Hybrid work - The new work trend in 2022

With employees slowly preparing to go back to their workplace, business owners may be wondering what kind of work model they should adopt as they keep the future in mind. Would full-time work at the office be necessary anymore? Is remote work the way forward? Is there a good in-between work model that would be the best solution after the pandemic?

Read on: How your business can survive if a pandemic appears again

The hybrid work model is on the rise due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The practice of working remotely paved the way for a flexible working model to be implemented.

What is hybrid work?

The hybrid work model is a working model that is a healthy balance between remote work and office-based work for employees. It represents a fruitful collaborative approach to work between departments, colleagues, external contributors, and sites. A standout characteristic of the hybrid work model is that out of the five working days of any week, at least one to two days are remote work or home office workdays.

A 2021 Gartner survey has reported that approximately 49% of HR managers allow employees to work remotely a few days a week. The survey also indicated that around 32% of HR managers allow employees to work remotely at all times.

Different types of hybrid work

The hybrid working environment has evolved into different models. The three types of hybrid models are: 

1. Fixed office-based workdays for all employees

The fixed office-based workdays model to hybrid work is undeniably the most structured solution to the drawback (loneliness) of remote work. With this model, companies create a fixed office-based workdays schedule which states what days of the week employees have to go to the office. The rest of their workdays can be from home.

However, the model mandates that employees need to live close to their workplace and can only work from home on remote workdays.

2. Flexible options for every employee

This model of flexible working is probably the most popular and widely accepted approach to work globally. In this model, employees can choose the days they want to work remotely and the days they want to work in the office. It may come off as chaotic initially, but several multinational organizations have successfully implemented this working model.

3. Flexible options for certain employees

This hybrid work model only requires the critical workforce to go to the office for work, whilst the rest of the workforce can choose to work remotely. This model is fantastic for companies that want to cut down on their overhead costs. This is because these organizations can operate in smaller offices whilst retaining high levels of retention and productivity.

Benefits of hybrid work

Some of the advantages of hybrid work include:

• Productivity is potentially one of the greatest benefits. The COVID-19 pandemic showed us that employees do not need to be present in an office to be productive.
• The enhanced work-life balance owing to the flexibility associated with working in a company that allows employees to work remotely and during office workdays is undeniable.
• Cost savings are a significant benefit. Employees can save money on commutes and organizations can reduce their overhead costs by operating from smaller offices.
• A flexible work model supports the social distancing regulations mandated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

How to adopt a hybrid work model

Here are tips on how your organization can effectively adopt and implement a hybrid work model:

Conduct a survey to identify employee needs

Workforce requirements need to be identified and understood through surveys. Asking essential questions such as the number of weekdays they prefer to work on-site and off-site, geographical location, and so on, must be known.

It shows employees that their workplace prioritizes their needs. They will feel motivated to work productively which will result in greater profitability and higher retention.

Read on: Why employees' opinions matter and how to collect them

Infrastructural development is essential

Investing and leveraging the proper infrastructure for a successful hybrid work model is essential. It includes an efficient communication network throughout the organization, appropriate office schedules, and investing in efficient software that supports remote work.

Execute hybrid inductions 

Irrespective of how long employees have worked in your organization, you should do hybrid inductions. It’s essential to brief all your employees about the hardware and software that'll be used, office schedules, etc.

Workplace experience matters

Utilize business resources and investments to create a great workplace experience to maximize retention.

How Vault can assist in adopting a hybrid work model

Vault is a comprehensive ERP software solution that offers various modules based on the unique requirements of businesses and improves efficiency in remote work.

Accessibility

Being a cloud-based software, Vault is available as a Software-as-a-Service application and accessible from anywhere across various devices. Remotely accessible software, like Vault, helps teams work on the same platform and view the same dashboards so that all team members are in sync with the latest updates.

Scalable

Vault is scalable and leverages cloud benefits. It supports growing businesses based on the nature of project expansion, and it can scale up to accommodate more projects and features rapidly and on-demand.

Adaptable

Vault is flexible and can be deployed and quickly managed from any location. Employees can access real-time information from their laptops, phones, and tablets, making virtual office work a reality.

Simple, quick, and efficient digital transition

Vault has an intuitive interface with user-friendly navigation that helps pick up the application quickly.

With the correct software and adopting the right hybrid work model, any organization can adopt a flexible working model.

Ready to See Vault in action? Learn more about Vault and how it can help your remote teams by signing up for a demo.