This is a guest post by Karlien Vanderheyden, Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour at Vlerick Business School and Katleen De Stobbeleir, Full Professor of Leadership at Vlerick Business School

After working remotely for so long, many organisations are wondering how to reincorporate office working. Should we go ‘back to normal’ or embrace hybrid working? 

With vaccines now widely available and many Covid-19 restrictions lifted, it might seem logical to move back to working in the office. But the wishes of employees have changed considerably. For example, research from the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research shows that a large proportion of the workforce have recognised the continuing benefits of working from home: Almost a quarter of home workers want to work largely at home even after the pandemic. 

Hybrid working allows employees the flexibility to choose which location work is done. It is not about being constantly in an office, but more the type of work being performed with good communication between colleagues. Working at the office can be combined in a hybrid work environment with working from home, or from anywhere else.

When it comes to the company itself, what are the benefits of offering hybrid working for employees? 

• MAJOR ADVANTAGE IN HIRING TALENT

The labour market is becoming quite overstretched, with there being more job vacancies than applicants. This means companies are competing amongst themselves to bring in and hold on to good employees.

Hybrid working gives your organisation a significant advantage in securing talent by widening the pool of applicants you can hire from. While potential applicants have previously been restricted by commuting distance, this no longer applies. After all, it doesn’t make much difference whether someone calls into a video meeting from another country or from an office building around the corner, as long as the internet connection is good and your organisation is set up for hybrid working. Access to a broader talent pool also fosters increased diversity and inclusion in companies.

Flexibility in working location and hours is good for your employer branding as younger employees want more control in this area. Employees in other phases of life, such as young parents or caregivers, will also embrace the chance to work from home.

• CONTRIBUTION TO SUSTAINABILITY OBJECTIVES

In recent years, responsible environmental policies have become a necessity for companies. Hybrid working can help make a significant contribution to CO2 reduction as employees travel less frequently between their home and work office. If they do have to go into the office, they can be flexible with when they work and therefore when they travel. Your company is then contributing to sustainability goals and your employees benefit as well.

• SAVE ON OFFICE COSTS

If a large number of your employees are working from a different location, it is worthwhile to look at the rate of employees coming into the office. How many workstations are actually being occupied and at what times? Of course, you could enforce certain stipulations on how often employees should come into the office.

However, if a large company office is starting to feel like an unnecessary expenditure, you might benefit from considering downsizing. Moving to a cheaper, smaller office or building to use as more of a meeting space can be great way of reducing office costs.

• INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY

Previous research has found that many different functions within an organisation can experience increased work output from employees working from home. Assuming home working conditions are suitable – comfortable furniture, quiet workspace, good internet connection – the employee will be able to focus better than in an average office as there is more focus on the job at hand and there are less disruptions. Many companies indicate that working partly at home increased productivity both qualitatively and quantitatively, and employees get more done in the same time than before.

• ENERGISE EMPLOYEES

Hybrid work is about more than just a different work location. It allows employees to fit their work with their personality and stage in life. One person might thrive off social interaction every day, while another prefers to isolate themselves while working. By offering that choice, employees have more control over the place, time, and manner in which they work and will experience less stress. They will also have more opportunities to relax while working, perhaps by going for a walk or doing some exercise, resulting in lower absenteeism.

But how can you introduce hybrid working into your organisation successfully?

Hybrid working can be successfully introduced into your organisation with guidelines rather than rigid rules. A discussion between managers and employees around when home working can be employed and standards of work to be met avoids misunderstandings and feelings of too much obligation. You should also consider a short- and long-term strategy for how hybrid working will take place. Different needs may arise in terms of staffing, job content, or talents so it’s a good idea to prepare for this in advance. 

Hybrid work is a relatively new concept, so some developments are not yet fully crystallized. Give yourself the freedom to evaluate your strategy regularly and adjust it where necessary on the basis of your experiences.