Why Should You Have a Hybrid Workplace?

Hybrid has been a buzzword doing the pandemic and afterward. But why should you consider a hybrid workplace? The answer is simple, studies show it has a positive effect on productivity and well-being. Employees don not get disturbed as much when they are working remotely. The common small talk is not a factor, because there is nobody at the coffee machine at home.

On the other hand, it also means people are more isolated and might lack a connection with their co-workers. Many have missed that doing the pandemic. But let us dive into the pros and cons of a hybrid workplace.

First and foremost, a hybrid workplace gives more productive employees. By making the employees decide their workplace and time of work, they can schedule their time more efficiently. So when they are working, they are working faster and more focused. The lack of distractions is also weighing heavily when it comes to being able to focus and be productive.

As people were able to work where they would and when they could, it gave a better work-life balance. People were able to do more things without having to ask for a day off. Commuting also reduced the time spent on work. It gave an hour or two more to the things people enjoyed doing when they had time off work. And by not commuting they also saved quite a lot of money, which left space in the budget for other fun things. 

Speaking of money, many companies could save money too. Physical offices are expensive to have but if everybody is working from home, company’s do not need to have that expense. No office also means no lunch package, free coffee, desk, and chairs. By working remotely everybody saves money. 

By working hybrid it is possible to attract talented people from around the world. You do not need to limit yourself to specific countries or even cities. Now you can focus on talent and not location.

A hybrid workplace is not for everyone. Especially production companies would struggle with this approach on all levels. But let us dive into the downsides of adopting a hybrid approach. 

The first downside could be the lack of connection to the workplace. How can you ensure a connection between the employees and the company, when they are not physically present all the time? 

How should you lead or manage employees who are not on-site? Many remote employees feel they are being overlooked when they are not physically present at meetings. They will undoubtedly miss a lot of the small talk before and after meetings. But they want, as much as anybody else, to be developed and be a part of the team. 

By letting people work from home or other places you are allowing people to be on risky networks. It could put you at greater risk of being hacked. You have to secure your data in another way. 

At the end – what you save on space in the office, you have to put into technology that can benefit the collaboration internally and externally. Good webcams and headsets are everything if you want to succeed with being more hybrid. And consider your communication systems. Only use the systems that make sense.