Not only a Hybrid workplace model benefits employees, but also the companies. The pandemic pushed businesses to redesign their working models and gave many to experiment with their businesses to boost productivity and employee satisfaction. The output can be surprisingly more positive than the limitations. Moreover, many employees found a hybrid working model more beneficial as they could focus better in their comfort zone. But, can there be any risks or limitations of the hybrid working model? The following research on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Hybrid Workplace explore further.
A hybrid work model combines two aspects, the structure of an office and the flexibility of working from Home. Hybrid work focuses on granting more freedom to employees to fit work around other aspects of their lives rather than just sitting during office hours from 9 to 5.
According to recent research, 77% of UK employees favoured working from Home as they can work both in-office and remotely. The hybrid workplace can be set up anywhere, Home, office, or anywhere employees feel comfortable.
All in all, a hybrid workplace makes you free to choose your workplace besides the office; it can be your dorm, home office, or even your backyard. All that matters is a quiet place, a suitable environment, and access to resources.
Many employees say that working from home helped them increase productivity and made them happier during the lockdown. Where Reddit stressed on working remotely, employees had the flexibility and freedom to tend to their responsibilities managing time between professional and personal lives. The following points list the advantages of hybrid workplace.
Choosing a hybrid workplace model benefits your benefits company in terms of boost in productivity. For example, according to a study by Microsoft based on the impact of the pandemic on the performance of European companies, 82% of the leaders said their companies were at least as productive as they were before the pandemic.
Workers with flexible work hours can utilize their time better as they don’t have to go through rush hours while commuting. They stay away from noises and disturbances faced in a traditional working environment. In a hybrid workplace model, it’s employees who can choose to work when they’re feeling most productive.
The hybrid working model lets managers expand their scope of hiring as they can look for talent remotely. In addition, given that there are no geographical limits, recruiters can connect to prospective employees through Zoom or Skype for interviews.
These advantages of hybrid workplace increase the chances for talented people to find the right jobs. Also, companies can enhance their productivity by bringing in the best talent on board.
Employee’s satisfaction is a major contributor to companies’ growth. Being free to work from anywhere and anytime toils less burden on employees. According to Survey Monkey's report, employees who worked remotely were more satisfied than their colleagues who worked in the office on fixed deadlines.
Having a homely atmosphere around, no obligations to dress formally, or the presence of their loved ones, help employees elevate their mood levels. This is something they certainly miss while in the office.
Employees have to incur expenses on the everyday commute, refreshments, and other miscellaneous activities. On the other hand, companies have to incur expenses on resources used by workers such as air conditioning, lightings, and consumables.
Each company is an asset to the company; considering resources, they also come at an expense. Both employees and companies have maximum advantages of the hybrid workplace as companies would have fewer expenses, and employees can save more.
When safety is the top priority for everyone, and people need to maintain social distancing, a Hybrid workspace is the safest option. Moreover, experts suggest that even if populations take vaccinations jab, social distancing will be mandatory to re-order the world in the post-pandemic phase.
More time will be required to lift travel bans; Hybrid workplace models would stay in trend for a long time to avoid contact with people at the workplace.
Along with the benefits come some considerable disadvantages of the Hybrid Workplace Model. Dependence on technology and longer working hours come to every mind that could cause potential risks and negatively impact employees’ health.
There’s no limit to working; instead of an eight-hour shift, the flexibility of the Hybrid working model can make you stretch your work schedule. For example, employees working remotely may work for longer periods taking shorter breaks than their in-office counterparts.
Given that many things at home tend to, there are certain tasks to complete within a day. Some jobs are more demanding when employees have their own space to enjoy. Working at home means you are also taking care of your home besides checking emails.
Technology is an integral part of every workplace; staying connected with your team and coordinating with them constantly is the need of the hour. Companies use a Cloud-based system to save their work progress day-in and day-out. All the equipment, including software and hardware, are available at the offices.
But having adequate hardware and resources such as laptops, phones, software, or a stable internet connection is not something everyone can have. In addition, employees may have physical or financial restrictions to manage work at home. Thus, dependency on technology is among the many disadvantages of a hybrid workplace.
Introducing Hybrid workplace models is oftentimes more challenging, especially for residential spaces. For example, rearranging your home means ridding the stuff and adjusting new ones in the room. This process is not only time-consuming but also expensive.
Equipping your home with a Hi-Speed Wifi network, installing hardware, and setting the furniture can be cumbersome when you have a small area to adjust into. In addition, there can be more disadvantages of hybrid workplace model when you have a noisy neighbourhood.
Managers have to monitor the work progress of their employees when it’s about strict rules and the company’s policy. Remotely connected employees often have to share screens with their superiors. This ensures they are logged in and tending to office work rather than wasting time on social media or elsewhere.
According to a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) survey, over one-third of employers admitted that they faced difficulties with upholding the company’s culture and productivity due to remote work.
With more use of the internet, there is an unprecedented surge in cybercrimes. An increase in recent unlawful activities triggers the issue of the safety of employees while they conduct business online.
Cyber-attacks and data loss are more common disadvantages of Hybrid Workplace which should draw companies’ attention. Organizations need to secure their end by using constant monitoring measures, robust password management, and multi-factor authentication to mitigate the risk of a data breach.
Conclusion on Pros and cons of Hybrid Workplace
With the current scenario, it’s easy to predict the future of the hybrid working model. It certainly has become the new normal as the world may need years to recover from the pandemic fully. The current generation favours this model as they don’t have to report to the office every day, while millennials favour the work-from-home model. If you are the one to follow it, it’s better to be aware of the Pros and cons of Hybrid Workplace first.
A hybrid workplace model mixes in-office and remote work to offer flexibility and support to employees. In a hybrid workplace, employees typically enjoy more autonomy and better work-life balance ? and are more engaged as a result. As a result, employers benefit by building a more productive, healthy, stable workforce.
In general, they fall into three main categories: enhanced well-being, increased income, and increased mobility. Individuals who have used hybrid working frequently report that it allows them to work where and how they choose and saves them time commuting.
A mix of strategies has helped organizations achieve a productive work-life balance while reducing stress and commuting. Under the new employment paradigm, workers are now free to operate from the place they choose, at a time that is convenient for them.
Workers in a hybrid work arrangement have greater freedom to get things done when they're at their best. For example, some people perform better early in the morning, while others prefer later. They may also opt for remote work from a different location.
