Hybrid working in 2023 and how to manage it
Hybrid working became the “new normal” for many organisations after the pandemic back in 2020. However 3 years on, the modern way of working is still proving to be popular amongst companies across the globe. In a report published by Gallup, in February 2023 52% of US employees surveyed stated that they were working in a hybrid model, with 54% expecting hybrid working in the future. Similarly, a UK survey reported that only 30% of companies are working fully on-site.
It comes as no surprise to us that hybrid working still remains popular in 2023 with benefits including:
- Improved job satisfaction
- Increased employee productivity
- Higher employee retention
- Reduced facility costs
- More environmentally friendly due to less commuting
Hybrid working is also often a popular solution for organisations where a fully remote working model is not feasible but they still want to offer some form of remote working for their employees.
But while it’s clear that hybrid working remains popular, it still requires some thought into how to manage it to ensure it is implemented successfully and works for both employees and employers.
How to manage hybrid working in your organisation
First things first, it’s important to note that hybrid working is not a one size fits all so find a model that works for your organisation. Do you want your employees to be in the office a certain number of days in the week? For example, 3 days in the office and 2 days at home. Do you require your team to be in on certain days such as a Monday for meetings? Are there particular times you need certain employees to be working or ensuring cover is provided?
Secondly, it is crucial to follow best practices when implementing a flexible or hybrid working policy in your organisation. This will help to ensure respect is kept between you and your team, it’s easy to manage and your employees’ well-being is maintained. The most important tip to take on board is to remember that communication is key - make sure your team is clear on the policy and if anything changes, this should be done with prior warning. We share more about following best practices when it comes to flexible working in our previous blog post here.
Finally, utilise technology. From task management tools to desk booking apps, in today’s working world, there’s an abundance of different technology that can help organisations improve business processes and in particular manage modern ways of working. We’ve covered some of the tools to help you embrace hybrid working here, and to learn more about the top features of a visitor management system for a hybrid workplace, read this blog.
What if hybrid working isn’t working for me?
We mentioned earlier that hybrid working isn’t a one size fits all. It may not work for your business or certain job roles, or you may need to change your policy - even big companies like Starbucks and Google have made changes to their hybrid working policies this year.
Trial and test different ways to make it work for you. For example, if you adopt a fully flexible hybrid approach and feel as though productivity is dropping, why not trial having your team go into a physical office space a couple of days a week? It’s okay to go back on decisions but just remember, communication is key. If you’re making changes to your hybrid working policy or if you’re making the decision to go back to your traditional setup, clear communication with your employees is absolutely essential.
Sign In App has a variety of features to help manage hybrid working, including remote and mobile sign in and desk/meeting room booking. To learn more, get in touch with the team via live chat, phone or email here. Or to try out some of the features yourself, you can start a no-obligation 15 day free trial here.