As we transition back to pre-pandemic life, many companies will be deciding whether to return to a physical office full-time or adopt a more hybrid approach, splitting time between in-office and working remotely. And why not? There are many benefits to adopting a hybrid workplace model for both employer and employee.
The hybrid workplace
Businesses are embracing the hybrid workplace to maintain efficiency and employee satisfaction of remote work while also maintaining some level of collaboration and interaction. Hybrid workplaces could include dedicating a specific day (or days) of the week to in-office work, with the other days allocated to remote work. For some companies, the hybrid model includes a mix of full-time remote workers mixed with employees who rotate between in-office and remote.
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Benefits and challenges of a hybrid workplace
Benefits
- Increased productivity: In a hybrid environment, employees can utilize their time more efficiently by eliminating their commute time, removing office distractions and interruptions and can work during times when they feel the most productive — whether that’s early in the morning or later at night.
- Employee satisfaction: Working remotely a few days each week creates a greater work-life balance for employees, resulting in increased job satisfaction. Employees enjoy being able to take more control of work schedules, avoiding the stress of commuting and having more flexibility to be at home with family and take care of things around the house.
- Lower costs: A hybrid workplace means less overhead expense when there are fewer employees in the office at one time, requiring less space and equipment than before.
Challenges
- Employee burnout: Because employees have greater flexibility with their hours, it’s much easier to become overworked. On the days not in the office, employees may work longer hours and take shorter breaks. Employees often feel like they need to prove they are actually working and feel guilty for taking breaks that they normally would when they are in the office, leading to more work, more stress and more burnout.
- Managing performance: Employers will face the challenge of providing timely feedback to employees when they only see them a few times a week.
- Providing a safe work environment: With some employees in-office and others remote, employers will have a greater challenge ensuring their employees have a safe working environment. It’s much easier to control the environment in an office space, but employers may face challenges, such as ensuring remote employees have the necessary tools and resources outside the office, and workers’ compensation issues for their remote employees, where the environment is more difficult to monitor.
Key takeaways
Before making the shift from remote work to hybrid, it’s important to determine if a hybrid model is right for you and your employees. If you’re looking to adapt a new hybrid model for your business but aren’t sure where to begin, AccessPoint can help you with every step. Our full-service human resource team will ensure your business remains compliant when developing a new hybrid work policy and will provide you with the guidance and resources you need to implement the most effective strategy for your workforce.
