The hybrid working model is getting a lot of airtime right now. No great surprise considering that the majority of businesses have been clear that’s the post-pandemic approach they’re gearing up to take.

We know remote work works. Widespread surveys all confirm that the benefits of remote working are critical when it comes to considering the future of the office. But the surveys also revealed that whilst people want flexibility, they’ve missed seeing their teammates in person.

Businesses that were predominantly office-based had to swiftly adapt to remote working once the pandemic hit and they’re now facing the prospect of trying to build a bridge between the two.

The pros and pitfalls of a hybrid approach

A hybrid model would see a combination of remote and in-person work. The pros of such an approach include:

• The opportunity to grab the best of both worlds. To give people the flexibility and autonomy they’ve been craving whilst also retaining the chance to connect and collaborate in person

• A way to build on the benefits gained from remote working. Catching sight of co-worker’s homes and lives via video calls has led to far greater levels of empathy and understanding for each other, meeting etiquette’s improved and it’s created the opportunity for more voices to be heard.

• A way to facilitate the growing trend for people moving out of major cities. Prior to Covid this wasn’t really on the cards as people weren’t prepared to add more hours to their daily commute. But Covid’s opened new possibilities for people to seek the health benefits of a quieter, slower pace of life

• For some businesses, a hybrid model may well just be an extension of how they are already operating particularly if they are used to collaborating across multiple time zones

• The positive impact on the environment. From the reduction in the number of cars on the road to the reduction in energy use and office waste – it’s all helping us create a more sustainable society  

If it’s done right, businesses will be able to attract better, more diverse, talent. In turn, they should be able to achieve greater levels of innovation, and ultimately create more value for all their stakeholders.

But a hybrid set up is hard to get right. Some business leaders have called the model the worst of both worlds and have committed to fully remote instead.

Here are some of the pitfalls to be aware of are:

• To be successful leaders will have to let go of the old, pre-Covid model of working - one that rewards attendance rather than output. They’ll need to adopt different ways of leading teams and assessing performance

• The potential for a two-class system – those in office being first-class and those at home second-class. People leaders might favour employees they can see in person – viewing them as more dedicated, productive, and more engaged than those who they only see over video

• The potential negative impacts on diversity & inclusion (D&I) and health & wellbeing. To a large extent the choice we make about remote or in-person work will depend on our age, the communities we live in and the demanding lives we have outside of work

• Some people enjoyed having a personal space in the office. Their shoes were under their desk, and photos and other personal items sat on top of their desk. If offices are to be reduced in size and desk sharing become the norm, people will lose that sense of home in the office.

If inequalities between remote and in-person workers aren’t addressed swiftly and deliberately it could cause severe problems that hurt long-term engagement and productivity.

Making a hybrid approach work

As your business looks beyond the pandemic and plans for the future of work, we recommend thinking about these five questions:

1. Start by asking what you want the office to be used for? Is it a place where new hires will be inspired and integrated into the fabric of the company, or maybe it’s a platform for connection and collaboration? Get clear on how work best gets done in your world and the specific behaviours you’re looking to drive

2. How will you best support the creation of the culture that you want and need for success? Your approach needs to drive an even greater connection to your cause and the foundations of who you are – why and how you do business

3. How will your approach support your D&I strategy? You need access to diverse talent to drive ongoing innovation and change. And you must ensure a level playing field for everyone in the business whatever their background and life experience

4. How will your approach ensure everyone’s able to maintain high levels of mental health and wellbeing? People have highly specific, complex and unique needs that need to be considered carefully

5. How will digital technology be used to enhance communication? Technology that allowed people to work successfully from home also made it possible for them to come into the office, plug in their headphones and spend all day online. Consider how your choice of digital technology will improve communication between remote and in-person workers

The hybrid workforce is set to stay, and crucial to its success will be providing a consistent employee experience for all workers, wherever they work. With clever consideration of the design of the office and ensuring a level playing field for all, we’re excited by the prospect of a more flexible, autonomous, and purposeful future of work.

In our next blog post, we’re going to be sharing some ideas to help make hybrid working successful in your business. Be sure to check back shortly to find out what we have to say!

We’re working with businesses to help them do more than just get through the current pandemic. We help them see this time of disruption as an opportunity to introduce more human ways of working that put talent and people at the heart of business success. We create communities that are deeply connected to purpose and set up new ways of working that nurture creativity and human connection.

Get in touch if you’d like to find out more about how we can help future-proof your business for success in 2021 and beyond.