Let us run through the important things to know about the hybrid workplace and shed light on whether or not this is a long-term option.
2020 provided an unprecedented remote work experiment. While many see the light at the end of the tunnel, we are not out of the woods yet. Even with the vaccine rollout and easing of restrictions around the globe, management, and many business owners still prefer to keep employees within the remote working paradigm. This is not to say that attempts were not made to return to the pre-COVID practices. But there is absolutely a shift in perspective when it comes to productivity and the location (or locations) in which the job gets done.
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Is the hybrid setup the future of the workplace? There are many factors to consider before deciding whether a hybrid workplace is the best option for your company. Weighing the pros and cons, a hybrid workplace seems to be a permanent solution, pandemic or not. However, we still need to consider the nature of work before completely committing to a hybrid
workplace.
The Top Five Things to Understand About the Hybrid Workplace
Just recently, Microsoft released a report that explained the key findings concerning the hybrid workplace situation brought about by the pandemic. Here are the five most important takeaways from the study:
1. Great potential for worker disconnects.
Employees have reported what is known as a ‘worker disconnect,’ or the feeling of losing a strong sense of support from supervisors or key management officers. This is due to the increase in workload (or the lack of consideration regarding the change in working conditions despite having the same amount of work), and/or the lack of financial support for the work-related expenses at home (such as electricity and internet connection).
2. Younger employees are struggling to make meaningful connections.
It is even more difficult than before to make your mark in your respective company, which is a major pain point for newcomers and aspiring workers. Management must give the younger portion of their workforce opportunities to showcase their skills and commitment to the organization.
3. The network must not be limited within the team.
Due to a severe lack of social activities, employees no longer branch out to other teams or departments within the companies. This may not seem bad per se, but the lifeblood of the organization relies on cohesion among its employees and not just within smaller groups or entities.
4. Employees have grown to be their true selves in hybrid working conditions.
As a result of the comfortable and familiar workplace, employees have reported that they can be themselves when in work mode. This potentially enables greater productivity and a work-life balance.
5. More opportunities await those who have unique skill sets.
Remote work and the hybrid workplace have brought about new professional necessities in almost any organization. As such, a more varied or wider talent pool is required to fill in the gaps and ensure that the company is running fine like a well-oiled machine.
Check out – 50 Lessons Learned During 2020 – According to Experts
Deciding on the Hybrid Workplace: Good or Bad?
For more than a year now, we are already in a phase where restrictions on travel and social activities are easing up because of the emerging vaccines and effective health and safety protocols. It is important for business owners, both large-scale and small-scale, to decide between returning to the traditional, embracing the digital, or doing a mixture of both. In deciding this, employers must consider the nature of work.
In one of my interviews with Luc Kamperman, (Luc is a managing partner at Veldhoen +, a global market leader in activity-based working). Luc walked us through the advantages and disadvantages of working from home and talked about why the hybrid workplace model can be justified in the current times. A lot of excellent points of discussion were discussed, including the following:
– The implications of and expectations from the work-from-home setup
– How the hybrid workplace model can ensure productivity and job satisfaction
– The value of having a fluid business model that is open to adapting to external circumstances
If any of the points above interest you or if you need more valuable resources to understand the concepts of the hybrid workplace and the work-from-home setup, watch the video below:
Now for your thinking time – Take five minutes and think through these questions. Write the answers on paper so you truly think them over.
There are several reasons why the future of work is remote.
1. Do you think the hybrid workplace is an effective long-term solution?
2. Have companies mastered the art of remote work?
3. Are aspects such as supervision and output even more relevant than before outside of the traditional working conditions?
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