It’s been more than a year since employees that had the possibility to do so have been working from home. And it has been excellent, right? You get to save money and time by not commuting, and you contribute to the lowering of pollution by not using your car. Plus, you spend more time with your family, even if only on breaks. You don’t have to wear those uncomfortable suits you were never fond of, and you don’t even have to brush your hair if you don’t feel like it. For most people, staying comfortable on a couch with their laptop is a dream come true.
But what about those days when you miss putting makeup on or wearing a new shirt you bought for work? What if you miss your co-workers or just want to get out of the house and do your job in a clean office? Some days you might feel more productive and want to take advantage of it and get away from all the distractions and do your thing at the office. If that’s the case, then hybrid working might just be the best solution for you.
What is hybrid working, and what does it involve?
Hybrid working is a model that lets employees choose to work from different locations such as the central office, their home, or splitting their time between the two. When done correctly, this way of conducting work encourages flexibility, productivity, and autonomy. It’s about matching a task to a certain location and being more productive while working on specific assignments.
Advantages of the hybrid working model
- Increased productivity. Workers can use their time better when in a hybrid workplace. For example, they get to choose to avoid commuting during heavy traffic hours. Or, when going into the office, they get to entirely focus on tasks with a close deadline, without the interruptions that could happen at home. And of course, they can choose to work when and where they are feeling the most productive, whether during the night at home or first thing in the morning in the central office. It’s a proven fact that when employees are rested, happy, feel less stress, they are better at their job!
- Happier employees. There are many reasons why employees are happier when working remotely. Having the freedom to choose when and where to conduct their work has a significant impact on their mood. Being able to dress casually, spend more time with their families, have their pets by their side, be flexible about their schedule, and take breaks in the intimacy of their own home bring an outstanding contribution to their uplifted mood.
- Decreased costs. This goes both ways. Not maintaining a big office place for all employees cuts the costs on rent, bills or supplies for employers. And also, saving money on commuting is a great thing for workers that choose to work from home when they feel like it.
- Increased safety for everybody. Even though vaccinations begin to take effect and we’re slowly walking out of the pandemic, social distancing measures still need to remain in place for a while. A hybrid workplace keeps everybody safe by reducing the number of employees in the office simultaneously, making it easy to stay at a proper distance.
How to make the transition from working at home to hybrid working
First, every company is different. If you have the luck to be employed in one of those companies that find hybrid working a good solution for their employees, then you’re covered. So, how do you proceed?
- Find out on which days other team members are available to come into the office. You could all meet up once a week and have a live brainstorming instead of the regular online meeting. Choose the day and hour and get together!
- At the beginning of every new project, split your tasks by difficulty, resources needed, or levels of concentration demanded. For those assignments that require higher levels of concentration and staying home makes it difficult to complete, go to the office on a selected date and get them done. If there’s a better internet connection in your workplace and you need that for an online meeting, schedule it so you can have it in the silence and privacy of your office. Do so with every task that is better handled outside of your house, and your productivity will increase by the day!
- Going into the office is a refreshing alternative to being at home all day and thinking about all the unfinished chores. Not every person works well from home. Others may need the office to be able to achieve the results they want. Being unable to focus on what you have to do diminishes your productivity. It increases the time working on specific tasks that would take a lot less time otherwise. So for those days when you feel stressed out by the situation at home, get in the car and simply leave them behind.
Conclusion
The times have changed, and it appears that hybrid working is here to stay. This working model helps employers, as well as employees, be more productive without risking their work-life balance. Nowadays, the primary target is on working efficiently, rather than simply putting in the hours.
