Hybrid Working. Is it working?

Does Hybrid Working still work? Is it effective? I recently attended a webinar on whether Hybrid work is effective. In this blog post, I will explain the benefits surrounding Hybrid Working, and why most companies are still offering it post pandemic.

Hybrid work is a flexible work model, that includes a mix of working in the office, from home and on the go. Exactly what this looks like varies across each workplace and means employers and employees choosing the mix depending on what is most productive and suits each stakeholder requirements.

Increased Productivity

Whether it be one day in the office, a four-day working week, or more days working at home, many employers are reporting productivity levels have increased. How and why does this happen, is one of the major questions that come from the increased productivity. If an employee can have a flexible working arrangement, they will usually ensure that this is proven to be effective. It can sometimes be hard to gauge, how productive an employee is being when not sitting next to them at the office.

Employee Wellbeing

Having a flexible working approach is one of the many factors in attracting the best talent to your business. It allows the employee to have an amazing work life balance which can increases their wellbeing. Everyone is different, and some people have more stress or anxiety when working in the office, whereas some people like the social aspect of working in the office. Having a happy team, both at home and in the office will help the business attract top talent to the organisation. One of the most important factors when accepting a new role and staying at a current role is having a great work/life balance, which is a major part of hybrid work.

4 Day Work Week

Some companies in Australia are adopting the approach of having a 4-day work week, with a mix of “in the office” and “at home” work. For the employee’s perspective, this sounds like an amazing deal, that would increase their wellbeing, and their work life balance would be benefited.

Decision makers may see a 4-day working week as 7/8 hours less of work. However, if you factor in the increased productivity, less chance of burn out, and the lowered sick days, it has massive potential in the Australian market.

Challenges and Solutions

Challenges are one of the biggest issues when taking a hybrid work model approach with your company. The main challenges are finding the right methods around communication, training and the onboarding process. Companies we work with, who offer hybrid working have come up with their own ideas and ways to communicate with their employees within the business.  Whether that be virtual morning meetings, phone calls, or having a system where all activity is tracked and logged so there are no double ups.

Training and onboarding seems to be the most difficult part of hybrid working. It is known to be easier to train someone in a new role when you are physically in the same place, and not trying to communicate via a video call. Many companies are offering a hybrid approach after the onboarding has been completed, whether it be 2 weeks or a month, which seems to be working effectively and does not have a negative affect on the employee’s decision to accept employment.

Hybrid working can be effective; however, it always comes with its challenges. Many companies are adopting this approach, instead of full-time work from home or the office. Would you like to chat with our experts about what employers are offering in order to attract job seekers? Contact our team today