ease of use with employees before choosing.

Key Learnings:

• Hybrid work may support work-life balance, commuting savings and wider recruitment reach, depending on the role and agreed attendance.
• Hybrid work policies assist in creating and establishing a positive work environment, being flexible with your employees, and using the appropriate resources for scheduling and communication.  

To learn more, visit Litespace.