{"id":24650,"date":"2021-02-25T10:19:08","date_gmt":"2021-02-25T10:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/?p=24650"},"modified":"2021-02-25T10:19:10","modified_gmt":"2021-02-25T10:19:10","slug":"planning-for-long-term-hybrid-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/planning-for-long-term-hybrid-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Plan for Long-Term Hybrid Work"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div><\/div>

Planning for Long-Term Hybrid Work<\/span><\/h1>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

Since the\u00a0<\/span>pandemic-driven\u00a0<\/span>transition to remote work,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>studies<\/span><\/a>\u00a0on remote work<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are in consensus<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>wo<\/span><\/b>rkforces<\/span><\/b>\u00a0can be productive\u00a0<\/span><\/b>and efficient\u00a0<\/span><\/b>without being co-located.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A h<\/span>ybrid work<\/span>ing model<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>– where teams comprise of employees working remotely and on-site –\u00a0<\/span>means\u00a0<\/span>less office space<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>is needed<\/span><\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><\/b>offers\u00a0<\/span><\/b>employees the<\/span><\/b>\u00a0possibility\u00a0<\/span><\/b>for<\/span><\/b>\u00a0flexible working<\/span><\/b>, a<\/span>mong other benefits<\/span>. And\u00a0<\/span>al<\/span>though remote work can bring\u00a0<\/span>certain\u00a0<\/span>downsides<\/span><\/a>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>t<\/span>he\u00a0<\/span>home working \u2018experiment\u2019 has\u00a0<\/span>driven<\/span>\u00a0companies to consider alternatives to the traditional model of centralised work.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Indeed, m<\/span>any companies have stated their intentions to continue with decentralised working, and s<\/span>ome experts\u00a0<\/span>predict<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span><\/b>leading\u00a0<\/span><\/b>working model<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>of the future\u00a0<\/span><\/b>will be a hybrid one<\/span><\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Indeed, in<\/span>\u00a0a<\/span>\u00a0Gartner survey<\/span><\/a>\u00a0taken in June 2020,\u00a0<\/span>82%<\/span><\/b>\u00a0of company leaders reported that they planned to allow employees to\u00a0<\/span>work remotely some of the time.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, w<\/span>ith\u00a0<\/span>hybrid work\u00a0<\/span>appearing to\u00a0<\/span>continue long-term<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>what<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are the challenges and changes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>needed to<\/span>\u00a0support this new way of working<\/span>\u00a0and its long-term viability<\/span>?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One\u00a0<\/span>fundamental challenge for companies is\u00a0<\/span>bolstering\u00a0<\/span>digital infrastructure\u00a0<\/span><\/b>and ensuring it\u00a0<\/span><\/b>can handle\u00a0<\/span><\/b>organisational<\/span><\/b>\u00a0needs.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>In fact,<\/span>\u00a0m<\/span>ore<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>than\u00a0<\/span>half of HR leaders say that poor technology or infrastructure for remote working is the biggest barrier<\/span><\/b>\u00a0to an effective transition to\u00a0<\/span>de-centralised working<\/span>.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>One way\u00a0<\/span>in which\u00a0<\/span>c<\/span>ompanies\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0adapting is by<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>embracing<\/span><\/b>\u00a0cloud technology<\/span><\/b>,\u00a0<\/span><\/b>so\u00a0<\/span>that\u00a0<\/span>employees can\u00a0<\/span>work and collaborate from any location<\/span><\/b>.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>The challenge will then be\u00a0<\/span>ensuring that authorised users\u00a0<\/span>have access to what they need<\/span>\u00a0while\u00a0<\/span>securing the environment\u00a0<\/span><\/b>against<\/span><\/b>\u00a0malicious\u00a0<\/span><\/b>actors.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another challenge<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>involved in<\/span>\u00a0moving off-site long-term<\/span>\u00a0relates<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>team structure and\u00a0<\/span><\/b>job duties.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Some employees<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>may\u00a0<\/span>be\u00a0<\/span>required\u00a0<\/span>to be present<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>on certain days<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>such as\u00a0<\/span>for client meeting<\/span>s<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0It\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0therefore<\/span>\u00a0important\u00a0<\/span>t<\/span>o develop<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>procedures<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and processes\u00a0<\/span>so that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>e<\/span>mploy<\/span>e<\/span>es\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>clear ab<\/span><\/b>out th<\/span><\/b>eir<\/span><\/b>\u00a0responsibilities<\/span><\/b>\u00a0and schedules.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally,<\/span>\u00a0it is important that\u00a0<\/span>organisations<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are able to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>maintain the company culture, as t<\/span>his impacts<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>employee experience,\u00a0<\/span><\/b>performance,<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>retention and company image<\/span><\/b><\/a>.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>For distributed co-workers, it is important to have a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>shared understanding of behavioural\u00a0<\/span><\/b>norms,<\/span><\/b>\u00a0such<\/span>\u00a0as<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>acceptable working locations\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>vi<\/span>deoconferencing etiquette<\/span>.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Since these can vary<\/span>\u00a0from team to team<\/span>, one<\/span>\u00a0option is to create a<\/span>\u00a0\u2018work manifesto\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/b>which sets out norms<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>remote working\u00a0<\/span>best practices<\/span>.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>This will help to<\/span>\u00a0ensure\u00a0<\/span>existing\u00a0<\/span>employees and new\u00a0<\/span>joiners<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are\u00a0<\/span>aware of\u00a0<\/span>mutual expectations within the team.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, t<\/span>he<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>shift\u00a0<\/span>to hybrid work\u00a0<\/span>offers an\u00a0<\/span>opportunity to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>review<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>processes and check they a<\/span><\/b>ccord<\/span><\/b>\u00a0with organisational values.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>For example<\/span>, o<\/span>ne company<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>held inclusion as<\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>principal\u00a0<\/span>value<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0so\u00a0<\/span>when it\u00a0<\/span>allowed for<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>off-site work<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>it introduced a rule\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>even\u00a0<\/span>if\u00a0<\/span>only<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>one participant\u00a0<\/span>was\u00a0<\/span>working\u00a0<\/span>remotely<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the meeting would<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>automatically\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>come<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>remote<\/span>. Th<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>meant no one was left out of the loop<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>allowed the company to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>reinforce\u00a0<\/span><\/b>its values.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In sum,\u00a0<\/span>mass remote working is still\u00a0<\/span>relatively\u00a0<\/span>new, and\u00a0<\/span>companies moving<\/span> to long-term hybrid<\/span> work <\/span>must embrace<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>change,\u00a0<\/span>adaptation<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>reinvention.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>B<\/span>eing prepared w<\/span>hen it comes to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>key areas\u00a0<\/span>including<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>digital capacities, policies<\/span><\/b>,<\/span><\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><\/b>cultural\u00a0<\/span><\/b>practices<\/span><\/b> can <\/span>help to support a successful transition<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

References:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. How to HR managers can prepare for a hybrid work model, November 2020,\u00a0<\/span>Inside HR.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. This Is the Future Of Remote Work In 2021, December 2020,\u00a0<\/span>Forbes.<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  3. 4 ways organization design can enable the hybrid workplace, January 2021,\u00a0<\/span>Human Resource Executive.<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  4. The Cloud Is The Backbone Of Remote Work, June 2020,\u00a0<\/span>Forbes.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Since the\u00a0pandemic-driven\u00a0transition to remote work,\u00a0studies\u00a0on remote work\u00a0are in consensus\u00a0that\u00a0workforces\u00a0can be productive\u00a0and efficient\u00a0without being co-located.\u00a0\u00a0 A hybrid working model\u00a0– where teams comprise of employees working remotely and on-site –\u00a0means\u00a0less office space\u00a0is needed\u00a0and\u00a0offers\u00a0employees the\u00a0possibility\u00a0for\u00a0flexible working, among other benefits. And\u00a0although remote work can bring\u00a0certain\u00a0downsides,\u00a0the\u00a0home working \u2018experiment\u2019 has\u00a0driven\u00a0companies to consider alternatives to the traditional model of centralised work.\u00a0\u00a0 Indeed, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":24654,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","myguten_meta_block_field":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[98],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24650","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24650","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24650"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24650\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24677,"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24650\/revisions\/24677"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24650"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}