With the tumultuous events of the past year, remote working had to be embraced by businesses up and down the country. Everyone had to learn how to use remote technologies overnight as we all suddenly had a home office that usually doubled up as a dining room table.
With the advancement of supportive technologies for remote working, like the Clickshare wireless conferencing system from this website, working from home became smoother and easier throughout the course of the pandemic and as restrictions started to ease up. It got so easy, in fact, that many people preferred it to in-person working. With fewer distractions and the time for healthier habits – like cooking a homemade meal for lunch and using your commute time to exercise – people were sad to see the back of working from home.
As offices begin opening back up, employers are beginning to consider the benefits for their employees and their businesses that working from home could bring. With happier and healthier employees comes more productivity and working remotely allows time for this.
You’ve probably heard this term floating around since the end of the first lockdown, as many businesses across the country embraced it. But what exactly is hybrid working? And how can it be used effectively in your workplace?
What is hybrid working?
Hybrid working is a form of working where employees work both in-office and remotely across the week. This way of working allows employees freedom in where they work and offers the benefits of working from home along with the social aspect of working in-person.
Though employees may have felt isolated during periods of the pandemic when they were expected to work remotely, many still enjoyed aspects of working from home. With this flexible way of working, employees are given the opportunity to choose when they come into the office and when they don’t.
How to effectively implement hybrid working
Implementing hybrid working may be more complicated than just allowing employees to choose when to come into work and when not to. It will take some smart thinking and robust organisation. We’ve rounded up a few ways that you can ensure hybrid working is effective for your business and your employees.
- Allowing employees input into their hybrid rota. This allows employees to arrange their weeks depending on where they will be working that day. For tasks that require complete focus, they may choose to work from home where distractions are minimal.
- Good communication is key. Learning to communicate effectively with employees who are not on site means that hybrid working can run smoothly, along with ensuring that the entire company embraces this new dynamic, so communication is modified for all employees no matter where they are working.
- Getting to grips with new technologies. With the advancements of wireless conferencing systems, a meeting can take place across multiple locations, countries and continents. Embracing this new technology is beneficial for a functioning workplace and will allow clear and precise communication, while also allowing employees working remotely to feel included and be present in on site meetings.
- And, investing in the best equipment on the market to make hybrid working easier. As mentioned above, wireless conferencing technology has advanced into some really incredible devices, like the Clickshare wireless conferencing system, allowing remotely working employees to be fully integrated into on-site meetings.
With dedicated staff and a team really willing to make hybrid working work for everyone, this new way of working can mean employees have the time to pursue healthy habits and take care of themselves, leading to more productivity in their work and, by extension, more productivity for the business. The benefits of hybrid working are endless. Here are main benefits;
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Better work-life balance for employees
For a long time, many people have been focusing on going to work and being productive, and have forgotten about their personal life. You wake up early in the morning, leave for work and come back in the evening tired. On weekends, you may have events to attend, and you may not have enough time to relax and spend time with your family. Hybrid working allows you to organize yourself and create time for yourself and your family. You only need to go to the workplace when necessary.
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Reduce exposure to illness
At the workplace, there are many people to interact with. You will find that most surfaces at the workplace such as doorknobs, table surfaces, among others may have disease causing organisms. Also, infected people with illnesses such as cold can spread them at workplaces. Hybrid working allows few employees at the workplace while many working remotely. This reduces exposure to germs and spread of illnesses such as Covid-19, common cold, diarrhoea, among others at the workplace.
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Save on workspace
If your company allows more employees to work from home or remotely, there is no need to pay for a bigger workspace or office. You can rethink your workspace strategy, and let go of some space you might not need. You will save on real estate expenses such as rent, electricity, and other bills associated with a bigger workspace.
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Employees are motivated and more productive
Hybrid working allows for a flexible work arrangement. Research has shown that a huge percent of employees are ready to quit to go look for employment in a company that allows flexibility. When working remotely, employees work when they are most productive. By allowing employees to work remotely and sometimes at the workplace, this is enough motivation to keep them in high spirits. You can have a routine to ensure all employees have a taste of a hybrid working model to keep them motivated and more productive.
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Allows companies to hire talent across the globe
In a hybrid working model, your business or company can hire talent from different parts of the world. As such, you can have access to a wider talent pool and that will allow you to hire employees with experience and specialized skills. And this will give your company or business a competitive edge to grow and even move into new territories and markets.
Conclusion
Hybrid working is an excellent working model that comes with a dozen benefits to your business and to the employees. For the working model to work, you need to invest in technology and infrastructure that allows you to effectively communicate and work with your team. Remember to gather feedback from the employees to ensure the hybrid policy aligns with their personal needs and preferences.
