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What is Hybrid Working?

Hybrid work environments are becoming a popular topic of conversation. Some companies are directing their staff to go back to working on-site. On the other hand, other employees prefer to carry on with remote working. Gain more insight into the meaning of a hybrid workplace and how this arrangement can lead to successful teamwork and better productivity. 
 

As our communities and businesses re-open, organizations are now reconsidering their workplace setup. They are striving to implement a workplace model that sufficiently suits the needs of their diverse body of workers. Many have adapted and have become used to the work-from-home lifestyle over the past few years. However, not every company or job can benefit from remote working.  
 

We can still take note of the reality that high productivity rates were maintained during the pandemic. Employees have seen the value of working remotely at least some of the time and the freedom this brings. And so, organizations should contemplate utilizing a hybrid work model as a move that gives them a competitive edge and that will increase their chances of hiring and maintaining workers. 
 

Enterprises have begun to dive deeper into how to deploy a better hybrid work environment. Their goal is to ensure that everyone can work productively as a team even as some employees are at the office and others are working remotely. 

What Does a Hybrid Working Model Look Like?

Hybrid work conditions enable a blend of in-office and remote employees. Companies that embrace this type of work structure can give their employees the chance to decide when, how, and where they work best on any given day. Hybrid work setups can also give employees the ability to shift between working on-site or remotely. And so, employees will gain the freedom they need to discover when they can work best per workday. 
 

According to a survey conducted by McKinsey and Company, top executives predict that for all positions that do not have to be accomplished on-site, workers will report to the office between one to four days every week. 
 

Enterprises that did not go through having remote employees in the past could implement a hybrid work environment with the following strategy. They could decide to have in-office days for work that needs collaboration with the rest of the team. And then, they could use the days in which they will be working remotely for tasks that require deeper focus. In those days, they could still allow their workforce to pick whether they would like to work on-site or remotely. Similar to any unique change that occurs within a workplace, there are pros and cons to setting up and managing a hybrid work model.  

 

Hybrid work helps encourage the work-life balance that came with working remotely full-time and removes the stress of commuting to and from the office every day. On the flip side, hybrid work may carry along with it various frustrations, like shifting back and forth between a home and office work environment or some of the team feeling left out of the company’s culture. At the end of the day, the question is, how can productivity be improved? 

Key Hybrid Working Challenges

With any shift to workplace operations, there are apparent challenges and hybrid working is not any different. Being aware of these challenges and taking the proper measures to guarantee they don’t unfavorably affect your workforce or clients is essential. Here are some examples of the challenges faced when implementing a hybrid working model: 
 

Unconscious Bias

1. Unconscious Bias

Unconscious bias can be a concern and a risk for those who prefer to work remotely more frequently. Because they may receive less facetime and fewer rewards than those in the office if they are not visible to management, they may feel less valued than those in the office. It’s vital to stay in touch with individuals who operate remotely to prevent this. 

change of culture

2. Change of Culture

It’s undeniable that establishing a company culture was easier when everyone worked in the office every workweek. Taking part or all your employees off the premises might lead to disillusionment, so it’s even more crucial to focus on the components of the culture you want to foster and nurture through the channels open to you. 

hybrid worker

3. Hybrid Worker Wellbeing

Working remotely can have a severe impact on some employees’ mental health, and those individuals had a difficult time when they had to work from home. This gives a chance for enterprises to adopt hybrid working in the most accommodating way possible for workers to feel supported, allowing them to build their work schedules and boosting their satisfaction. 

Communication and connctivity

4. Communication & Connectivity

Although your diverse workforce may not be in the same physical area, they should be able to communicate with one another as effectively as those who are fully working on-site. Forming a high-quality connection between remote workers and on-site staff is critical for connecting the whole workforce and minimizing mistakes that can hurt both clients and employees. 

Hybrid Work Best Practices: How to Optimize Your Hybrid Work Environment

Companies must build trust between the enterprise and its employees, be upfront in discussing changes, and supply their teams with the tools they need to be productive and work efficiently. All of these must be done to achieve a successful transition to hybrid work. 
 

While each company is different, the fundamentals of developing a healthy hybrid work environment are similar and concentrating on these best practices can help establishments move seamlessly. 

1. Building Trust

Building trust between the workers and the organization is an important aspect of collaboration and hybrid work. Managers who lack trust may become micromanagers who check on their team nonstop to ensure that they stay occupied. This can make team members feel uncomfortable and worried. It’s more necessary to concentrate on the quality of the work rather than the number of hours worked. Permitting workers to manage their tasks freely and creating trust on all fronts will go a long way toward making a hybrid workplace a success. 

Trust

2. Clear Communication

Clear communication with workers, aside from building trust, is even more essential in a hybrid work structure. Developing unambiguous expectations and objectives can aid teams in understanding what they’re aiming for and will encourage them to collaborate. One-on-one check-ins on a daily or weekly basis can assist managers and teams create stable communication and foster positive relationships. 

Clear Communication

3. Use the Right Tools

Technology for business communications is fundamental. To prevent stumbling blocks, teams will need collaboration solutions that allow everyone to stay connected and work productively regardless of where they are. Video conferencing, file sharing, and messaging are all useful tools for supporting employees as they engage with each other and their work, which also enhances trust and communication. 

Right tools

Hybrid Working is Here to Stay

Hybrid working is not novel, but it was widely implemented during the pandemic. It has given different sectors and business models a fresh perspective that has been proven to be successful.  

 

Businesses should invest in solutions that allow their employees to feel as if they are also part of the same room. With this in mind, Mitel offers a suite of collaboration software and solutions that includes virtually everything a business needs to run a successful hybrid team, including messaging, video conferencing, and collaboration. Employees can use this program from any device, at any time, and from anywhere. 

 

Hybrid work will continue to stay from here on out. It allows employees to maintain a work-life balance and provides them the freedom to manage their time effectively while also aiding businesses in reducing expenses and finding talent without regard to the physical location. Whether businesses choose to shift to a more hybrid work environment or continue to work remotely full-time post-pandemic, trust, clear communication, and the critical technology software are essential in creating a hybrid workspace that supports all employees equally regardless of the situation. 

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