According to a recent McKinsey survey, nine out of 10 organisations currently favor switching over to the hybrid work model.
With the increasing number of fully vaccinated individuals, economies are opening up and many workplaces are recalling their employees back to the office. While many still prefer to work from home, the hybrid work model has emerged as an agreeable compromise, especially for companies who can’t adopt a fully remote working arrangement.
Should your company also make the switch? Here are five insights from the said McKinsey survey to consider:
An Increasingly Common Arrangement
Working at the office was the norm prior to 2020. While remote working was a familiar concept, many people couldn’t wrap their heads around how it worked, and there was even a stigma attached to people in such arrangements. When the pandemic struck, however, everyone was forced to work from home.
These days, most people prefer it. In fact, quite a few would rather quit than give up their flexible working arrangements.
In cases where a fully remote set-up isn’t possible, companies have offered a hybrid model as a counter-proposal. Here, employees need to report to the office around 2-3 times a week, depending on their job functions.
Since a lot of companies still aren’t ready to go fully remote, it’s likely that this will be the norm for a while.
Detailed Vision for Hybrid Work
Although many employers have expressed the willingness to embrace a hybrid work model, the majority of them don’t know how to carry it out. The lack of an overall plan can definitely hinder how smoothly the hybrid work model can be integrated.
Hence, before you even announce your plans to embrace a hybrid work model, make sure you get all your ducks in a row first. For instance, you should identify which job roles can continue remotely, and which employees need to show up at the office after all. And how often they need to do so.
Consistent Productivity
Remote work improves productivity. This has been proven many times over, especially during the pandemic. The McKinsey survey even confirms increased productivity, not just in individuals, but also across teams.
The challenge, therefore, is to maintain this level of productivity even in a hybrid work model. Whether your staff chooses to work at home or in the office, make sure they have the necessary tools and access. Consulting them about their working preferences can also go a long way since happy workers are usually productive workers.
The Small Connections Count
Companies that reported higher levels of productivity also tend to be the ones that have high employee engagement levels. Here, company leaders share ideas, provide active support, and offer mentorship to their employees.
Supporting your employees’ professional growth can help you retain your strongest talents. Regardless of the work set-up you ultimately choose to adopt, it always pays to cultivate meaningful connections with your staff.
Experiment and Iterate
Don’t expect to get things right the first time. There is a considerable learning curve to finding the right balance between onsite and remote work. After all, there are your employees’ preferences and circumstances to consider.
Thus, keep experimenting until you find which work set-up suits your team better. If your first attempt fails, you can always go back to the drawing board and try again.
Remote Staff has been helping AU SMEs and entrepreneurs like you find and hire skilled remote workers from the Philippines for the past 14 years and counting. On top of that, we also assist you with onboarding so you can focus on other important matters, such as refining your hybrid work model.
Help us help you. Call us today or schedule a call back and let’s get started.
Serena has been working remotely and writing content for the better part of the last decade. To date, she's written for Pepper.ph and Mabuhay Magazine, among others, and has churned out more than a thousand articles on everything from The Basics of Stock Market Investing to How to Make Milk Tea-Flavored Taho at home. Hermits, aspiring hermits, and non-hermits with interesting project propositions may email her at serena.estrella10@gmail.com.
