You have probably heard the buzz about hybrid work. What else you have also probably heard is how groundbreaking it is. It is becoming widespread to the point where many employees start quitting their restricting office jobs at the first prospect of a hybrid job and hybrid work environment.
What is hybrid work and why is it becoming so common?
Remote work is already widespread and seems to meet the freedom-craving needs of employees, so how is hybrid work any better?
First let’s take a look at the definition of hybrid work.
The Collins Dictionary defines hybrid work model as the practice of alternating between different working environments, such as from home and in an office.
As opposed to remote work, the hybrid mode enables working not only from home but from the office and anywhere else as well. In the case of complete hybrid work, employees have absolute freedom to work from anywhere they please.
In a nutshell, the hybrid model combines the possibilities of working from home and in the office.
Feeling tired of the office hustle and bustle? Go work from home.
Feeling lonely and tired of the monotony of remote work? Come back to the office.
And the cycle repeats.
Having such freedom of choice gives employees a sense of autonomy over their workday, which is the best antidote to the 9-5 (or 10-7) tediousness.
If we were to compare remote and office-based work, hybrid would win in the long run.
Here’s why.
Benefits of hybrid work
Autonomy
Any employee you ask wants at least some degree of autonomy if not full. Especially after getting a taste of it during the quarantine, it may be hard to give up the flexibility and go back to the strict guidelines of the office. As surprising as it may sound, employees perform better when they are in charge of their own working hours. This way their sense of responsibility works at its peak and they feel accountable for their actions. In fact, employees that are productive in the office will stay as productive at home too, as claimed by Prodoscore and many other sources. But it is common sense anyway. A hard-working employee will work hard no matter the circumstances and the opposite. All you need is to provide employees with the right tools so they can perform their tasks faster and more effectively. If you are an eCommerce business, you can invest in eprocurement solutions to enable your team to easily browse and select products from approved suppliers, compare prices and specifications, and create purchase orders seamlessly.
What the hybrid model will do here, is give each employee a chance to work the way they want and wherever they want. So, even the not-so-productive employees might perform better when they change their working mode.
Psychologically, we feel more relieved and at ease when we know we are not restricted to fixed guidelines, such as working from the office only. The secret lies in the freedom of choice.
When we are free to decide where and when we want to work, we are happier and will perform better as a result.
Improved health
One of the biggest benefits of hybrid work is improved health. In fact, both physical and mental health are more likely to improve and stay stable over the long term. Let’s see how.
Physical Health
What hybrid work is good for is the higher chance of moving. When working from home, you can get up and get moving whenever you want. There is no office full of colleagues that might look at you, if that’s bothering you. You can take more regular short breaks without worrying about the pressure of a manager or a coworker silently judging you.
On the other hand, when you go to the office, you leave the house, you get going. If the commute requires some walking, that’s even better.
What hybrid work does is let you be in the comfort of your preferred working space, then change it whenever you feel a need.
Mental Health
Being free from office pressure and drama is already a big plus. There is also the noise and the presence of coworkers that might hinder the work process. For some people, it can be debilitating to the point of not being able to work. But that’s what remote work is for, right? Yes. But remote work can also be draining in the long run. Both of these ways can result in being burnt out, in signs of depression, or similar. In such circumstances, having the ability to change the setting is essential.
Here psychology comes into play as well. Having the ability to choose frees us from the burden of limitations. Mentally you feel at ease knowing that your work is under your control.
Additionally, the hybrid model is beneficial for everyone. Those who like company life and want to be surrounded by coworkers, can work from the office. While those who prefer to work alone or be in the comfort of their choice, can work remotely.
Win-win situation!
Better Work-Life Balance
Being able to combine office work with remote work enables a better balance between work and life. When bound to office work, it is hard to dedicate enough time to personal life. Usually, people feel so exhausted that by the time they get home after an office job, all their remaining energy is enough solely for dinner and sleep. The opposite, remote work can be even more damaging, as it smudges the line between work and personal life. As a result, these two become intertwined to the point of one taking over the other.
In the case of hybrid work model, work and life are more likely to stay separate and not interfere with each other. The time devoted to work is for work exclusively, no matter remote or in-office. Whenever there is a risk of the two becoming entangled, you can change your setting.
Better Performance
All the above-mentioned benefits result in better performance. Employees start to feel in charge of their working day. Less pressure and monitoring lead to higher productivity. Employees start to feel trusted and autonomous. While productive and responsible employees will most likely stay the same regardless of the working mode, procrastinators might also level up their results. As not one way is suitable for everyone, the hybrid model allows every employee type to try and find the best way of working for themselves.
No wonder why more and more employees are aiming for the hybrid model.
Hybrid model has its own types. They are
- Office-centered hybrid
- Remote-centered hybrid
As the names suggest each one focuses on either office first, or remote first. In the case of the former, employees are allowed to work from home only maybe twice a week but must be in the office the other 3 days. Whereas in the case of remote-centered, they are encouraged to work remotely more, provided that they come to the office at least once a month or more often.
With all the advantages it entails, hybrid work could be the future. It is here and here to stay.
More and more companies caring about employee well-being transition into hybrid work. So, if you are here wondering whether you should try it too, you probably should. But first, talk to your employees. They know it best.
Conclusion
As more and more companies start to care for the well-being of their employees, hybrid work becomes more common.
The reason why it is so common and desired is that it combines the benefits of remote work with those of office-based. As a result, employees get to choose where, when and how to work.
Who doesn’t want that, right?
If you are an employer, you want to make sure your employees are happy about their work conditions. So, why not reconsider your company’s policy and give hybrid work a try?