Experts from Gartner report that hybrid work is a significant future work trend. Advances in technology are driving the demand and businesses are quickly responding with plans to accelerate digital.
What is the Hybrid Work Model?
The hybrid work model is an approach to the work experience that allows for greater employee flexibility and autonomy. It involves a mix of working at the office and working from home or other locations. While some may view the hybrid work model as simply a mix of work at the office and at home, the hybrid revolution is a reinvention of the entire experience including our interactions with customers and how we live our lives. In a digitally-driven world, this work style is becoming increasingly popular.
The hybrid work model is a new paradigm that understands work is not where you go, it’s what you do. Its power lies within the connection between people, spaces, and technology.
Is a Hybrid Workplace Different From a Hybrid Workspace?
A hybrid workplace is different from a hybrid workspace. The hybrid workplace describes the traditional location-centric view of where work is done. It is a physical location where employees work onsite.
The hybrid workspace describes the human-centric view of where work is done. The workspace could be a workstation at the office, or it could be a home office. The workspace could also be a desk in a hotel room or anywhere the employee needs to connect to the company network. The hybrid workspace enables employees to work from the office, home, or anywhere between.
Why are Companies Shifting to a Hybrid Work Model?
While the transition to a hybrid work model has been in motion at many organizations for a while, the global lockdown required all businesses to adapt to technology that supports remote work immediately. Fortunately, technological advances in cloud computing and smartphones enable work and collaboration from anywhere. Businesses leveraged technology to innovate how remote employees interact with customers and coworkers. With the many benefits to employees and employers, the hybrid work model has become a permanent part of many organizations.
One of the key benefits of the hybrid work model for employees is that it allows for a better work-life balance. Employees can choose when and where they work, which can help them manage personal responsibilities and commitments. This can also lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction.
Adopting the hybrid work model helps companies retain existing talent and also attract top talent from anywhere. Companies save money on overhead costs such as office space and utilities in a remote setting. The physical office remains the central hub with a critical role in supporting hybrid work; however, with more employees working from home, companies can reduce the amount of space they need and potentially reduce their carbon footprint.
Overall, the hybrid work model benefits both employees and employers. It enables greater flexibility and autonomy and therefore increases productivity and job satisfaction. The hybrid work model will become even more popular as the world continues to digitize.
What Are the Best Practices for Transitioning to a Hybrid Work Model?
The best course of action isn’t just adding a remote option to your workplace. Hybrid work practices need to take a holistic approach that leverages technology to create new and improved ways of doing business.
Transformative hybrid work initiatives start with a focus on three main areas. The first area is the focus on employees to see the correlation between technology and their productivity. Another important area to examine is the customer experience and identify ways to improve how it enhances their overall satisfaction. The last area involves creating business agility, continuity, and resilience.
| 1. Flexible |
Adapting to employees working from anywhere, at any time, has different needs based on their environment, work styles, roles, environments, and devices. This greater flexibility within the organization increases business agility.
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| 2. Inclusive |
Ensuring all employees have an equal work experience regardless of language, location, or any other difference. Companies benefit when technology allows every person to be seen, heard, and participate.
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| 3. Supportive |
Promoting a supportive mindset that focuses on employee safety, empathy, and well-being. Organizations need to invest in more intelligent networks and workplaces to include smarter buildings.
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| 4. Secure |
Being secure by design and private by default - reliability and secure connectivity from anywhere is critical to the success of the new hybrid work environment. Hybrid work expands the organization’s risk surface exponentially – more locations, connections, and devices. Employees need simplified technology to enhance their efficiency; however, security and privacy must never be compromised. |
| 5. Managed |
Delivering modern infrastructure and frictionless administration is crucial. IT teams in the new hybrid work model must be able to easily provision users and devices, access relevant analytics, secure and troubleshoot issues, and collaborate through a solution that provides single-pane-of-glass management. |
Download our Free Guide to Unlock the Full Potential of Hybrid Work
The hybrid work model has given companies a competitive edge with
the flexibility it provides. Learn how to make the switch to hybrid work seamless with a free download of the IDC Hybrid Work Maturity Model.