What are the advantages of hybrid work?

The transition to hybrid employment has significant benefits for people, organisations, and the environment. It promises to boost employees' flexibility, productivity, and job satisfaction. It benefits the company's bottom line and extends its talent pool. And less travel and workplace space means a more sustainable future.

Dimensional Research recently conducted research that reveals:

Working from home has advantages for 99% of knowledge workers, including improved flexibility, no commute, and more time to spend with friends and family.

95% of knowledge workers want to return to work for activities including team building, collaboration, and networking with peers.

53% of major firms intend to minimise their office footprint, lowering costs

What exactly is a mixed work schedule?

A flexible work schedule is the foundation of a hybrid work schedule. Your hybrid work schedule will be determined by the hybrid work model that your organisation chooses to use. Some firms will allow employees to choose when and where they work on any given day. Others will have established timetables to ensure that teams in the same place may collaborate and team create in the office or a coworking space.

While hybrid work allows you to pick your own schedule, it is critical to discuss your working hours with your colleagues. Team leaders should address each particular scenario with empathy and compassion, and collaborate with team members to find a schedule that works for everyone.

The change from emphasising on location and hours worked to the outcomes provided is a crucial pillar of hybrid work.

How do I create a hybrid workplace culture?

When organisations provide greater flexibility to their workers, they may be concerned about sustaining culture and community. It can be difficult to foster idea cross-pollination without watercooler chats or opportunities to communicate with coworkers outside of your job function. And if the corporate culture and feeling of shared purpose deteriorate, it might result in less productivity and more turnover.

As a result, one of the most crucial components of hybrid work will be the development of a culture built on inclusivity, empathy, and trust.

As work has spread beyond the office walls, maintaining the culture involves a shift in how we think about shared purpose. Colleagues must collaborate and connect whether they are in the same room or virtually, and your collaboration solution must encourage interactions that would occur if people were there in person.

When organisations combine the office and virtual worlds, they can have the best of both worlds. Employees can pick where they wish to work while still benefiting from personal connections and team building that contribute to business culture.

Is hybrid and remote work beneficial or detrimental to employee engagement?

They are beneficial! While many people expect employee engagement to suffer if they don't attend to work every day, research suggests that hybrid and remote work can boost employee engagement. According to a recent survey, 79% of knowledge workers said their engagement level has remained same or improved after they began working remotely.

Is it safe to return to work?

Visit your local government's COVID-19 planning webpage for information on when it is safe to return to work. If you live in the United States, go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most up-to-date information.

Bringing people back into the office almost certainly entails implementing new rules and policies to keep staff safe. To ensure safety, social distance, proof of vaccination, mask requirements, and limiting the number of persons in the building may be imposed.

Concerns about returning include handling shared office devices, knowing when a space was last cleaned, and recognising if a place is over capacity for safe social distancing. While policies and technology can help to make the environment safer, the workforce's concerns must be addressed. It will be critical to communicate these changes to staff in order for them to feel at ease.

Download the How-to Collaboration Guide for the Hybrid Workplace for more information on how technology may help ensure a safe return to the office.

Why should I bother going into the office?

The office is also a terrific place to go if you need to get away from a distracting home setting, need to collaborate with your team, or want to feel like you belong somewhere. Many firms will use the office as a major hub for great collaborative experiences, connecting with colleagues, and engaging in education and training.

95% of knowledge employees believe they will come into the office for tasks like:

• Creating a Team
• Collaboration
• Peer relationships

With a mixed work paradigm, the purpose of the office, as well as the capabilities supplied in each area, must adapt. With 98% of conference attendees expecting remote participation in the future, video conferencing technology should be offered in most spaces. If you want to shrink the size of your workplace, you'll need hot-desking and office navigation technologies to ensure that everyone can stay productive and get started quickly in any location.