Hybrid working models - what forms are there?

It is now generally agreed that hybrid work as a form of organization will establish itself in the long term wherever possible. However, it is less clear in most companies what the concrete design will look like. For this reason, we summarize the different models of hybrid work and give you tips on how to find the right model for your company.

What are the different hybrid working models?

Hybrid working means that not all employees do their work in the office at the same time, but also work outside the office. But what sounds quite simple at first can take very different forms in detail.

Hybrid work gives employees more flexibility in terms of when and where they carry out their tasks. Consequently, the two dimensions of work location and working hours must be taken into account when choosing the right hybrid model.

Workplace location

With regard to the place of work, it is a matter of distinguishing between the

• Workplace in the office or
• Workplace outside the office.

For workplaces outside the office, it is initially irrelevant whether it is home office or the cafe around the corner.

Secondly, a distinction is made between the degree of flexibility. A classification can look something like this:

• Office First: The office remains the primary place of work. Working outside the office is only the exception.
• Partially Flexible: Employees can also work outside the office on certain days.
• Fully Flexible: Employees do not have a primary place of work, but choose daily where they want to work from.
• Remote First: Is the exact opposite of Office First. Work basically takes place remotely, the office is only used as a workplace in exceptional cases.

Working hours

The working hours must also be differentiated according to the degree of flexibility. Roughly speaking, this can be divided into:

• Fixed: The working time is firmly defined.
• Partially Flexible: There are core working hours with additional flextime options.
• Fully Flexible: Employees work completely independently of time.

If you combine the two dimensions, you quickly realize that there are numerous hybrid working models from which the right one must be found.

What effects do the different models have

Each model offers advantages for companies and employees, but also brings challenges. The following basic points can be made:

More flexibility leads to ...

• more satisfied employees, because working independently of location and time makes it easier to combine work and private life, for example by reducing travel times to and from work or integrating appointments into the working day.
• Potential savings for companies, for example by reducing office space and thus rental expenses. There are also potential savings in office equipment, for example if fewer workstations are required as part of a desk-sharing approach.
• greater opportunities for employee acquisition. Flexibility is an important criterion for young talents when choosing an employer.

However, more flexibility also means...

• greater coordination effort on the company side. This includes, for example, planning office occupancy, organizing meetings or managing projects.
• potentially higher costs for companies if, for example, office spaces have to be additionally equipped so that people inside and outside the office can participate in meetings or additional workstations have to be provided in the home office.
• that employees feel socially isolated. It can also have a negative impact on the connection with the company if employees are rarely in the office and have less contact with their colleagues.

How to find the right model for your company

As always, there is no one-size-fits-all recommendation as to which model is suitable for which company. Rather, each company must find the right model for its individual situation as part of a structured process.

Such a process could look like this:

Step 1:

First, get an overview of the conditions in your company and define which requirements the hybrid model must meet for your organization. Involve your colleagues in the process right from the start and let their suggestions flow in. Ask yourself the following questions, for example:

• What wishes and expectations do your employees have in terms of flexibility?
• Which of your employees' activities can also be carried out outside the office?
• What skills do your colleagues already have, especially in dealing with technology and digital tools?
• How important is (creative) collaboration between colleagues for the success of your company?
• What legal aspects need to be taken into account, such as data protection or occupational health and safety?

Step 2:

Based on the insights gained, initial models that do not meet the requirements can now be excluded.

At this point, it may make sense to create different hybrid work personas and apply the requirements to these personas. Colleagues in sales, for example, have to work fixed hours, while marketing teams meet regularly in the office for creative meetings.

Step 3:

After you have identified possible hybrid models for your company or individual personas, they must be evaluated for their advantages and disadvantages. Not only financial aspects, e.g. cost savings due to lower space requirements vs. additional costs for equipping workplaces in the home office), must be weighed against each other. Rather, all organizational and social effects must also be taken into account.

Step 4:

As a result, the evaluation provides a suitable hybrid model for your organization. Now the implementation of the model can begin. Whether this should happen all at once or agile step-by-step is again decided by your individual circumstances and preferences.