Hybrid work - The future of work?

The Corona pandemic has turned the working world upside down and led to an involuntary test of how well companies are set up for remote work. Due to the positive results, many suspected that employees would only work remotely in the future and were already predicting the end of the office. But as we already suspected last year, the current trend is that the work of the future will be hybrid. So what does hybrid work mean? And how can companies optimally prepare themselves for the flexible world of work?

All about hybrid work

What does hybrid working mean?

Hybrid work refers to a form of work that is independent of time and place, in which employees no longer spend every day in the office, but work both in and out of the office. Working from home in the home office is just one possible alternative to the office. The café around the corner, co-working spaces, working from home abroad and any other place that enables productive work can also be used for work. The same applies to working hours. The classic 9-to-5 job is increasingly giving way to individual time management as part of hybrid work.

However, there is no specific definition of the distribution of attendance days and days with remote work. Instead, the specific design of hybrid work will differ from company to company or even between individual departments. This is because the degree of flexibility depends on various factors, such as the role in the company and the area of responsibility.

What are the advantages of hybrid work?

Hybrid work combines the advantages of office work and mobile work. If the necessary conditions are created in the company, hybrid work offers numerous advantages for employees, employers and society.

How do employees benefit from the hybrid work model?

• Work-life balance: Taking the children to school, then starting with work emails and doing a round of yoga in your favorite yoga studio at lunchtime: Thanks to remote work, individual needs can be integrated more easily into the working day. In addition, there are no long commutes to the office, which saves time that can be used for leisure activities.

• Cost savings: Less on-site work also means lower costs for employees. Season tickets for local public transport, driving (including looking for a parking space), expensive meals in the city center - all these costs (partially) disappear with remote work. Hybrid work also makes employees more location-independent. Since they no longer have to live where they work, they can alternatively live cheaply in the countryside.

• Satisfaction: In addition to such measurable advantages, “soft” factors, such as a personally furnished workspace or the opportunity to wear relaxed clothing even during work, are an additional plus in the home office, which increase satisfaction and ultimately lead to greater productivity.

What advantages does hybrid working offer companies

For a long time, it was assumed that employees in particular would benefit from flexible working models. However, the obligation to work from home showed that companies also benefit from the new approach.

• Cost savings: With permanently fewer people in the office, cost savings are also possible for employers. Survey results among company managers see potential savings of up to 20 percent. An individual workplace no longer has to be provided for every employee, which means lower costs for office equipment. As a result, less office space is also required, which saves on rental costs. In other scenarios, the hybrid model leads to a fundamental restructuring of the office organization. Expensive office space in downtown locations is being abandoned in favor of satellite offices spread across the city.

• Employer Branding: Even today, the “war for talents” is no longer just won through salary. The possibility of flexible working hours will become an essential criterion for employer branding and in the acquisition of new employees in the future. This applies in particular to sought-after specialists in the IT and technology or finance sectors. At the same time, companies outside the metropolitan regions have easier access to skilled workers. Young, qualified employees who want to continue living in the city are now a potential target group thanks to remote work.

• Productivity: Contrary to the widespread prejudice that productivity would decrease due to remote work, this is often not observed in practice. On the contrary, numerous managers even report increases in productivity during the Corona pandemic. The possibility of working in a focused manner without disruptive noise and a generally higher level of employee satisfaction thanks to more flexible work are reasons for this.

Sustainability, strengthening rural areas: social benefits

Hybrid working also offers benefits for society as a whole. The elimination of commuting to the workplace and unnecessary business trips, which are sometimes made by domestic flights, not only saves time, nerves and money, but also reduces CO2 emissions. Hybrid working therefore makes an effective contribution to climate protection.

The possibility of remote work also increases flexibility in the choice of residence. Skilled workers are no longer forced to move to metropolitan areas for qualified work, which leads to greater social mixing and consequently strengthens rural areas.

What challenges need to be overcome with hybrid work?

Despite all the opportunities that hybrid working offers, it also brings with it various challenges. Managers are therefore faced with the task of optimally positioning the company's culture and organization for digitalization.

Suitable processes and structures must ensure that employees are integrated into all processes regardless of their place of work and have (timely) access to all information. This is the only way to ensure optimal collaboration between distributed teams. At the same time, all colleagues must be enabled for digital collaboration, because not every employee is already confident in using technology and tools.

Another challenge is maintaining the company and work culture. Many employees are already complaining that permanent remote work makes them feel less connected to their company and its vision. At the same time, team spirit declines when colleagues only see each other via video conferences. This makes it all the more important for managers to promote and encourage communication within the company and between colleagues.

Last but not least, companies fear losing their innovative strength due to distributed working. While standard tasks can easily be completed from anywhere, regular exchanges, creative sessions or joint brainstorming sessions are essential for innovative ideas.

How can hybrid work succeed in the company?

The transformation into a hybrid company is not a process of just a few days or weeks. Rather, it is characterized by continuous learning and regular adjustments. Nevertheless, companies should think about a successful transformation and create the necessary prerequisites. So what is needed to master the challenges of hybrid work and benefit from all its advantages?

1. Determine the vision for hybrid work

Decision-makers must first be clear about the role that remote work should play in their own company. Is the primary goal a possible cost saving or are the employees with their individual needs the focus of hybrid work?

2. Define remote work roles

Based on this vision, specific roles can be defined for employees, clearly defining how many days the individuals work remotely. Criteria for this include:

• Does the work even allow remote work?
• How independently the employee works
• What seniority does the employee have?

Accordingly, roles can be defined for individual departments, teams or even at employee level.

3. Provide equipment for teams and workspaces

Optimal equipment is necessary for successful collaboration in hybrid teams. Thanks to mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones or tablets, remote workers are enabled to be productive even outside the office. Digital tools for project management and communication enable quick and easy collaboration between all participants.

In contrast, the office will primarily serve as a social meeting place in the future and must enable employees to exchange ideas. As a result, office spaces need to be redesigned. Instead of individual workstations, lounge areas and numerous meeting opportunities offer space for creative exchange. Modern office technology such as smartboards enables simultaneous collaboration with remote colleagues.

4. Create technical infrastructure

Thanks to a modern technical infrastructure, everyone in the company has access to the information they need. All documents are stored in a central location and are accessible from anywhere in the world via secure connections. Thanks to zero-touch hardware, employees are properly equipped and ready to go in just a few minutes.

Companies that position themselves for the future of work on these different levels create the conditions for a successful transformation to a hybrid company.

Further information (external link): BCG Study - Remote Working and the Platform of the Future