We all know there are fundamental differences in the world of work and in how we live our lives after a pandemic. Call it the New Normal, which means a change in ordinary things. For example, the way we socialise, the way we travel and the way we work. Before Covid19 came, only 32% of the population had ever worked from home.
But look now, everything has changed. As the world changes, so do business. Companies that used to be hesitant about remote working now feel the benefits and so do their employees.
Unfortunately, not everyone wants to work from home. Some of them still want to experience the benefits of office workers, such as collaboration, offline team discussions and maybe office lunches. That's why the Hybrid Work model is the right solution that combines working from home and office.
In this article, we will explore the culture of hybrid work. The types of hybrid work, how they adopt the culture and which companies have implemented the culture. So, let's get it covered.
What is Hybrid Work?
Hybrid work is a flexible culture that allows employees to work from different locations. That's why it's called a “hybrid.” Same as the concept of a hybrid car, which combines electric and traditional engines and is born into a vehicle that transitions smoothly between the two. Hybrid work combines the option of working from home (or from anywhere) with working in an office.
The point is to develop flexible work, making it easier for employees to split their time between working at home and the office. This culture was born due to Covid19, where people are limited to catching up with others but still need to work at the office.
As a result, companies and employees can enjoy new autonomy, flexibility, increased performance, collaboration, and work-life balance.
What are the types of Hybrid Work?
There are four most common types of hybrid work. Several companies have also implemented these types.
1. Flexible
This type allows employees to choose the location and working hours based on the day's priority. Simply put, they can choose to go to the office if they need collaboration and discussion. On the other hand, if you need to focus on your project, you can work at home or at your favourite coffee shop. One company that has implemented flexibility in the hybrid system is Cisco.
Benefits:
- It offers flexibility and freedom for individuals to determine where and when they work.
- Build trust-based relationships between employees and the company.
Challenge:
- Employees find it difficult to find a day that works as a team face-to-face.
- Lack of visibility of how many people are at the office.
2. Office-first
Employees can choose some days of the week to work remotely, but the rest to be on-site. The company that implements this culture is Google. They assign employees three days to work in the office and two days remotely.
3. Fixed
Fixed hybrids give power to the company to manage employee working days. For example, team A goes to the office on Mondays and Tuesdays, while team B on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The company that adopts this work culture is American Express.
4. Remote-first
It’s almost similar to remote working, but occasionally employees need to visit the office for collaboration or offline meetings. In this model, companies may not have office space, thus relying on shared workspaces to collaborate. One company that implements this culture is Twitter.
The factors that drive hybrid culture
After discovering the types of hybrid culture along with its benefits and challenges, businesses are finally turning to a hybrid model to expand flexibility while maintaining direct interaction. Some of the surveys and studies below are factors that encourage a hybrid culture:
- Employees value greater workplace flexibility. According to Dimensional Research, as many as 57% of employees consider leaving their jobs when they have to go to the office daily.
- Businesses see a possibility to reduce travel and real estate costs. According to Fortune, 74% of organisations hope to reduce their office costs.
- Much remote work has proven to be successful. A survey from McKinsey saw increases in individual productivity while working remotely.
- The state of pollution and CO2 emissions improved during the Covid19 pandemic. According to research from Nature, CO2 emissions decreased by 19%.
The Value of Hybrid Work
What's so great about hybrid culture? Why do many job seekers hunt for jobs with this culture? The reasons below are the answers.
Better work-life balance
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According to Slack, the main reason people love hybrid culture is a better work-life balance. In another survey by Envoy, 63% of employees said that flexibility made them more productive. Individuals will have more control over their schedules. For example, take care of personal things, such as waiting for a package to arrive or simply cooking your favourite lunch.
Work when and how you're most productive
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Some hybrid work models offer workers to work in the golden or most productive time. This means that the schedule is flexible. Before this, they had to work from 9 am to 5 pm for five working days in the office. They are not free to choose the time to work.
Hire talent across the globe
For those who want to work in foreign companies but at home, remote work and hybrid work are the answer. Try to choose a company that adopts a ”remote-first” type, so you don't have to go to the office in a week. You only need to visit the office for a specific event or collaboration.
Or, if you are the CEO of a company and want to expand your market and recruit talent from all over the world, hybrid work is a great choice. It can also be a competitive advantage for the organisation and ensures round-the-clock productivity.
Save on real estate expenses
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Hybrid work is also profitable for novice startups who want to save money. Fewer people in the office at any given time means lower real estate costs. You don't need to rent a big office, because you already know the size of the office you need.
How to adopt this culture
Now we will get into the session on how to adopt this model. We all know that transitions are not always easy. This process requires time, people and the right technology. So here are the steps you can try.
Do a survey of employees to find out their needs
First thing first, you need to discuss with workers to find out their needs. By involving employees, you can also identify whether the person is ready to accept change or needs more motivation. Here are some questions to include.
- Do you prefer to work on-site or from home?
- If you have access to an office close to home, would you prefer to use it instead of working from home?
- How many days a week do you want to work on-site?
Once you know what they want, you can start customising a hybrid work model that suits your company. For example, if workers want to come to the office on Mondays and Tuesdays, you can prepare those days for offline meetings.
Build infrastructure that supports flexibility
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The best part of hybrid work is that you can work remotely. Well, investing in technology, such as a project management tool so that your team can still collaborate from anywhere. Determine whether you need to invest in new tools or leverage existing ones in new ways.
Create a great workplace experience
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For hybrid cultures, workplace experience is a priority. The better the experience at work, the more likely workers will feel at home in the office. Even if they don't come to the office daily, it's essential to ensure they have a purpose. The more people on-site, the better collaboration and discussion.
Some say that a successful hybrid workplace depends on the experience employees have while in the office. Besides that, you can bring your team together using a virtual working space so that your team can stay on track with the work, the updates, or any progress.
Invest in company culture
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Corporate culture is like the heart. How employees behave and work depends on the existing culture. Even on social media today, many employees show off the company's culture. Like free food and beverage programs, happy hour or coworking space memberships.
It is also essential to appreciate the work of each team. You can build activities with the team virtually, for example, by creating teamwork activities.
List of Hybrid Companies
For those of you who are looking for a company with hybrid work culture, here is the list of ten big companies that are currently adopting it.
- Microsoft: implementing hybrid/optional. Microsoft officially switched to this model on October 9, 2020.
- Allan & Overy officially switched to this model on November 18, 2020.
- Spotify formally switched on February 12, 2021.
- Citigroup officially switched from March 23, 2021.
- Apple officially switched from June 4, 2021.
- Adobe officially Switched on June 24, 2021.
- American Express officially switched on June 15, 2021.
- Uber changed on June 29, 2021.
- Cisco switched to remote-first and hybrid on July 29, 2021.
- Grammarly has also changed to remote-first and hybrid since September 20, 2021.
Wrapping Up
The hybrid work model is no longer an alternative. Now, this model lives and has become the first choice of many companies. However, like any working type, there are advantages and disadvantages. If your company isn't ready to switch, that's fine. You can slowly adopt it and use this guide to learn about the hybrid work culture.
