Will Putting On Pants And Returning To The Office Lead To Zoom Calls All Day?
As businesses start to plan their "back to the office" strategy, they are having to take into consideration the pros and cons of adopting hybrid working arrangements, where workers split their working week between the home and the office.
Although such arrangements are intended to foster a flexible workplace model, designed to support a distributed workforce of both in-office and remote workers, will it cause more disruption and impact on productivity?
The same technologies that made working from home possible will also be returning with us to the office. With co-workers working to individual, flexible schedules, will this mean going back into the office, only to once again sit on Zoom all day?
The forced working from home model has proven that team collaboration, quality of performance and productivity does not need to suffer because of geographical separation, thanks to a range of online communication and project management tools. Many businesses have since realised the benefits and adopted these ‘new ways of working’ as part of their standard operating procedures.
The pandemic has led many of us to re-evaluate our our careers and our priorities for life after lockdown. Both workers and job applicants have sent a clear message to employers that flexible working arrangements are high on their list when it comes to deciding whether to continue in their current position or look for a new role that allows them to achieve the illusive ‘work-life balance’.
The shift to a hybrid workplace model is now prompting businesses to reassess their systems and processes, and understand how to build and sustain a healthy hybrid workplace culture.
A recent report by Telstra and Deliotte indicated that businesses incorporating a hybrid work model have a 6 % higher income, are 22% more likely to see higher productivity and are 28% more likely to be innovative than those without hybrid working policies.
Australian businesses that permanently embrace hybrid working models could inject an extra $18 billion into the national economy
“To ensure that hybrid working arrangements continue to deliver these benefits, leaders have to implement and adapt the policies and strategies that support employees and maximise positive outcomes including satisfaction, productivity and performance. Businesses also have a range of industrial relations, work health and safety, and insurance and liability issues to keep in mind.”
Hybrid work means different things to different organisations, but whatever model you adopt, it will only be successful if the employees experience is at its centre.
Why Your Business Will Thrive With A Hybrid WFH Business Model.
Let’s consider the benefits…
Increased productivity.
By encouraging a culture that views remote work as a positive alternative to completing deep-focus tasks in the office, teams can find a good balance of productivity, creativity and collaboration.
Reduced business costs.
Fewer people in the office mean that you might reduce unused space and gain some financial benefits along with it. This could be by renting parts of the office to other entities or moving to a smaller building altogether.
The opportunity to be leaders of hybrid work technology.
Don’t go back to old habits. The working world has changed for ever. Take this opportunity to be a leader in your industry. Be the innovative business that stays ahead of the curve with the knowledge that happy workers create more profitable businesses.
Your responsibility as a business owner is to implement the correct WHS policies and practices, to ensure that staff can safely perform their role, wherever they’re located. You are also responsible for supporting the health and wellbeing of your hybrid workers, by providing safe and ergonomically appropriate workstations, both at home and in the office.
What practices, policies and processes will you need in this new working environment ? What strategies will you implement to unlock hybrid working potential?
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