The days of the office-bound worker are numbered. Organizations that have been slow to adapt will struggle to compete with those that embrace hybrid work, as employees seek more flexibility in their careers. Even if you're not ready to embrace remote work entirely, it's worth considering how you could incorporate some elements of it into your workplace.
Remote work has expanded the workplace.
As remote work has become more common, it's no longer as novel a concept as it once was. The trend is growing and will continue to do so in the coming years. It's been around for a long time—the first documented examples of working remotely date back to the 1930s.
Remote work is an excellent option for many people who value flexibility and control over their schedules, and companies can benefit from hiring workers who are able to work remotely on occasion or full-time, depending on their needs.
Remote work may also be ideal for certain projects that require large amounts of collaboration or public participation—for example, crowd-sourcing tasks like Wikipedia updates require great collaboration across distances (as well as many other skills).
Organizations are rethinking their offices.
- It's no secret that companies are constantly redesigning their offices. These days, they're looking for more flexibility and collaboration in the workplace.
- In a hybrid workspace, there is no clear delineation between personal and professional zones. This means that you'll never be too far away from your coworkers when you need them—or even if you just want to hang out with them.
- Instead of having different areas for different types of work, office spaces will become open spaces where employees can move freely throughout the day depending on what kind of work they're doing at any given time (and whether or not they feel like working in a public area).
Technology will play a key role.
Technology will play a key role in the future of hybrid work, and it’s already starting to do so. Technology can be used to connect workers, reduce commute times, reduce costs, allow employees to work remotely and even help them do their jobs from the office or at home.
The idea of having an entirely flexible workforce sounds like something out of science fiction; however, with advances in technology it’s becoming a reality for many companies.
Workplaces that adapt to hybrid work will attract talent.
If you want to attract talent, then you need to be a place that offers flexibility. And if you want to retain that talent, then you need to be a place that offers flexibility. You see where this is going?
It's not just about attracting new people or keeping them happy, though; it's also about making sure your workplace culture is one that people actually want to be part of and doesn't feel like they're working in an office instead of their own homes (or wherever else they choose). For example: "We've had a number of employees who have either quit or retired because they wanted more hours at home with their family," says Lee Funk from The Council On Aging in Washington D.C., which offers tele-services for seniors living with dementia and Alzheimer's disease." A lot has changed since I started working here," says Ellen Gasparini, who works remotely for the same organization as an administrative assistant." There are only five people who work at our main office now -- three managers and two secretaries -- so we have no meetings scheduled during lunchtime anymore." These changes were made because more employees preferred working from home instead of coming into the office every day; once those workers left their jobs entirely due to changes made within company policy (read: less opportunities for flexible schedules), employers realized how valuable "remote" workers really were to keep around!
Personal connections will be even more important.
In a world where everyone works remotely and on their own schedule, it's easy to lose sight of the importance of interpersonal relationships. But research shows that personal connections are even more important than they've ever been before.
In fact, studies show that people who work together are more productive, satisfied, loyal, innovative and engaged. They're also more creative than those who work alone or in traditional offices—which is why it's no surprise that we've seen an increase in hybrid office spaces where some employees are based out of home offices while others spend time at an office space nearby.
Workers will be more productive in hybrid workplaces.
When you have the freedom to work wherever, whenever and how you choose, your productivity will be higher. You’ll no longer be distracted by colleagues popping into your office to chat or having to leave work early because of an appointment. You can set aside time for emails at home without feeling guilty about it as if it’s “non-work time”—and then get back into the zone immediately after checking in with family and friends.
You can also spend more time doing things that aren't related directly to your job but which boost productivity like exercise and healthy eating. You might even find yourself using your commute time for reading up on industry insights or studying new skills (if this sounds too ambitious for now, try listening to audio books or podcasts instead).
Hybrid workplaces will provide the flexibility that workers want, without losing the benefits of working together in an office.
You see, people like to work from home, but they also like to work together in an office. While many of your employees may be happy working remotely, others would benefit from the social benefits of being around a group of people who share their interests and passions. Hybrid work is the best of both worlds: it allows for more flexibility than an all-in-one workspace would allow, but still provides a sense of community that you can only get from working in a common space.
Hybrid workplaces will provide the flexibility that workers want, without losing the benefits of working together in an office. In this way, hybrids can help organizations attract and retain top talent by offering them greater autonomy than traditional offices do—while still allowing them access to shared resources like conference rooms, libraries or kitchens
Conclusion
If you want your organization to thrive in the future, it’s time to start thinking about how you can make hybrid work a reality. This isn’t just good for employees; it’s good for business. The key is to be flexible and willing to adapt as needs change, while still maintaining an office space that allows workers to connect with each other face-to-face when necessary.
