Hybrid working is no longer the buzz word of 2021, it’s becoming the reality of the workforce in 2022! Read tried & tested tips to create a hybrid working model for your business.
After almost 2 years of back & forth working between the home & the office, it’s become clear that most people want to stick with a hybrid model after we ease ourselves out of the pandemic.
Right now, people are leaving companies in their droves to secure themselves remote or hybrid roles.
And why wouldn’t they?
Less time spent commuting, more time spent dropping the kids off at school, putting them to bed at night & more time for health & wellbeing goals – It seems all hybrid roads lead to better work life balance.
Essentially, hybrid working is flexible working, allowing people to choose where they work from & on what days.
So, what is the best way to implement a hybrid work model within your business?
As a remote first company working with hybrid teams across the world, here are some tried & tested tips to get the hybrid model working for your business.
- Employee Input
- Clear objectives & goals
- Create trust
- Best of both worlds
- Use tech to your advantage
Look at the attached slides for more detailed information on how to make it work.
Has your business adopted a more hybrid approach?
If so, what does hybrid look like within your business?
1 – Employee Input
It’s important to get your employees input, it shows that you have their best interests at heart & will give you an insight into what will work best for all involved. Do this in a group setting, 121 discussions or even anonymously.
What do your team like about working from both the office & from home & then find out what they struggle with, both at the office & when working at home. You will get long term support & backing when your people are part of the decision-making process.
Now you just must think about how to reinvent your office space!
“Lenovo’s research shows that 83% of IT leaders expect at least half of work in the future to happen outside a traditional office”
Lenovo
2 – Set clear objectives & goals
Now you have your hybrid blue print you can set some clear guidelines around what the hybrid model will look so your team knows what they can expect from you & what you expect from them.
Any KPI’s & targets should also be clear, concise & achievable. But try not to get too hung up on the detail, where possible. People like to work to clear business guidelines, so long as they are fair, you shouldn’t encounter any pushback.
Tie your coaching & support plans in with this, so your team know they are still supported regardless of where they work from.
“83% of workers would prefer a hybrid work model”
Accenture
3 – Create Trust
It’s easy to trust your employees when they are working beside you in the office but allowing them to work from home requires faith & showing them trust is often the best way to create more trust.
You’ll have already set clear objectives & goals & if your message is clear, then give them space to work & get the job done.
Don’t get too hung up on the details that don’t matter if the goals are being achieved. And if they are not being achieved, that’s when good coaching & support comes in.
“63% of high-growth companies have implemented hybrid work models“
Enterprise Project
4 – Best of both worlds approach
Your hybrid model should consider the best of each working environment. For example, important meetings & group training sessions are usually best done in person with everyone present. Training is often interactive & in short bursts to keep people’s attention. Doing this over video call just isn’t the same.
Some people find it much better working from home where they may have less distractions if it’s a busier time than usual or they have a big project to work on that requires their full attention.
A lot of companies prefer the ‘2 days office, 3 days at home’ model but again, it’s down to what works for your business.
“55% of employees want to work remotely at least three days a week”
Zippia
5 – Use tech to your advantage
This is where you can really raise the bar when it comes to remote working through cloud-based platforms. Companies will need to strategically invest into new technologies that will support a hybrid work force & the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Some Cloud based CRMs allow your workforce to work from anywhere, whilst giving you all the tools at your fingertips to manage, track & forecast targets, whilst giving you the technology to coach & support from anywhere.
Video conferencing platforms have been a lifeline to many businesses & employees in recent years, just don’t overdo it, video fatigue is real!
“54% of employees say they’d leave their current job for one that provides more flexibility, especially in the area of remote work”
Zippia
