{"id":72518,"date":"2023-02-02T10:56:24","date_gmt":"2023-02-02T17:56:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.act.com\/is-the-hybrid-work-model-the-future-of-remote-work\/"},"modified":"2023-04-05T09:24:43","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T16:24:43","slug":"is-the-hybrid-work-model-the-future-of-remote-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/products.act.com\/en-gb\/is-the-hybrid-work-model-the-future-of-remote-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the Hybrid Work Model the Future of Remote Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Working from home helps employees improve productivity by cutting <\/span>commute times<\/span> and eliminating distractions. That, in turn, motivates them to get more work done faster. Another <\/span>perk<\/span> is that they often have the flexibility to modify their work hours, making room for other interests and responsibilities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But these benefits come at the cost of <\/span>face-to-face<\/span> time and <\/span>employee engagement<\/span>. In a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, <\/span>60 percent of<\/span><\/a> U.S. workers<\/span> reported feeling less connected to their coworkers due to working from home. Plus, <\/span>remote workers<\/span> often have a hard time unplugging from work at the end of their <\/span>workday<\/span>. It can take a toll on their <\/span>work-life balance<\/span> and result in <\/span>burnout<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wouldn\u2019t it be great if you could continue to harness the productivity wins of <\/span>remote work<\/span> without affecting <\/span>employee engagement<\/span>? That\u2019s what a <\/span>hybrid <\/span>workspace<\/span> delivers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tech giants like Apple, Google, and <\/span>Microsoft<\/span> have already announced their <\/span>company culture<\/span> plans to make <\/span>hybrid work arrangements<\/span> permanent. Other companies, including Adobe, Atlassian, Spotify, and Uber, have also followed suit.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to a <\/span>McKinsey<\/span> and Company report<\/span><\/a>, a majority of organizations expect their employees to be <\/span>on-site<\/span> one to <\/span>four days<\/span> every week. With nine out of ten organizations planning to combine <\/span>on-site<\/span> and <\/span>remote work<\/span>, it might be time you consider a <\/span>hybrid working<\/span> model, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shifting employee expectations<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re planning to ask employees to return to the office, it\u2019s a good idea to think through the parameters around your decision. According to a recent Gallup survey, <\/span>54 percent of employees<\/span><\/a> working from home will look for another job if their current employer stops offering <\/span>remote work options<\/span>. Now that they\u2019ve experienced the flexibility of <\/span>remote work<\/span>, many workers don’t want to be confined to the office.<\/span><\/p>\n

But that doesn\u2019t mean employees want to work exclusively remotely. Over half of the <\/span>respondents<\/span> in the Gallup survey expect a <\/span>hybrid work environment<\/span> as a <\/span>new normal<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Employees prefer <\/span>hybrid work<\/span> because it helps them avoid the commute and balance other responsibilities like caregiving and parenting. Also, it improves the <\/span>employee experience<\/span> by giving them opportunities to meet their coworkers <\/span>in person<\/span> and feel more connected to their workplace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"54<\/p>\n

What is hybrid work?<\/span><\/h2>\n

There is no one-size-fits-all <\/span>work policy<\/span> or definition of <\/span>hybrid work<\/span>. Every organisation can implement a <\/span>hybrid working<\/span> model based on its unique goals and needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the common thread across all <\/span>hybrid models<\/span> is that they offer employees the flexibility to work remotely or <\/span>on-site<\/span>. One of the most common <\/span>hybrid work model<\/span> examples involves asking your employees to come to the office a few days every week. You can determine when and for how many days they need to be <\/span>on-site<\/span> or let them decide.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another <\/span>hybrid work model<\/span> example is where you allow permanent <\/span>remote work<\/span> for roles that don\u2019t necessarily need to be performed <\/span>on-site<\/span>. Only those employees whose jobs must be done <\/span>on-site<\/span> come to the office <\/span>full-time<\/span>. You can then host monthly or quarterly <\/span>team-building<\/span> events to facilitate interaction between <\/span>remote employees<\/span> and <\/span>on-site<\/span> workers.<\/span><\/p>\n

When deciding on a model and <\/span>work schedule<\/span>, keep in mind that Gallup found that four in ten employees want the flexibility to choose how many days and which specific days they go to the <\/span>physical office<\/span> every week. Meanwhile, 38 percent of employees want to be in the office two to <\/span>three days<\/span> per week.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the benefits of a hybrid work model for employers?<\/span><\/h2>\n

A <\/span>hybrid work environment<\/span> lets you retain these benefits of <\/span>remote work<\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n