We cannot deny the changes to our lifestyles under the Covid-19 pandemic, known as the ‘New Normal’, especially those in the workplace. Under these changes, the ‘Hybrid Workplace’ has become an important trend to understand.
What characterizes this trend and how will it change the world? Let’s seek answers together.
Get to know the Hybrid Workplace.
During the past couple of years, we’ve had to adjust to this ‘New Normal’ lifestyle. This shift from office life to working remotely, means that now, our interactions between work colleagues take place online, at home. This adjustment in working life is now accepted as common practice. Fortuitously, companies have realized that this practice has led to improved performance with positive outcomes, leading to efforts to produce new ways of ensuring that this trend continues as working from home increases productivity.
However, many organizations realize that this approach cannot be 100% effective across all types of work, especially those in the creative sector. As creativity requires a collaboration between employees, therefore requiring a continued presence in the office, the concept of a ‘Hybrid Workplace’ arises. This is a flexible working format that allows workers to switch between working from home and the office. To promote a seamless continuity for such practices, the implementation of technology plays a key role in linking these two modes of work. In short, a Hybrid Workplace expands on the ‘working from home’ format.
What will a Hybrid Workplace change?
Currently, the hybrid working style is not only a ‘New Normal’ but what could be called a ‘Now Normal’. Many organizations around the world are increasingly applying Hybrid Workplace concepts to their working practices. Consequently, if these practices become the new working lifestyle, how will the world of work and business change? We will briefly illustrate two aspects, affecting both the organization as a whole and its employees:
1. Organizations will need to decide on an adjustment of investment format.
When employees are not required to work at the office every day, companies could take advantage of the minimal use of office space to reduce business costs and apply this saving to investment in technology. Creating effective solutions are considered key to the Hybrid Workplace style, including software, its applications and cloud system, allowing employees from all departments to work efficiently and harmoniously. As an example, employee time-entry tracking in use by HR departments could benefit from the use of advanced HR application technology, tracking employee movement easily.
Some companies may not need to minimize office space, but convert to co-working spaces where employees from different departments can schedule access to such space or benefit from free seat management software such as the Hot-Desk Booking System that allows employees to select appropriate placings. This change will provide employees with more space, reduce congestion in the office and minimize risk of the transmission of the covid virus. Applying these changes increases productivity and creativity due to a variety workspace.
2. Employees enjoy a better work-life balance.
The Hybrid Workplace will help employees to design a flexible working lifestyle. When they are not required to go to the office every day, this allows more time with their families. An improved work-life balance, brings increased contentment and therefore productivity at work.
These are the current trends and advantages of a Hybrid Workplace. It is perhaps, time for all of us to adjust from the ‘New Normal’ to the ‘Now Normal’.