A Complete Guide on Hybrid Remote Working

As the Government declared a national lockdown in March 2020, the country stood still. As the lockdown continued, organisations adopted the work from home model to continue their operations. Even though the lockdown norms have eased up, the remote work concept has not lost its steam. Instead, it has paved the way for a hybrid workplace.

According to a study conducted by Poly, called Recruit, Retain and Grow, 74% of the surveyed Indian employers believe that hybrid working is the future. 63% also stated that they were prepared to offer a hybrid working environment to their employees.

What is the hybrid remote work model?

The hybrid remote work model is a mix of work from home and work from an office. Under the model, employees have the flexibility to work remotely from their homes or even while travelling.
Moreover, they can attend the office on some days as and when needed. For instance, many offices in India want employees to come to the office on two days of the week, while they can work from home the rest of the days.

Benefits of the hybrid workplace/remote work concept

Hybrid remote work is gaining traction with employers and employees alike, and rightly so. The concept of hybrid remote work, if used correctly, can boost your organisation’s diversity and inclusivity.

It is suitable for employees with responsibilities toward their homes

This is primarily relevant for the female workforce who shoulder the responsibility of their households along with their careers. Attending daily office might challenge them to manage their household chores with their office work.
Moreover, with the pandemic shutting down schools and childcare institutions, the onus on managing the household has increased considerably.
With a hybrid model, women can easily juggle their home life and office life. This makes them more willing to join the organisation, and your company can benefit from their talent and multitasking nature.

It is suitable for the specially-abled

Specially-abled employees bolster diversity and inclusivity in your organisation. On the other hand, they are attracted to organisations that provide a hybrid work model. It is because the model allows them the ease of working from their homes.
With limited trips to the office, the hassle of commute is reduced. Moreover, they can manage their workload in a comfortable place, i.e., their homes.

It provides flexibility and drives productivity

The hybrid workplace has one primary benefit-it provides flexibility. Employees can work from home or office at their convenience. This gives them the flexibility to manage their workload as they see fit. This flexibility, on the other hand, boosts morale and promotes productivity.
According to a report, remote working boosted productivity among employees by a whopping 35% to 40%.

It promotes work-life balance

Work-life balance is a major stress point for most employees, as they devote most of their time to their jobs. However, the hybrid model helps in changing the scenario.
With the flexibility of working from home, employees can save on the commute time and spend this time with their loved ones.
Moreover, remote working also helps promote mental wellness, as depicted by a FlexJobs survey. The survey showed that 48% of the participants talked about an excellent work-life balance, while 85% talked about increased well-being with the remote working model.

A hybrid workplace reduces attrition

Employee attrition is an avoidable aspect as it robs you of performing employees and good talent and adds to the cost of replacing the employee.
The hybrid model helps you avoid this scenario and reduce the overall attrition rate of the organisation.
With employees finding work-life balance, having high morale, and increased productivity, attrition decreases with a hybrid work model.
Employees become loyal to their organisations, and you can also attract new talent by luring employees with the promise of a hybrid workplace.

The hybrid remote work model can foster equity, diversity, and inclusion in your organisation with these benefits. Furthermore, the hybrid work model also helps cut costs as you save on the lease of office premises, have a reduced attrition rate, and even reduce overheads.

How to create a hybrid workplace model?

While the hybrid model promises to be rewarding, it is crucial to implement it correctly, or its purpose might stand defeated. Here are some tips to help you create a hybrid model and enjoy the benefits it offers.

Foster teamwork between your employees. A unified workforce is far more effective than a non-unified one.
Coordinate the work with your employees so that they are clear about the expectations that the organisation has from them.
Delegate work smartly and effectively so that different teams can handle various jobs at the same time.
Build up a nurturing work environment that nurtures originality and individuality
Maintain a professional work environment so that employees respect the objectives of the organisation
Hold team meetings virtually and in person to maintain cohesiveness between employees and between the employees and the organisation.
Identify performers and incentivize them. This helps employees feel a part of the organisation and stay motivated to achieve more.
Moreover, other employees can take a leaf out of their books and try to perform better to get rewarded and recognise themselves.
Stress on the importance of mental peace. Educate your employees about ways to attain and maintain mental health. Also, contribute to their mental wellness.

Conclusion

Employees are the lifeblood of an organisation. If their objectives and performance are aligned with the organisation, your business can become profitable and grow to new highs. You, as an employer, should, thus, motivate your employees in adverse conditions, like the recent pandemic. Besides other employee wellness programs, like group health insurance, a hybrid workplace can also work wonders.

So, go hybrid and promote diversity, inclusivity, and equity in the workplace!

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