How to Successfully Implement Hybrid Working Models in Your Organization- Betterworks

Ensure that your employees are aware of and can implement good cybersecurity practices on their own. Also, capacitate your IT department to strengthen your company’s cybersecurity. Investing in their training also allows you to solve security problems with ease once they do arise. While you will have to spend more upfront, reinforcing your security can help you save money in the future. With whole teams working at home, communications will rely largely on available technologies and internet connectivity.

• Cisco is leveraging this model and offering its employees the option to choose where they work on any given day.
• While hybrid work gives you the flexibility to choose your schedule, it’s important to communicate your working hours with your team.
• Organizations that implement a hybrid work model must ensure that remote employees and their systems are secure to keep corporate data safe and protect against cyberthreats.
• “The hybrid return-to-work model is top of mind for executives—every client I’ve spoken with has asked me about it,” said Brooke Weddle, a partner at McKinsey & Co. based in Washington, D.C., and leader in the firm’s organization practice.
• For others, it’s about lowering anxiety by not joining in the ironically labeled rush hour every day.
• Another way to carry out the hybrid work model is to assign which teams should work at the office or home.

While the image of sitting on your couch in your jammies all day might be appealing, the reality might lead to back pain and a lack of motivation. Perhaps you’ve finally realized the dream of moving out to a rural location. The commute into the city isn’t impossible, but it sure would be nice if it weren’t every day. Speaking of commuting, working at home part of the time also lightens the environmental impact. Unsurprisingly, the EPA lists transportation as the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions.

How Microsoft is Making a WFH Hybrid Model Work

Teams get the benefit of in-person communication without any setbacks if their software isn’t yet up to scratch. Another option is to keep both the office and remote work but designate the office as the primary place for working. This was a common setup prior to COVID-19; companies would have a small percentage of their workforce be remote and the rest worked from one main office space. This approach is particularly common if the entire leadership team is in the office. The rest of the company is likely to become office-centered by default as the leadership team will generally have in-person conversation and collaboration, excluding remote workers. Now, almost two years later, companies are grappling with how and if to bring employees back to the office – the physical building.

“I think the concept of spending five days a week in the office is dead,” says Elliott. “That top-down, one-size-fits-all approach can lead to a lot of resentment among workers.” Yet research has failed to draw definitive conclusions about remote workers’ productivity. In the U.S., employee productivity rose by 4.4% in 2020 and 2.2% in 2021, before falling in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2023, however, labor productivity rose 3.7% during the second quarter, and is up 1.3% compared to this time last year.

Hybrid Work Models According to Scheduling

The shift from fully remote or fully on-site work can be difficult for employees, as their routines are disrupted. One challenge when implementing hybrid working models is maintaining performance and helping workers continue to collaborate despite the changes. HR leaders and managers should follow up by communicating hybrid work policies clearly and offering support and guidance throughout the transition. Create a unified approach to communication, such as regular team meetings and dedicated channels for feedback and suggestions. Helping employees manage the transition to hybrid work is one of the key employer challenges. Communication must start from the top, as leaders clearly explain the goals and benefits of the hybrid model — and how it’ll work.

With fewer people in the office, you’re using less energy and resources, which also benefits the environment. According to Global Workplace Analytics, employers can save up to $11,000 per year, per employee when that employee is remote at least some of the time. But how do you ensure that your hybrid employees — who don’t have assigned desks — find available workstations on days when they want to work in the office? You don’t want your employees to have to scramble to find a space to do their work.

Office-Occasional Hybrid Work Model

People refer to the hybrid model a lot, but there isn’t exactly one clearly defined example. Ultimately, it involves some combination of hybrid work from home working remotely and from an office. So far, the hybrid model looks different for every organization, but there are a few clear themes.

Microsoft understands that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to how employees prefer working. Under its hybrid work policy, employees can choose how they’d prefer working, whether that’s at home or in the office. Companies with an office-centric model usually have a baseline (e.g., three mandatory days per week onsite) and allow their employees to decide where to work for the rest of the time. The company believes that its best collaborative work comes when employees share ideas in the office. That said, individual managers can set up flexible work arrangements for employees who request it. For companies under this work model, working in the office remains a priority.

That enables inclusion for everyone, no matter where they work most of the time. Hybrid employees report saving time and money, achieving greater work-life integration, and enjoying more flexibility, according to Ipsos Karian and Box research. They feel more able to try new things, hear more from leaders, and communicate and https://remotemode.net/ collaborate more effectively — all of which improve the employee experience and support better business outcomes. “Companies can engage employees in productive remote work as long as employees’ desires and needs for flexibility are balanced with efforts to lead effectively and promote a sense of cultural cohesion,” she said.