Remote work is something we are relatively familiar with years back. People used to freelance for clients from foreign countries, while others worked from the office. So, employees belonged to one of the groups, and that was that.
In other words, usually, it was a choice. When the virus struck at the beginning of 2020, it quickly became necessary for all those whose job description allowed them to work from home. Professions such as programmers, designers, writers, etc. That’s a high percentage of people, globally.
Some people quickly got used to it, so much that they wouldn’t want to go back to the “traditional” way of working. That’s where the hybrid model steps in to try and balance everything out: the needs of people, as well as industries.
The Hybrid Working Model 101
Perhaps you’ve already guessed it: the whole idea is to combine remote work and going to the office. It has different variations, meaning that it can include the following:
Letting some employees work 100% remotely
Providing the necessary equipment and safety conditions for all those who want to go back to the offices, full time
Creating schedules so that people who want a bit of both can jump between the two without making things more difficult for the company and their colleagues
The best keywords here would probably be: the freedom of choice. Many things happened in the last year and a half, and people needed to adapt quickly. Now, they have new challenges related to work. As we’ve already said, the main factor is the job’s nature.
For example, firefighters or health workers won’t gain much from a hybrid work model, as they need to be present physically at all times. The ones who can benefit from it will significantly depend on your decisions as an employer, which leads you to the following question:
What Are the Benefits of Hybrid Work?
As you can imagine, transferring to this kind of model isn’t child’s play. It takes a lot of preparation and continual, combined effort - to make things run smoothly and keep everyone satisfied. That’s why you are probably curious about the perks that you’ll be getting as an employer if you choose to join the hybrid party. Let’s take a look at some of them:
Happy Employees
People are the strongest and biggest pillar of every business, regardless of its size. If they see that you are doing your best to adapt according to their needs, their overall productivity and attribution to the company will increase.
Freedom of choice is what we search for in many aspects of our lives. For that reason, we will greatly appreciate anyone who lets us have it. In this case, it comes to helping your employees enjoy their work to the fullest by giving them a chance to work both from home and offices.
Lower Costs
It’s no secret that many firms have gone through financial losses and issues, especially during last year. Some had to let go of their workforce, while others cut their expenses in other ways.
The hybrid model is efficient in terms of spending money on a lot of equipment for people who want to come and work on the spot with their other colleagues. How?
By not investing the same amount of cash into fancy, big offices every month. As a good percentage of your workers will choose to stay at home permanently or occasionally, you won’t need as much space as before. This will help you save up on electricity, hardware, staff, and many other things.
Wider Talent Pool
Once you hop on a journey for a new and amazing hire, which, by the way, FatCat Select can help you with, the choice will be much bigger than if you were a company with a strict, one-way working model. That’s because people from surrounding areas or even countries, will be potential candidates.
A Healthier Company Culture and Overall Improvement
The flexibility of the hybrid working model is probably one of its best traits. Imagine a person that loves coming to the office, but on one specific day, their child gets a fever that lasts for days.
Instead of taking days off or coming to work worried, they can stay at home while taking care of both their kid and your business at the same time. At that moment, they will surely feel grateful to you as an employer for even giving them the option to choose in the first place.
When you treat your employees as people, everything else will sooner or later come into place. Everyone knows how to appreciate a company that creates an atmosphere that will make them enjoy their job and simply being there.
The Potential Flaws and Challenges Hybrid Work Will Bring
As it’s a rarity that something is completely perfect, this model also has its downsides. Apart from the obvious huge investment in terms of time, preparation, and resources, here are a few other things to think about:
Employee Burnout
Remote work can be a double-edged sword. There’s the flexibility and a sense of freedom while being in familiar and pleasant surroundings, but also the other side of it. Employees who stay at home can easily lose track of time and subconsciously stay overtime more often.
At the same time, accumulated fatigue will sneak up to them and influence their productivity and overall satisfaction. That’s why you should try and make sure that those people finish with their daily tasks as if they were in the office, and then proceed to enjoy their free time.
Meeting Everyone’s Demands
It’s one thing to go back to your company’s headquarters and work “normally”, and it’s another to make it safe for everyone. Some people may still be more cautious than others about the virus and might expect you to create an atmosphere where everyone will feel safe.
That includes the distance between desks, perfect hygiene of the equipment and other accessories, etc. All in all, you’ll probably have a hard time balancing between the two groups: those at home and the rest at the office. The good thing is that there is a big reward in all that, as explained through the perks above. Play your cards right, and perhaps your business will be blooming more than ever.
We have yet to see how things will work out for the whole world when it comes to keeping up with the new trends and adapting to circumstances. Changes always offer a chance for a fresh start, but they can also be very challenging.
It’s okay if you feel tangled up in all of it and need professional help to either recruit new people or take care of your existing employees. FatCat Select can assist you with both, as we specialize in hiring, as well as HR in general. Reach out to us, and let’s make the most out of the hybrid working model.