What is Hybrid Work?
In the post-Covid era, work from home has become a new norm. This saves time, as commuting to and fro from the office consumes significant time. Also, not to forget the other nitpicks that are ripping time and the mindset of the employees. This new culture has given many individuals the ability to work efficiently from the comfort of their homes, which leads to more performance and satisfaction.
For companies, the work from home model saves costs incurred on office, maintenance, etc. Thus, this proves to be beneficial both for the company and its employees. Some prefer the office-first model and some prefer work from home model. So, what if there is a working model which combines the two and brings out the benefits of both?
Here comes the hybrid work model! A hybrid work model gives an employee the freedom to choose when and where they wish to work. If you want to work in an office with fewer people, or co-ordinate with the team and work remotely. Also, with the hybrid model, one can work at the time which they feel is the most productive, i.e., day or night!
“In a survey, 47% of employees would likely look for another job if their employer doesn’t offer a hybrid work model.”
Work is fun when you want to work!
Let us further understand why hybrid work has become a better and more productive alternative to the work from home model.
- Productivity
As explained above, employees get the flexibility to work when they feel they can work productively. For example, some people prefer to work in the early morning, while others prefer to work in the evening, etc. An employee gets the benefit of flexibility, helping them have a better work-life balance. What this means for a company is that they are getting the best work and performance along with employee’s dedication and affection. And we don’t need to tell you that a happy employee takes the company and its products/services as their own!
- Costs
As a company, there are a lot of costs involved when it comes to running an office. With the hybrid work model and a proper workplace strategy, you can reduce real-estate costs by almost 30%. As capital is a vital resource, which can be used for other important tasks, expansion, etc. For employees, you have no fuel, travel, parking costs, etc. which have a major role in taking away your hard-earned money. Also, not to forget the peace of mind and safety from illnesses. Even if you’re sick, you can always work from home. More money saved!
- Diversity
What this means is that companies can hire talent from across the globe. Thus, sporting a diverse team, full of different backgrounds, ethnicity, etc. This also means bringing in talent with diverse experience and exposure. All in all, it culminates in a team that has different ideas, strategies, etc. running all day long. This is good for the company as well as the employees, creating a highly productive work environment.
Work is fun when you’re not looking at the clock.
The hybrid work model brings together a lot of good things from the two most popular work models. This not only brings advantages to the employee but also to the company. Work from home, which was once considered a dream, is a new normal now. Once given a try, it turned out to be beneficial for both the company and the employees. So, just imagine what the hybrid model holds in store for us. And if it doesn’t work, we can always scale back to work from home. There is a little to lose while trying out new things, but a lot more to gain!
“Success in a hybrid work environment requires employers to move beyond viewing remote or hybrid environments as a temporary or short-term strategy and to treat it as an opportunity.”
George Penn, VP at Gartner
