The Future of Work is Hybrid

The movement towards normalizing hybrid work models is gaining traction, threatening to leave the 9-5 office-based business model behind. 

While Henry Ford may have been responsible for introducing the 9-5 work model, in an effort to boost productivity in his car manufacturing facilities, there’s mounting evidence that this is no longer the optimal way to work. Especially when you consider the modern employee who’s technologically-literate, equipped with an array of transferable skills, and itching to work from home.

The pandemic didn’t cause the transition to hybrid work for many, it just accelerated the process. 

What is hybrid work?

Before we discuss the reasons for the shift to hybrid work, and what it could mean for your business, we need to establish what exactly it is that we’re referring to. It can be defined as such:

Hybrid work is a flexible work model in which employees spend some of their work time at the office, and the rest working from home.

Evidence for the shift towards hybrid work

A few years ago, pre-pandemic, many of us would have dismissed this work model and claimed it simply wouldn’t catch on. Now, it’s rising in popularity by the week, with industry titans leading the way. 

Let’s take Google as an example.

The company that is surely due to take over the world in the coming years has recently adopted a hybrid work model, signaling a shift in the zeitgeist. Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, told the Wall Street Journal his plans for the coming months. 

The key takeaway is this: by April 2022, employees will return to the office following an absence brought on by pandemic restrictions, but only for three days of the week. The rest of the time, you guessed it – they’ll work from home.

Now let’s take a look at Apple, another titan of industry paving the way to hybrid work for others to follow.

Back in 2021, the company first announced its plans to roll out a three-day work week for its employees. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, namely new variants of the coronavirus, this date was pushed back until April 2022. CEO Tim Cook sent out an email, which apparently laid out the details for the new hybrid work model. 

It’s hard to argue with the evidence: when two of the largest multinational companies in the world roll out company-wide changes to their work models, the world listens. You can only imagine many other businesses will follow suit and embark on the same path carved out by the likes of Google and Apple. 

Reports suggest that Google and Apple aren’t the only trendsetters, either. They’re just the most high-profile companies to embrace the hybrid work model – which is compelling evidence in its favor. Other companies to move towards hybrid work include Microsoft, Spotify, Slack, and Twitter. 

 So why would so many large companies do away with the classic 9-5 and adopt a new work model?

Benefits of hybrid work

Regardless of the reasons for the shift towards hybrid work, this new work model is here to stay, so how could you stand to benefit from making the transition in your company?

Empowers employees

One of the primary benefits of the hybrid work model is how it empowers employees, providing them with newfound autonomy and freedom. This is a win-win scenario for both you and your workforce.

When you have an empowered employee, you have an engaged employee. An engaged employee is one who will give their all to every task, as they derive a deep sense of purpose from their work. The disgruntled, unmotivated employee can become a problem of the past, which could well lead to a boost in productivity levels.

Employers are now turning to employee activity monitoring software to gauge productivity levels and have even seen a rise in productivity since the switch has been made.

Reduces operating costs

As a company, you have to balance the books by reducing your operating costs and bringing in revenue. There’s a lot of ways to go about increasing your profits, but the easiest way to bring in more money is to reduce operating costs that eat into your bottom line.

One of the most costly overheads for many businesses is the office. It isn’t just the rent you have to worry about, but all the associated utility bills. When you switch to a hybrid work model, you can potentially downsize to a more affordable office space, utilize content workflow tools, and spend less on bills due to less activity. You can also save money by having fewer desks, especially if the majority of your workforce will work from home for around half the work week.

Increases retention rate

The rate at which you hold onto your top talent says a lot about the overall health of your business, and how enticing it is to work for your company. Operate with a low retention rate, and you’ll constantly suffer losses due to talent searches, vacant roles, and lost productivity.

As such, retention rate can be critical to the financial success of your business. When you go hybrid, you’ll have a much easier time convincing your employees to stay on, and persuading top talent to join. Since so many companies are taking strides towards hybrid or remote work models, it’s becoming a tough sell to only offer a strict 9-5 office-based work model. 

Final thoughts

It’s time for change, and this is being reflected in the market. For top talent, a flexible working model has risen to the top of the priority list. You may still be able to steal away talent with competitive pay packages and other incentives, but these days it’s the hybrid work model many employees seek.

To keep up with your competitors you need to accept that the future is hybrid, and that the future isn’t so far away.