Technology solved problems during the global pandemic. People ordered their groceries online. Students attended their classes in real-time through online gathering platforms. Employees worked anywhere or from the comfort of their own homes.
Although the pandemic is now mostly over and things have started going back to normal, many things have changed. And some have had a great impact on our society.
According to a survey conducted by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, 68 percent of all interviewed employees preferred a hybrid or remote work setup.¹
Remote and Hybrid Work Models
Remote work refers to the arrangement where employees can work from anywhere, without having to be physically present in their company building.
Additionally, The Economist named the hybrid work environment as Johnson’s Word of the Year in 2022.² It’s a working model that combines remote work and traditional on-site work in a flexible manner. This means employees can work some days onsite and other days from their own homes.
Why Do These Models Fit in the Tech Industry?
Considering the nature of work and culture in the tech industry, technology companies can easily adopt remote and hybrid working models.
Typically, tech work involves working independently on an assigned project. The efficiency of an employee is not based on his human interactions but on the results or products he produces.
If your employees are productive and can deliver high-quality projects on time, you are still hitting milestones and increasing the efficiency of the company. Then, the importance of “where” they work diminishes and becomes less important.
Benefits of Choosing Remote and Hybrid Work
In a hybrid or remote setup, employees don’t need to spend much money on commuting. They don’t need to waste time getting up hours before their shift just so they can arrive at the company on time. They also have better chances of maintaining a good work-life balance or work-life blend.
Working in these models can be beneficial, especially to independent and responsible people. What about employers? Are there also benefits you can take advantage of?
Of course! Below is a list of advantages of incorporating remote and hybrid work models in your organization.
1. Better well-being for employees.
According to Prodoscore’s research, employees who were part of the remote arrangement were 22 percent happier than those who were required to work on-site.³
Thanks to the environment they have created at home, hybrid and remote employees were also less stressed and more productive than ever. Although it may take some time to adjust to these new working situations, studies by Ergotron showed that the effort to adjust is well worth it.
Out of all the employees who adopted the remote and hybrid work culture, 56 percent reported an improvement in their mental health. The same employees also cited more physical activities, better work-life balance, and better employee satisfaction.
2. Increased productivity.
Since employees are more satisfied when working from home, they feel more motivated to put in their best effort.
With better physical, mental, and psychological health, your team can improve productivity, proactiveness, and efficiency in their work.
3. Reduction in operational costs.
With fewer people in the workplace, you can have lesser things to maintain. This means that the cost of materials and equipment is lower since employees usually use their own. Your employees can use their own laptops or computers at home, instead of having dozens of high-tech computers.
Overhead costs also significantly decrease since a lot of expenses are removed. You can enjoy less expenses in utilities and maintenance bills.
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) saved a significant amount of money when they allowed their employees to work at home back in 2021.⁴ With this new setup, IBM saved a total of 50 million dollars in real estate costs alone.
4. Wider talent pool to choose from.
Remote and hybrid work gives you the opportunity to hire more people and consider candidates who are not based in your area. You don’t have to worry about who will get to work on time or if the top talent you found needs help to relocate near your company.
You don’t have to limit yourself to the location where your candidates and employees live since they can be just as productive and efficient at home.
Aside from having more candidate options from all over the globe, a research Forbes conducted also stated that 90 percent of their respondents prioritize the hybrid work model.⁵
The ability to do hybrid work is one of the biggest factors employees consider a company they want to work for and commit to.
5. Better adaptability for unforeseen events.
An established hybrid workplace model can help your organization to be prepared for any challenges that the economy may bring.
Technology is not perfect, which means errors and issues can happen every once in a while. In case technology or internet connectivity fails to deliver the promised service, your remote workforce can opt to finish their responsibilities on-site.
On the other hand, if another global situation occurs or personal emergencies prevent employees from coming to work, then the remote working model is present and to the rescue.
How to Successfully Shift to a Remote or Hybrid Model?
Deciding to shift is an easy task but understanding how to successfully do it’s the tricky part. It takes a lot of time and effort to shift the model of work present in your company, but it only takes a few steps to try!
1. Decide which model is best suited for your company.
Flexible work is the key goal here, but you need to first decide which of the two frameworks will fit your company culture the best.
For example, the technological work your company does often asks your people to work on their own. Can the outputs be done simply by using laptops or computers? If yes, then maybe having a remote team is the best option.
But what if your milestones required constant communication and collaboration? What if virtual meetings are just not enough to develop employee productivity? What if there are tasks that need to be done inside the office space? Then consider using a hybrid workplace to solve your problems.
Even within the same industry, each company is different. You need to understand your organization and figure out the best way for your employees.
2. Set proper parameters.
All things in the world can get out of hand without rules and regulations set in place. That’s the reason why you need to be clear when defining the parameters of the model you chose to implement.
Make sure that your rules are complete and easy to understand. Inform employees about everything they need to know starting from the description of the hybrid model.
Some suggestions of rules and regulations to include are:
- Hybrid working schedules
- Ways to report work progress
- Applications needed to access work files
- Required communication (e.g., conferences, chats)
- Specifications of equipment needed (e.g., CPU, RAM, internet speed, etc.)
- Rules when in the physical office
Remember that the rules of a hybrid work model differ per company so it’s your responsibility to be as specific and direct as you can be to keep order and peace among your employees.
3. Listen to your employees.
At the end of the day, your business’s growth and efficiency will depend on the performance of your people. This means that you should give weight and importance to what they have to say.
In a remote or hybrid setup, you still need to communicate with your employees even if you’re physically miles away. This can be done by setting one-on-one consultations or group discussions when necessary.
When you ask employees how they are feeling and what they need to thrive, you are giving them the chance to enhance not just their output but also themselves.
Listening to your employees can help lessen burnout and increases the overall quality of your company.
BUILD A STRONG WORK MODEL OF YOUR CHOOSING.
Don’t hesitate to embrace flexibility and start planning your transition to a remote or hybrid work model today! And for your remote and hybrid staffing needs, choose Focus People.
Our team of experienced recruiters is dedicated to finding the right talent to help your business thrive in any work model you employ. Let us help you build the dream team you’ve been looking for.
Contact us now to get started!
References:
1. McKendrick, Joe. “Hybrid Work Is Now The Norm For The year Ahead – And Beyond.” Forbes, 28 Dec. 2022. https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2022/12/28/hybrid-work-is-now-the-norm-for-the-year-aheadand-beyond/?sh=426a363520bd
2. The Economist. “And the word of 2022 is…” 2022. https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/12/14/and-the-word-of-2022-is
3. Robinson, Bryan. “3 New Studies End Debate Over Effectiveness Of Hybrid And Remote Work.” Forbes, 4 Feb. 2022 https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2022/02/04/3-new-studies-end-debate-over-effectiveness-of-hybrid-and-remote-work/?sh=566f364959b2
4. YEC. “How Remote Work Can Increase Business Profits.” Forbes, 13 Oct. 2021. https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2021/10/13/how-remote-work-can-increase-business-profits/?sh=6629f00b17b8
5. Naik, Neha. “Remote and Flexible Hybrid Work Setups Are Optimal For The Tech Industry – And Companies Should Embrace Them.” Forbes, 1 March 2023. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/03/01/remote-and-flexible-hybrid-work-setups-are-optimal-for-the-tech-industry-and-companies-should-embrace-them/