Hybrid work is now an unavoidable truth.
In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving tech recruiting landscape, the concept of hybrid work has gained significant momentum.
We’ve come a long way since the old days when remote work or hybrid work were but a mirage. Nowadays, lots of companies worldwide are now embracing the hybrid work model, a flexible work model which encourages to blend of onsite, remote and (the so-called) on-the-go workers, by giving professionals the option to choose their most productive choice of work.
As we delve into the transformational aspects of the hybrid work revolution, it’s important to understand the concept but also to explore the key components that might contribute to its success (namely: technology, communication, and culture).
Remote work impact as an open road to hybrid work
While in the past, office jobs were all we knew, in the current job market, things are quite different. Due to the COVID pandemic, the work environment had to readjust to the limitations, giving both companies and professionals a brand-new model: remote work.
During the pandemic years, people had the opportunity to experiment and understand the remote work pros and cons, being the first ones that really stand out.
The pros
The truth is that remote work offers numerous benefits, both for employees and employers. One of the key advantages is flexibility. Remote workers can choose their work environment, whether it’s a home office, a co-working space, or a coffee shop. This flexibility allows individuals to create a work atmosphere that suits their preferences, resulting in increased job satisfaction, higher productivity and a better work-life balance.
Another big pro for remote work is the fact that it eliminates the need for daily commuting, which in addition to being time-consuming and stressful, it comes with a financial cost. By choosing to work remotely, professionals can now save valuable time, that they can use doing something else beneficial for them.
The cons
However, as previously mentioned, remote work also presents its challenges. One of the major difficulties faced by remote workers is distractions. When working from home or any non-traditional office space, individuals may encounter interruptions from family members, pets, or household chores. It requires discipline and effective time management to minimise these distractions and maintain focus on work-related tasks.
Another challenge is the feeling of isolation. Remote workers lack the social interactions and spontaneous conversations that occur in an office setting, which ultimately can lead to a sense of disconnection from the company that can negatively impact employee morale and engagement.
To avoid this, companies must implement strategies that foster a sense of community and encourage virtual collaboration among remote workers.
However, in the digital age, technology can do the trick and act as the backbone for the success of these new work models. In order to enhance productivity and employee engagement in remote work settings, companies can use technology to foster seamless collaboration, efficient communication, and streamlined workflows, to bridge the physical divide between remote and in-office teams. This also means they can create routines and leverage technology for effective communication, and regularly engage in team-building activities through virtual platforms.
The rise of hybrid work
Despite the large popularity of remote work, it’s important not to overlook the impact and benefits of in-person work. Many professionals and companies still value face-to-face collaboration, which allows real-time communication, immediate feedback, and a stronger sense of camaraderie among team members. Not to mention that it also helps (many times) to foster creativity and innovation.
Nevertheless, after the advent of remote work, there is no turning back, and the most traditional office environment is no longer captivating professionals. This is the stage: the hybrid work. A guide from Cisco (Mastering Hybrid Work: A Comprehensive Guide for Productivity, Security, and Collaboration), says that “hybrid work has evolved from a ‘great experiment’ into the cornerstone of sustainable growth”. “Cisco’s recent hybrid work index indicates that 64 per cent of people agree that the ability to work remotely— instead of coming into an office directly—affects whether they stay or leave a job. It is imperative for business leaders to look at a combination of technology and new ways to engage teams and bring out the best of the work people do”, the same states.
In detail, the guide shows that:
- “55% of employees want to work remotely at least three days a week83% of workers want the future of work to be hybrid
- 72% of those planning to leave their company don’t have the tech they need to collaborate”
This goes in line with the Global Tech Talent Trends Report we’ve published recently, which shows that: “Remote work still strong, hybrid on the rise full”, with 52% of the inquired professionals preferring a hybrid model, 42% wanting to work remotely, and only a mere 6% going to the office model, which represents an increase compared to the 2022 report, where 43% preferred hybrid work (while 46% mentioned remote work as the preferred model and 11% the office one).
From this point on, there is no turning back. From now on, it’s important for companies to master this new model and to provide the best solutions so that both them (the businesses) and the professionals can benefit from it. How to do it?
Use technology to enable a seamless collaboration
As we said before, we’re living in the digital era where technology acts as the backbone of any successful hybrid work environment. So, companies must provide the tools and platforms necessary for seamless collaboration, efficient communication, and streamlined workflows, to override any division between remote and in-office teams. This means, using as much/the better communication platforms (whether it’s Zoom, Slack, Microsoft Teams, or others) to enhance and ease the cooperation among team members. As well as provide cloud infrastructures (cloud-based storage, applications, and services) and VPNs (virtual private networks) connections, so that professionals can have access (securely and reliably) to their work resources, in an efficient way.
And obviously, do not forget cybersecurity and data protection. A must these days. As remote work introduces new challenges to data security, organisations must prioritise cybersecurity measures.
Foster better communication and connectivity
Fostering effective communication is key to any organisation. In a hybrid work environment, where employees are physically dispersed, nurturing collaboration and connectivity becomes paramount. So, companies must work on strategies to facilitate clear and transparent communication among professionals. This means that it is important to create communication channels and guidelines to ensure a smooth workflow. Some project management tools might help, enabling teams to centralise their tasks, communicate updates, and track progress.
Having regular meetings and check-ins with the teams is also important as this helps them to align their efforts, do some brainstorming and address challenges together.
And, of course, let’s not forget the need to boost a transparent internal communication strategy (whether a newsletter or an intranet bulletin), to provide important internal information to all the company’s employees. Keep in mind that these help companies to share an understanding of organisational goals, upcoming projects, and changes in company policies, making their employees well-informed, while feeling valued and empowered, which ultimately leads to increased productivity and morale.
Get on board with the hybrid work
Given the trends going on in the job market, there is no denying that for those who haven’t done it yet, now it’s time to join in and get on board with this hybrid work journey, now being the time to reinvent or readjust your workspace to this work model, thus reinforcing the professional’s collaboration and productivity, while boosting your business.
If you’re looking for some intel on how to do it, join the Tech Hiring Community Conference, taking place in Porto, next September, to find out – in detail – how to master the hybrid work trifecta.
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