HYBRID WORK IN HRM

 

Hybrid Work in HRM

                                            Figure 1: Hybrid work in HRM

Hybrid work is a people-first strategy for managing the workforce that boosts output and job satisfaction while tackling the main drawbacks of distant work, such as loneliness and a lack of community. Employees that operate under a hybrid work paradigm have more freedom to work from home or any other location where they may be effective. With hybrid work, the workplace is no longer confined to the four walls of the corporate office; instead, it is a network of people who work at the office, from their homes, and in coworking spaces. Depending on the tasks they need to do, team members might move between different places. Depending on the company and the sort of work being done, the hybrid work paradigm can take on numerous forms (Webex, 2023).

 

Hybrid Work Schedule

The hybrid work schedule is one element that is especially exclusive to the hybrid organizational model. The physical on-site cadence that firm personnel will adhere to is determined by this timetable. Frequently, a department, a manager, or a company policy will determine the specific cadence. The two types of hybrid work schedules that are most frequently used are rigid and flexible.

·         Rigid Workplace Schedule

The company or management lays out the days that employees must report to work in detail. There is therefore little room for the employees to tailor their workdays to fit their personal lives. The advantage of this schedule is that it makes it easier for other workers to plan when they will be physically with their colleagues and hybrid team members and assures staff rotation to promote mingling. The most typical fixed schedule structure is 3 2 or 2 3, which means that a person works in the office for three days before working remotely for the next two days, or vice versa.

 

·         Flexible Workplace Schedule

Under this form of timetable, the employee has complete discretion to determine their own on-site work schedule. Companies typically provide employees with some sort of direction on how many in-person days they should work during a specific time frame. This figure is determined on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual basis, depending on the organization. Despite being less common among hybrid businesses, this hybrid work schedule has some distinctive advantages. Many organizational psychologists and workplace experts advise against having a rigid schedule. This is so because the advantages for the employee frequently result in advantages for the company that are higher. Employees appreciate this arrangement because it gives them more flexibility in their lives and, more significantly, gives them more control over how they do their in-person job (Moffitt, 2023).

 

Advantages of hybrid work

                                                    Figure 2: Advantages of hybrid work

·         Less attrition

Employee engagement is often higher among those who value the flexibility a hybrid work model provides, and they are also less likely to become burned out or look for other employment opportunities. In contrast, Gallup discovered that when companies force workers to stay on-site all the time, they are less engaged, suffer from greater levels of burnout, are more likely to look for opportunities at other companies, and have lower levels of wellbeing.

 

·         Fewer or no commutes

Due to the fact that employees no longer have to go by car each day, a hybrid work model greatly reduces commuting times for workers, which benefits both the environment and their well-being.

 

·         Reduced operating costs

Due to the reduced need for office space purchases or leases, businesses that employ a hybrid work model can lower their operational costs. They save money on transportation, which benefits the workforce as a whole.

 

·         Increased productivity

Because remote workers can frequently concentrate more on head-down work, a hybrid work model has the potential to increase productivity. Additionally, there is a chance that absenteeism will decline because staff members who have minor illnesses might choose to work from home rather than take a sick day. Additionally, there is less chance that they will infect their coworkers as a result.

 

·         Access to an expanded talent pool

Organizations that adopt a hybrid work model can recruit employees from virtually anywhere in the world (Heinze, 2023).

 

            Figure 3: A framework for the ultimate hybrid model

 

Disadvantages of hybrid work

·         Harder to collaborate with remote employees

There isn't a perfect virtual replacement for impromptu conversations at the water cooler or bump-ins at work. It could be more difficult for remote workers to communicate with those working on-site, and vice versa. It's possible that you have no control over the WiFi signal of your distant team or the noise level of their neighbor's lawnmower.

 

·         Faster employee burnout

Even under a hybrid approach, the culture of burnout may infiltrate the workplace if left unchecked. Your remote crew may put in more time and take fewer breaks than the people who work on-site. They might even feel worse about taking the afternoon off for themselves and overcompensate by staying at work later.

·         Difficulty keeping up with hybrid schedules

The schedules of your employees will be more varied as you have greater freedom. You can experience resource problems if there isn't a reliable and simple way to keep track of personnel scheduling. Additionally, it can be challenging for workers who arrive on site to determine which of their teammates will be there.

·         Not suitable for all industries

Not all industries could benefit from hybrid work structures. Some organizations, like those in the medical or educational fields, require a fully remote or fully on-site environment to operate (Akhter, 2022).

 

Conclusion

A hybrid work environment combines office and remote work to give employees flexibility and assistance. Employees often have greater work-life balance and more autonomy in hybrid workplaces, which results in higher levels of engagement. Building a more productive, healthy, and stable workforce is advantageous to employers. The hybrid workplace, however, is neither a quick fix nor a solution to every problem at work. Utilizing contemporary HR technologies that foster connection, collaboration, and employee engagement, today's hybrid workplace must be implemented strategically.

 

References

Akhter, M., 2022. Envoy. [Online]
Available at: https://envoy.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-hybrid-work/
[Accessed 2 May 2023].

Heinze, C., 2023. Tech Target. [Online]
Available at: https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/hybrid-work-model
[Accessed 2 May 2023].

Moffitt, D., 2023. Kumospace. [Online]
Available at: https://www.kumospace.com/blog/what-is-hybrid-work#:~:text=Hybrid%20(2021)%3A%20A%20workplace,the%20hybrid%20strategy%20was%20developed.
[Accessed 2 May 2023].

Webex, 2023. Webex. [Online]
Available at: https://www.webex.com/what-is-hybrid-work.html#:~:text=Definition%3A%20Hybrid%20work%20is%20a,however%20they%20are%20most%20productive.
[Accessed 2 May 2023].

 

Figure 1: Hybrid work in HRM... 1

Figure 2: Advantages of hybrid work. 2

Figure 3: A framework for the ultimate hybrid model 4