Why You Should Consider a Hybrid Work Strategy

The word hybrid is used across a variety of contexts.

In the field of biology, the term describes an organism born out of two varieties or species. In education, it usually refers to a course that comprises a combination of face-to-face and online learning methods.

Of course, those of us engaged in office-based work associate the term ‘hybrid’ with the most popular workplace strategy of today: where employees split their time between working from home and in the office.

Although it’s not a new concept, the hybrid working trend gained traction during the Covid-19 lockdowns, at a time when lots of businesses had no choice but to enact remote working policies in order to remain operational.

And many employers found their employees were just as productive, if not more so.

Hybrid work strategies provide organisations with more resilience and flexibility when faced with disruptive circumstances. The organisation saves money by downsizing their office footprint, while retaining a physical hub in which to meet and collaborate.

When working from home, the employee doesn’t need to spend time commuting and can catch up with life admin; while in the office, they can maintain a semblance of work-life balance and catch up with colleagues and friends.

In other words, you could argue that it’s a win win!

The overall benefits of a hybrid work strategy

Let’s take a closer look at some of the reasons and research behind hybrid work’s success. How, exactly, can this seemingly new way of working result in a more motivated, productive - and most importantly, happy - workforce?

1. Better work-life balance

Hybrid work can provide employees with the freedom to organise their work in a way that matches with their peak productivity times. It can also enable individuals to manage personal tasks and caring responsibilities more effectively.

That said, some people may struggle with switching between working from home and the office. It’s important to find ways to maintain a solid sense of culture and unity across these different work environments, and to respond to any concerns.

2. A boost in productivity

Many employees report being more productive when working at home and away from the distractions of the office environment.

Research by RingCentral, based on a survey of 1,002 UK full-time workers aged 21 to 65, collected views on remote, hybrid and full-time office work. For information workers, more than half (59 per cent) recorded increased productivity when working from home, compared to a third (34 per cent) when working in an office.

Clearly, there are benefits to both settings.

And while some complain of being distracted in the office, others find working from home much more distracting and counter-productive. (Another cup of tea, anyone?)

3. Better job satisfaction

The flexibility of hybrid work can result in higher job satisfaction and lower staff turnover rates.

Research published in nature journal found that ‘hybrid working improved job satisfaction and reduced quit rates by one-third. The reduction in quit rates was significant for non-managers, female employees and those with long commutes.’

It’s all about variety and choice.

4. Access to a bigger talent pool

Organisations that have flexible working policies are often better equipped to hire employees from anywhere, while those with stringent in-office approaches are restricted to candidates who can easily commute to the office.

This level of flexibility can be particularly useful for businesses operating in rural areas with access to a limited talent pool, enabling them to tap into markets with skills and niches that might not be available nearby.

A more geographically dispersed workforce could also be a more diverse one, paving the way for a wider variety of perspectives and ideas. Some people prefer or need to work remotely due to caregiving responsibilities or disabilities, and hybrid or predominantly remote working models can help to attract these candidates.

5. Reduction in commuting time

Through hybrid working, employees can reduce the stress associated with commuting to the office five days a week, and this can result in better wellbeing.

A huge study into commuting involving 23,000 South Koreans, published last year in Science Alert, found that those who ‘commute longer than an hour are 16 percent more likely to experience depressive symptoms than those with shorter commutes under 30 minutes.’

‘With less time to spare, people could be short of time to relieve stress and combat physical fatigue through sleep, hobbies, and other activities,’ the researchers told the Korean Biomedical Review.

6. More focused collaboration

The adoption of a hybrid work strategy can encourage organisations to invest time in optimising the way in which employees communicate with each other remotely and in-person. We all know at least one person or small business that was tech-adverse before the lockdown, but haven’t looked back since they got to grips with it.

It’s important for hybrid working companies to maximise time spent together. When it comes to choosing an office, hybrid companies pay close attention to the layout and facilities that bring people together, such as meeting rooms and breakout spaces.

How could a hybrid strategy work for your coworking team?

Every organisations’ hybrid work strategy is unique to them. While some opt for the 50-50 WFH/office split, others are office-first with a few flexible work from home days peppered in. Others are remote-first with optional days in the office.

As a coworking space operator, think about what hybrid working could look like for each member of your team. Those in more operational roles may have to be site-based, but is there room for optional off-site days for catching up with admin?

The three keys are planning, communication and collaborative decision-making.

• Define your goals - Why are you considering a hybrid work strategy in the first place? Is it to improve employee satisfaction or to attract talent (or both)?

• Evaluate what you have - Take stock of the existing workplace environment, including technology infrastructure and workplace culture. How easily can you make the shift from 100% in-house to hybrid?

• Get input - Set up surveys and focus groups with your employees to really get to grips with how they feel about hybrid work. What are their ideas, preferences and concerns? You could also speak with a hybrid work specialist; there might be a member who could offer some advice!

• Develop a framework - Create a clear policy that details who can work remotely and how often, as well as the conditions. Set expectations around communication. How will you stay in touch, and how often? Will remote workers have the resources and technology required for their role?

• Consider a trial run - You could always run a hybrid work pilot to see how everyone gets on. This could be with a certain department within your coworking organisation. It’ll enable you to test the approach and make any adjustments before rolling it out to other employees or teams.

And finally, here are some hybrid work pitfalls to avoid…

• Ineffective policies - Make sure your hybrid work policy is clearly defined so that everybody understands what the expectations are.

• Inexperience - Those involved in making the decisions around hybrid work should have experience of working remotely, even if it’s just for a few days.

• Patchy communication - It can be a good idea to standardise methods and tools for communication to avoid confusion among teams.

• Inconsistent inclusion - Employers should think about how they are going to celebrate the successes of their hybrid or remote workers.