Has Hybrid Working become a buzzword?
During the pandemic a lot of industries were forced to work from home. As we have come back to some sort of normality, hybrid working has become more prevalent. It seems to have become quite a buzzword within businesses as employees see it as a real benefit.
Hybrid working requires a whole new way of thinking, so managers need to be prepared for this change. As the need has become greater, businesses are beginning to introduce it as a benefit. There are many ways in which hybrid working is done. Some examples are, having different teams off on different days; everyone in the same day, and scheduled/switched days with employees.
Many people may wonder, why hybrid working?
It has become normal through COVID-19; many employees don’t want to go back to full-time in the workplace. Businesses are trying to provide this as employees will likely choose a job with hybrid working over one that doesn’t.
Ian Horsman, Managing Director, said “I’m an advocate of flexible/hybrid working, for some teams it works really well. The important thing is balance, if we are building a team of people around a senior member of staff then for them to impart their knowledge on to that team they need to be around them. We have found that certain markets we operate in aren’t conducive to hybrid working, so we offer alternative perks and benefits such as early finishes, and team bonding days out”.
Benefits and Setbacks of Hybrid Working
There are many benefits of hybrid working. The balance between both work and home is improved as well as beneficial when it comes to focusing. Working from home means there are fewer distractions; no background noise or chatting colleagues around. Being at home can be a quieter place compared to an office environment. Introducing hybrid working can lead to employees having more time. The cost and time taken from commuting everyday can be saved and spent towards family and friends. Working from home can also improve the IT skills of people as technology must be working correctly for colleagues to communicate.
Along with benefits, come setbacks. Hybrid working may be the way of working since the pandemic, however there are many reasons why it isn’t the best choice. Communication is important for hybrid workers. Staff need to be able to use technology from home. There is extra effort required to coordinate with remote workers. This could easily result in them missing out on small exchanges and minor decisions.
Employees and Employers
Hybrid working will change the way a business runs, there is change for both employers and employees. For employers, it is an opportunity to rethink the approach of how the business is run. Introducing hybrid working will mean new policies and practices need to be put in place. This may cause a strain on managers as there will need to be training on how to manage a hybrid team.
Employees become more motivated and productive when their needs have been heard. There is also more opportunities for working parents, carers and for other out of work responsibilities. Keeping this in mind, burn-out can occur more often in those who work from home.
Hybrid working is becoming more popular within businesses so it’s important to know the benefits and setbacks. Professionals should be prepared for a shift in work culture and begin to consider hybrid working for their employees, whilst weighing the benefits and setbacks.