Welcome back to our hybrid working blog post series.
In this blog post, we will be exploring some of the key benefits of this new way of working which combines both working from home as well as the office.
If you’ve missed the first blog post in this series, you can read it here. We covered exactly what hybrid working is, how it differs to flexible working and which companies are implementing it for their teams.
The benefits of hybrid working
While it was certainly a shock when we were suddenly asked to collect our laptops and desk plants from the office and set up at home, it didn’t take long for many to appreciate the range of benefits offered by working from home.
From improving work/life balance to minimising the commute, working from home has done so much more for us than helping to keep us safe during the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Improvements to work/life balance
While there are certainly many benefits to working in the office, many have reported that working from home has allowed them to better balance their work and personal lives.
A study in June 2021, funded by the Department for Energy, Business & Industrial Strategy and based on a YouGov poll of more than 1,000 employers, revealed that 61 per cent of employers said employees reported an improved work/life balance as a result of home working. This relatively high percentage could be down to many factors, such as a reduction in commuting time or that it’s easier to manage commitments, like childcare, while working from home. Regardless, many seem to prefer this new way of working, which combines the best of both office and home working.
Retaining your existing team
It’s not just employees who are able to benefit from this new way of working. Employers, too, are reaping the rewards of more efficient and happier teams.
Offering hybrid working is just one way in which employers are able to retain their existing teams. In the age of the ‘great resignation’, which is seeing more and more employees leave roles they no longer enjoy, or change careers completely, employee retention is now the aim of the game.
According to a recent article by The Guardian, one in four UK workers are planning to change roles. With this in mind, offering hybrid working is a company perk that employees are coming to expect. After more than a year of working from home, many do not wish to, or have the desire to, return to the office full-time, so this way of working is preferable.
A working style that potential candidates have come to expect
The pandemic has seen many employees leaving current roles in search of the next. Companies and businesses are now looking for candidates to fill those empty positions. Offering hybrid working is now a perk that many job hunters keep an eye out for in job descriptions, and offering it can be a solution to employers attracting fresh talent.
For example, if employees have left previous roles due to the expectation of a full-time return to the office or a lack of flexibility in terms of how and where they work, the best way to attract new talent is to offer hybrid working.
If you’re wondering about the challenges that are associated with this new way of working, don’t worry. We’ll be covering some of the key challenges that are associated with hybrid working in our next blog post.
Making the workplace more accessible
The pandemic has shown that, when needed, society can adapt its way of working. Hybrid working allows those who may have disabilities and require certain adjustments to not only enter but also thrive in the workforce.
A recent report suggests that the adoption of hybrid working models would allow nearly 4 million people otherwise unable to work to join the UK workforce. From those with disabilities to those with childcare commitments, hybrid working supports many to work in a way that suits them. Hybrid working allows time and flexibility for, among others, hospital appointments or childcare adjustments, as well as working from a comfortable space with minimal travel. These are just a few of the reasons that it can benefit candidates with disabilities or those with caring responsibilities.
Carers, parents and disabled people are among the 3.8 million people that could most benefit from an increase in hybrid working, while the nation’s 6.8 million part-time workers could boost their hours, adding a potential £48 billion annually to the UK economy.
There are also geographical advantages to hybrid working. Gone are the days where you must either live or move to an area that is near to the office. Now, someone living a significant distance away from the main office base could still take a role with the company, as long as remote or hybrid working was agreed and included in their contract. This opens up a wider pool of talent for employers to recruit from.
How companies can maintain team engagement when opting for hybrid working
Having a team where some employees are in an office while others are working remotely presents several new challenges for managers. So, how can managers ensure that their teams remain connected?
1) Weekly team huddles to communicate key objectives – whether that’s in person or over Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype or Slack.
2) Scheduled one to one check ins with a line manager, which can highlight any issues or barriers that employees are experiencing
3) Frequent ‘coffee breaks’ online, where staff can catch up regardless of where they are working. Informal discussion is often when the best ideas happen!
What to do now
The remainder of this blog post series will cover the challenges of hybrid working and, ultimately, what We Love Surveys can do to support you in engaging with your team to make data-based decisions.
Make sure you’re following us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram so you don’t miss the next instalment in this series or the latest updates from our team.
If you’re interested in catching up with our other blog posts, you can do so here.