What is a hybrid remote job? Hybrid-remote work is proving to be a winning strategy for organizations looking to improve productivity, employee happiness, and cost-effectiveness.
While hybrid remote work started as a temporary solution to plan a return to the office for employees after two years of working remotely from home, organizations are now realizing that hybrid is not just about location flexibility.
What Is A Hybrid Remote Job
Hybrid remote work has become one of the most popular work styles among organizations of all sizes. However, at its core, it remains a difficult concept because stakeholders often see it as a “win-win” situation for employees.
Of course, the vast majority of employees want to work remotely for optimal work-life balance, but a hybrid arrangement that doesn’t give flexibility to employees about when they come into the office isn’t really a “hybrid remote work” arrangement.
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That’s because the true value of hybrid remote work lies in the cultural shift. Organizations must go from having control over where and how they work to creating a democratic work environment where passion and purpose drive the adoption of hybrid remote work.
For example, a company with a “three-day-a-week” model is not the best example of a successful hybrid remote work setup. On the contrary, an organization that sets clear guidelines for effective engagement and collaboration, productivity, and work satisfaction, while allowing employees and team leaders to establish flexible schedules, is setting the standard for the future.
The Key Characteristics of Hybrid Remote Work
A good hybrid remote work setup has the following characteristics:
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Flexibility for optimum output
Employers should provide flexibility to employees in terms of where they work and when they work, rather than focusing on meeting expectations.
Organizations must have a learning culture that supports employees in defining professional and personal objectives, while also helping them understand what flexibility looks like in order to achieve those goals.
A hybrid work environment cannot be sustainable without increased data and system security. To have a successful hybrid work environment, it is essential to invest in the right ecosystem and tools that provide the highest levels of security and safety.
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Organizations need to invest in technologies that enable them to scale their integrated work ecosystems quickly in order to maximize the benefits of hybrid work from an operating expense (OPEX) and business growth point of view.
High engagement and affinity
One of the key differences between hybrid remote work and full-time remote work is the ability to create high levels of team and organizational engagement and affinity.
Employees feel more aligned with organizational objectives and team goals, resulting in higher levels of work satisfaction. Flexibility in geography, location, and hours creates employee affinity and drives employee retention. Technology-enabled tools are an essential part of this integrated work environment.
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Best Practices for Hybrid Remote Work in 2023 and Beyond
While it’s up to each organization to determine what works best for their business and organizational objectives, here are a few best practices that can help:
Track, measure, evolve
It’s important to note that hybrid remote isn’t a done deal. It’s still in its early stages, and there will be plenty of learning opportunities along the way. For example, location flexibility doesn’t necessarily affect collaboration and engagement.
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But time flexibility beyond a certain number of hours can. This can vary from team to team and even from organization to organization. So, you’ll need to be agile and make adjustments as the data comes in.
Try, test, launch
Whether you’re rolling out a new tool or introducing a new KPIs measurement methodology, it’s important to go slowly and scale when making decisions about hybrid remote work policies/systems. This way, you’ll be able to spot any potential issues early and adjust the course accordingly. So, whether you’re launching a new tool or rolling out a new KPI measurement methodology, go beta and implement your solution based on performance.
Look for ways to cut down silos
One of the biggest organizational issues in the post-COVID economy is the siloed nature of teams and individuals. The “sweet spot” of the hybrid remote model is where silos are minimized. However, achieving this goal requires the right combination of a collaborative culture, communication-focused tools, and technology.
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Wrapping Up
What is Hybrid Remote Work? Hybrid work allows employees, teams, and organizations to be flexible and agile at all levels.
It allows for regular changes across the full hybrid spectrum – working from an office on specific days, working from an office-based project and collaboration requirements, working from the office in a traditional location, and working from an office in a co-working space.
Such a model challenges everything we’ve traditionally thought about offices, work culture, and work styles. And that’s where we need to really dig deep.
