The rise of the remote workers saved the falling economy of the world when the catastrophic Covid-19 pandemic hit. At the same time, it created massive opportunities for individuals and businesses, both big and small, to sustain themselves financially. Such was the impact of remote work that it became the new way of work worldwide. However, now that the vaccination drive is in full swing, the world is clamoring to get back to its old self. It includes employees getting back to their workplaces. But there is one massive problem hindering the call and requires to rediscover joy at work.
Millions worldwide have become accustomed to work from home culture over the past year and a half. Remote work is a highly adaptable work mode that has enabled people to manage work and life efficiently. More importantly, the positive effects of remote work are even seen in improved mental health conditions of many people. But just like a coin, remote work has some massive downsides too. Lack of work infrastructure and numerous distractions are two of those. Even you (if you have worked remotely?) could relate to several upsides the remote work culture has provided us. It has led to longer working hours, as with distractions, even the smallest of work can get stretched over hours. Therefore, a midway has been suggested by several experts and overachievers, i.e., a hybrid work arrangement.
What is Hybrid Working?
Just like remote work, hybrid work always existed. However, it is getting significance after remote work culture has taken over the world. Due to the massive downsides of remote work, many employees and organizations are about to experience the hybrid work environment for the first time. But you might have a question – What is hybrid working?
Hybrid working refers to a work arrangement where employees have to distribute their working time between their workplace and home (or any other remote location). In other words, we can describe it as a flexible working environment where employees benefit from the advantages of traditional and working from home while eliminating their disadvantages. However, the lack of awareness about the hybrid work condition has confused the masses. Employees who don’t want to give up on their work-from-home habits have difficulty understanding how to shift to the hybrid workplace environment. Therefore, here is an overachiever’s guide to hybrid work explaining benefits and challenges.
Overachievers Guide to Hybrid Work
Overachievers refer to the individuals who have performed better and achieved more success than expected. They are the goal-driven employees and leaders who believe in the final product over its processes. After acknowledging the benefits of remote work, they have come up with the proposal of hybrid working. They have developed a guide to help us understand why hybrid work is the ultimate new way of work. It is known as the overachiever’s guide to hybrid work. The guide emphasizes the benefits, challenges, and collaboration. Now, let’s take a look at each of them one by one.
Benefits of Hybrid Working
The most significant benefit of the hybrid work environment is the flexibility it can offer. For example, if you have the required resources available at home and can control your work schedules with fewer distractions, you can work remotely. However, whenever your presence is necessary for the workplace (team meetings), you must make yourself available for it. For example, your spouse has to go for a dentist appointment, and you have to pick up the kids from school. You can take the day off from the workplace and take the remaining work home in such situations.
Another benefit of hybrid working is the ability to free up time in emergencies without worrying about the consequences at the workplace. Overall, the hybrid work system has led to a more balanced life where employees stay more motivated, engaged, satisfied with their work with improved productivity and have fewer distractions leading to lesser absence rates.
Challenges of Hybrid Working
Despite the proven success of the hybrid work system, employees can find it difficult to be on board with it. It is because the implementation of the hybrid work environment requires a significant culture shift. As a result, for some employers, the hybrid working format may not be a one-size-fits-all solution. Besides, hybrid working flexibilities are dependent on the needs of the specific roles. Apart from this, there are some legal implications to consider. Employees will have to take accountability for the arrangements made where they remote work as per the convenience. Most importantly, the agreements must remain fair to both the employer and employee.
Collaboration and Team Building
A massive downside of the remote work environment is the lack of team-building aspects that come with it. Yes, virtual meet-ups are always an option, but we are well aware that they cannot impact meetings at workplaces. It is why a hybrid working environment will eventually take over as the new way of work. It encourages and motivates employees to collaborate more often and share creative ideas and facilitate team-building activities.
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