The Emergence of Hybrid Remote Work
With the world still in controversy over remote work, a new challenger has emerged: hybrid remote work. We can tell by the data and trends that remote work is here to stay but why are people so interested in this intermediary between on-location work and completely remote work? What is hybrid remote work?
In this microblog, we’ll endeavor to answer your basic questions about what hybrid remote work is and how it can be a practical alternative for some remote workers.
What is Hybrid Remote Work?
- As the name suggests, a hybrid remote work model combines standard on-location and remote working environments.
- Usually, it is offered by companies in pursuit of making employees return to offices for various reasons.
- There are several models of hybrid remote work with each adding its desired level of flexibility such as
- 3-2 model in which an employee has to spend 2 days on-location and 3 days fully remote
- Flexible time models in which the employee can manage to visit the on-location office at a time of their choosing
- A model that requires employees to visit the office on fixed specified days and besides that, the employees can choose which day to go on-location and work remotely in other periods
- So there truly isn’t one standard model that fits all as companies and individuals are free to see what works for them while being inside the spectrum of fully remote and on-location
Why Hybrid Remote Work?
According to Accenture Future of Work Study 2021, 83% of workers around the globe prefer a hybrid work model. 1 This underscores just how important hybrid remote work has become and why its popularity is growing.
Hybrid vs Remote Work
- There is a growing trend among employers fed up with remote work who offer hybrid remote as an alternative.
- According to PwC’s US Remote Work Survey, 68% of executives think employees people should be on-site for a minimum of three days per week. And, among the prime reasons for this is to keep a distinctive “company culture” which suffers from remote work.2
- There is a debate on what’s better suited for a particular company: remote work, on-location work, or a bit of both i.e. Hybrid Remote work.
- We believe there is no one-size-fits-all solution for businesses or companies and it boils down to each specific company, its business, and its environment.
Factors To Consider For Hybrid Remote Work
Major factors which should be considered should include all or some of the following
- Type of business
- Company policies and culture
- Type of employee job role
- Location of offices
- Cost considerations
- Tools or infrastructure for communication and work
- Employee preference
- The practicality of offering remote training
- Ability to assess employee performance
Benefits of Hybrid Remote Work
Although an intermediary between on-location and remote work, hybrid remote work does offer many advantages given its place in the remote work spectrum such as
- Increased employee productivity
- More flexibility and authority for employees
- Improved work-life balance for employees
- Employee job satisfaction level
- Cost saving for employees by saving on frequent commuting expenses
- Cost saving for employers in terms of office spaces, services, and utilities
- Access to a wider talent pool of professionals for companies
Disadvantages of Hybrid Remote Work
Again, being an intermediary, hybrid remote work has some disadvantages such as
- Inequality between in-office and hybrid remote workers
- Increased expenditures for employees as they have to establish home offices and commute to work during certain days
- A distinct company culture is difficult to maintain if employees are not properly managed
- Managing resources and schedules can be challenging and require thorough planning
- Potential for decreased spontaneous collaboration
- Technology and infrastructure costs for both office and home setups
- A difficult work-life balance as employees are not able to schedule their lives consistently without blurring personal and professional boundaries
The Future of Hybrid Remote Work
According to a Gallup report, among employees with remote-capable jobs in 2024, a whopping 53% are now working in a hybrid remote model. This is a massive increase from 31% in June 2021 and the trend is set to rise to a staggering 60% by the end of 2025. 3
As we enter the age of AI, this pattern is only set to increase with the help of powerful assistants and automation at our disposal.
Is Hybrid Remote Work The Future Of Remote Work?
After witnessing the COVID pandemic and its changes to the modern workplace, we can only attempt to navigate the ever-changing work landscape as new technologies and techniques constantly evolve. Hybrid remote work is one of these innovations that stands out as a powerful solution combining the freedom of remote work with the collaborative spirit of in-office interactions.
As organizations and employees embrace this model, we are witnessing a fundamental shift in how the modern workplace is defined. If you are considering taking the leap to hybrid remote work, we hope this guide has helped you make an informed decision.
To learn more about setting up home office network security, read our blog in the Remote Work or Digital Skills section.
To read more about the essentials required for a home office, read our article in the Home Office section.
References
- https://www.accenture.com/cl-es/insights/consulting/future-work#:~:text=Our%202021%20research%20found%20that,has%20increased%20year%20over%20year ↩︎
- https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/business-transformation/library/covid-19-us-remote-work-survey.html ↩︎
- https://www.gallup.com/401384/indicator-hybrid-work.aspx ↩︎
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