What is Hybrid Working and how can we make it work?
Hybrid work is a flexible work model that supports a blend of in-office, remote, and on-the-go workers. It offers employees the autonomy to choose to work wherever and however they are most productive. Hybrid work rose to popularity through the pandemic when employees and employers acknowledged that much of their work could be carried out at home or remotely. Technological advances and the rise of Video Conferencing have made remote meetings and other forms of collaboration possible. Hybrid working definitions are different from one organisation to another and even from one dictionary to another (!)
How does Hybrid working work?
With the term being so open to interpretation, communication is Key to the success of Hybrid Working practices. Every organisation must be absolutely clear and concise on definition and expectations from the get go. For some this means total freedom to choose when and where you work and for others there is a company policy that gives set days or of course something in between. Agency ‘The Foundation’ opted for Wednesdays + 1 so that every Wednesday the whole organisation is ‘in office’ and they have the option of choosing 1 other day; the result has actually seen most people attend the office 3 days per week.
Hybrid Working Tips
If you are considering creating a hybrid workplace or attempting to but finding challenges, there are some key points to consider:
Enable employees with the right tech:
Critical to hybrid working is having a laptop or other mobile device to be able to move freely around an office building. Arguably more challenging is the set up for meetings; Microsoft recently outlined its vision for the future of meeting rooms in the era of hybrid working, alongside its newly branded ‘Signature’ Teams Room solution, The two primary goals it has set are: a) everyone in the meeting feels included, represented, and productive, and b) connections feel natural and immersive. Of course for smaller companies with lower budgets there is still no obvious nor defined way to set up a meeting to suit both users working remotely and in the office but adjustments to layouts to ensure there is not one small head at the far end of the table is a good place to start along with ensuring your tech is consistent across your meeting rooms. Talk to our design team to hear about the ways we have implemented immersive meeting spaces on recent projects and you can also read about them here.
Leading by example:
Leaders of businesses need to show that it is ok to work from home part of the week by doing so themselves; Equally it is important that they work from their offices if they are expecting others to do so. Intentional leadership is required to ensure that we are thinking about ‘how’ we work not ‘where’ we work. This means defining and planning what to do to enable everyone to do their best work and creating an office environment that supports everyone and embracing flexibility.
Providing Identity and Purpose:
The physical workspace can be designed to incorporate the purpose, brand and values of a business but what about those working remotely? The fact is that Employees who feel engaged, considered and connected to the organisation will always perform better being aligned behind the purpose and vision or an organisation will help workers to be motivated and part of the wider culture.
Growing a hybrid culture:
Culture can be described as the set of collective assumptions within an organisation that guides attitudes, behaviours, and ways of working. It outlines how your company gets things done. Many Business leaders and employees thought culture was mainly tied to the physical space and the activities that happened there; Culture isn’t a games room with ping-pong tournaments. It’s not free lunch on Tuesdays or Fridays with beer; Culture is the values and assumptions people align with, it is the way workflow works, how collaboration happens and how colleagues treat each other. Most organisations who have settled into their own Hybrid flow have realised they have likely had to reshape their culture for their new reality but culture has not disappeared or gone away. Building relationships is seen as one of the top motivators for travelling to an office.
Consider the well being of employees:
It is imperative, especially in today's hybrid world that individuals are nurtured, trained (upskilled) and on boarded and that they have access to support where needed to enable them to succeed at work and in life regardless of if they are working from home or in the office. More on employee wellbeing in the blog post here
Create a compelling and considerate office space and working environment:
Amenities are no longer “nice to have,” but essential attributes of a great workspace. There is now far greater awareness of how we each work best — both individually and collectively. This is shaping new expectations about the physical workplace itself . The office should be a destination not an obligation - a place employees are drawn to spend time in. The only way to achieve this with integrity is to ask and listen to what people need in their workspace to make their day efficient, enjoyable and productive. Inclusive design can help deliver great experiences and support working styles for a diverse, multigenerational workforce.
Consider what type of environment works best for learning and development:
For on boarding, learning and development the majority of workers prefer in person working from a physical space. Whilst it is of course not impossible to remote learn there are physical cues and informal moments critical to the experience of a new employee. In addition, a global report published in mid-October by workforce solutions company Aquent found that 77% of 18- to 24-year-olds are worried that remote work restricts their career progression. Aliza Sweiry, Aquent’s U.K.managing director states “Gen Zers, many of whom have never set foot in an office, want an environment that fosters open communication and individual accountability along with training and learning opportunities, whether they work in the office or from home”. That said, some elements of personal development and learning were in fact not hindered by working remotely: the Policy Institute at King’s College London and King’s Business School report suggested 40% of London workers aged between 16 and 24 years old said it is easier to put themselves forward for important tasks when working with colleagues remotely. And 45% said remote working made it easier to ask questions — almost double the proportion of 25- to 49-year-olds (24%) and three times the percentage of those aged 50 years old and above (14%).
Author: Emma Morley, Founder and Director
Emma founded Trifle* in 2010 after a career in marketing, event design and production. Frustrated by the fact that only advertising agencies had inspiring spaces she had a desire to make good design the norm for all office workers. Emma has worked across well over 150 interior projects during her career at the helm of Trifle*, she remains passionate about making amazing spaces but also making the industry more accessible, more human and more diverse.