5 Ways Hybrid Working Will Change Everything

Covid-19 has strong-armed organisations into changing the way they operate, in order to retain productivity while also maintaining social distancing, the future of work for many will be ‘hybrid’.

What is Hybrid Working?

Hybrid working is an approach to staffing involving a combination of remote, semi-remote and entirely office-based employees, potentially working to different scheduled hours. It means that at no one time will the entire team be in the workplace at once, they may work rotationally or be based entirely at home or on-site – whatever works best for the individual and the organisation.

What does it mean?

Hybrid working will change the face of the workplace, if you’re planning on successfully implementing it, you need to understand the challenges and opportunities it presents. Our How to lead a hybrid team staff training course is the easiest way for your managers to learn best practice, so remember to sign up today for free.

Here are five ways that hybrid working could change things at your workplace:

1. Hybrid working will keep everyone safer
   The reduced headcount will enable greater social distancing measures to be put into effect, and for commuters the reduced reliance on public transport each week will help reduce exposure to the virus. Needing to come to the workplace less often will also help reduce stress and improve wellbeing.
2. Hybrid working will put new demands on your technical infrastructure
   Whether your organisation had well-established remote working systems or you quickly adopted it in the wake of the lockdown, large scale hybrid working will put new pressure on your technical infrastructure, likely requiring investment in digital collaboration tools and new hardware. Some organisations may choose to offer all employees laptops, for example, so they can have the same access to systems both at home and in the office without switching machines.
3. Hybrid teams will collaborate differently
   Conventional meeting structures will be ineffective in a hybrid working environment, as it’s likely key stakeholders won’t all be in the same place at the same time. Digital collaboration tools that can be used on site and remotely, such as Microsoft Teams, are essential.
4. Hybrid working must be managed around work-life balance
   Splitting remote and on-site working will blur the lines around work-life balance, employees may find themselves working longer at home, or checking emails at all hours of the day. Workers need to be encouraged to prioritise their work-life balance and look after their own wellbeing.
5. Hybrid working will need to be managed carefully to ensure inclusion
   If some workers are in the workplace more often than others, there’s the risk that not everybody could be included in important decisions, department update or just plain socialising. Inclusion will need to be closely monitored and prioritised to make sure that hybrid working is a positive experience for all.

Our How to lead a hybrid team training course, part of our Transition to Work Toolkit, has been created specifically to support managers and leaders understand the advantages and potential challenges of managing a hybrid workforce – and help them succeed in building an efficient, inclusive and productive hybrid team. Sign your managers up today.