How to Create a Successful Hybrid Work Model

After over a year of remote work it’s hard to imagine going back to long commutes, face to face meetings and packed lunches. In fact, according to survey data, nearly a third of people never want to return to the office. Unsurprising, given the benefits and flexibility that remote working currently offers us. 

Hybrid work looks set to become the prevalent work arrangement when offices reopen. How successful will this approach be for companies? We look at what this return to the office could look like, how companies are approaching it and how to successfully adopt a hybrid working model. 

What is Hybrid Work?

Hybrid work involves a combination of working from home and working in the office. All companies approach it differently - either deciding on behalf of employees what days to come into the office or leaving it up to the employees to decide. Some companies have embraced the latter. Salesforce, for example, said that ‘the 9-to-5 workday is dead’ and are letting their staff choose if they want to come into the office again. Spotify has rolled out a ‘work from anywhere’ model. Twitter is letting employees work from home ‘forever’. 

Google, Amazon and Apple had previously announced that they wanted everyone back in the office full time but after employee uproar and resignations, they reversed the decision and adopted a flexible approach shifting to a three-day-a-week type model. 

Managing a Hybrid Workforce 

Remote working will still remain a significant challenge for companies as they transition to hybrid working models. Just 40% of managers are comfortable managing a remote team. Having staff divided between office and home will demand more of managers as they will need to ensure that everyone feels included and are part of the office culture. Managers will need to think about people’s wellbeing both inside and outside of the office.

When people return to the office it will become important for managers to adopt the role of facilitator. For example, helping to facilitate open discussions where everyone’s voices are heard regardless of their location. 

How promotions are evaluated will also need to be addressed. The age old culture of presenteeism has been baked into traditional forms of performance evaluation. The past year has seen us move away from focusing on how many hours we have logged to focusing on the quality of work produced. It’s important we don’t lose that focus. 

If performance assessments aren’t fit for purpose there is a risk of a two-tier system emerging. Those in the office are seen more, they can avail of more opportunities to voice their opinions, and there are more chances for collaboration. This improves their chances for promotion. It’s important that remote workers aren’t penalised for working remotely. Since women are more likely to avail of flexible working options this can hamper their chances at rising through the ranks thus stalling progress for gender parity. Clear and quantifiable objectives will be vital as they can provide a level playing field. Currently, only 66% of organisations require clear objective metrics for evaluation.

This is why performance assessments will play a key part in making hybrid work models successful and can help combat any perceived unfairness in promotions, pay and workload.  

An Office Truly Fit for Purpose

Most people will want to be in the office for meetings, collaboration and social events and complete tasks that require more focus at home. The office can be redesigned with this in mind. Two-thirds of the office can facilitate collaboration, virtual meetings and social events. Companies can get input from their staff on what they need from their new office and customise it completely to support those needs. This can result in a workplace that can help staff be efficient, productive and happy. 

Hybrid working can seem like a logistical nightmare, particularly if the employees decide when they want to come in. Research has found that 82% of people prefer to come in on a Wednesday which can put more strain on available desks, especially in offices have downsized. This has prompted some companies to dictate the days certain teams come in which means they get a handle on headcount and can streamline office size. Other companies have adopted desk booking systems to try and avoid high headcounts on given days.

Conclusion

The return to the office shouldn't be seen as a return to normal. It should be seen as a way to reimagine the overarching work experience - work that allows workers to have a balance, be the best version of themselves and help work work better for employees. A hybrid work model can do just that if successfully planned and rolled out. While transitioning to this new working model will be difficult for many companies, it can be a key opportunity for improved wellbeing and engagement if done right.

Planning your staff’s return to the office? How will you manage colleague wellbeing in a hybrid working model? A dedicated team of wellbeing champions can help with the transition as well as supporting you to understand employee needs and wants whether they are working from home, HQ or a hub. Take a look at our online Wellbeing Champion training for more.