Hybrid Workplace: A Match Made in Post-Pandemic Era

It is no surprise that the past two years have been a rollercoaster ride for any workplace. From an office environment to fully remote working to now adopting the hybrid model. But what actually is the hybrid model? And what makes it better than any other model, at least for the organizations that can afford for people not to have to go to the office on a daily basis?

To ascertain the efficiency of the remote work model, we conducted feedback calls with newly hired employees, 30 days after their induction, and asked them what they would change to make their onboarding process more enjoyable. There was a consensus that although the remote work model increased their productivity, the main disadvantage was the almost non-existent face-to-face interaction with anyone else on their teams.

According to a study conducted by Accenture, 83% of the employees surveyed believed that a hybrid work model would be the optimal choice. The hybrid model mixes the best of both worlds, it provides employees with the opportunity to work partly from the office and partly remotely. As well as, gives employees the flexibility to increase their productivity while working remotely and still enjoy the human interaction with the rest of the team.

The hybrid model allows any employee to enjoy a bunch of benefits including eliminating commute time that could be spent on personal development, increased productivity, and better mental health as well as improved team relations which leads to enhanced cooperation.

The question is, how can we best effectively implement the hybrid model to ensure that we make the most of it?

Communicate clear policies

Organizations should communicate to their employees how the hybrid model will be implemented. Will they have scheduled days when they are required to go to the office? Can weeks go by without them having to go into the office? Or should it be mandatory that they go to the office at least once or twice a week? Organizations can communicate their hybrid work policies through their internal communication portals and tools to ensure that employees can access the information anywhere and anytime.

Manage Employee Wellness

This should happen from the perspectives of both HR team and Managers. On the days when the employee is working remotely and not in the office, the HR team and Managers should have meetings and/or calls with employees to make sure that all is going smoothly and that he/she is not facing any challenges that might affect their work. They also should talk about non-work-related topics to foster a mutual trust that will strengthen their bond. Along with any bi-weekly or even monthly calls that Managers and the HR team may have, personally, I would suggest occasional physical meetings as well to break the ice and to make sure that the employee is handling to the best of their ability.

Choose the right collaboration tools

Organizations should choose and adopt the collaboration tools that will help employees to communicate effectively, assign tasks, discuss projects and share knowledge. Adopting the appropriate collaboration tools must be a high priority because if the wrong tools are implemented, communication may be hindered ultimately leading to the failure of the hybrid model.

Gather continuous feedback

Feedback is key when it comes to assessing success. It identifies the areas of development that an organization needs to focus on to make its work processes more effective. That’s why in order to make sure that the hybrid model is being implemented successfully, organizations should frequently gather feedback from their employees to ensure the optimum implementation of the model.

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The workplace is evolving quickly as a result of the constant changes we are continually experiencing. No one knows what the future may hold or which model organizations might adopt next. But one thing is for sure, the hybrid model is here to stay – for now. So, to ensure the retention of your employees, a huge premium must be placed on implementing it successfully.