The way of working has been profoundly affected by the global pandemic of COVID-19. The interaction in the workplace becomes work from home scheme, and meetings run through video conferencing to keep business moving flawlessly. That crisis has driven world organizations to explore new solutions that fit working style responding to the Next Normal. During the COVID period, it’s obviously seen that employees adjust well to working from home and they like it that way. Some of them express their needs for not returning to work at the office anymore.

Referring to the Labor Force Survey, 55% of office workers in the U.S. prefer the hybrid working model between work from home and work at the office. After the COVID outbreak in the UK, employers predict that the ratio of employees who work from home will be increased by a double from 18% to 37%. In China, recruitment experts forecast that the ratio of jobs 60:40 will be shared to work at an office and anywhere, respectively, in 10 years from now.

The new waves of coronavirus in many countries have no sign of weakening even though the vaccines are underway. Most companies throughout the world seek new models of highly flexible working, and they come up with Hybrid Working that enables employees to blend working from different locations with the office.

What is Hybrid Working?

Hybrid Working is a style of working which allows employees to work more independently than the old model. For example, working 3 days a week in the office and the rest of 2 days at home or anywhere as employees see fit. A specific day can be scheduled for a meeting at the office, and employees can choose any location to work if they’re able to work on their own. They’ll need to be at the office only when there’s a team project.

Here are the companies with Hybrid Working Model

• Microsoft: Following the outbreak of COVID-19, employee expectations have changed. Over 80% of Manager level expect that the company implements work from home policy, and over 70% of employees respond well to the Hybrid model. Microsoft employees are currently spending 50% of their time working from home.
  
  
• Google: Employees work at the office 3 days a week, or choose to work 100% anywhere else without coming to the office.
  
  
• Twitter: Employees are able to work anywhere else permanently.
  
  
• Dropbox : The company reduced office space and adjusted some area to be a meeting room and Co-working space.
  
  
• Uber : Employees work at the office 3 days a week. About two-thirds of employees admitted that they like a Hybrid model.
  
  
• Kissflow : A unified digital workplace that both Headquarters in the U.S. and India use the Hybrid Working model.
  
  
• Barlow : The law firm in Chicago selects the Hybrid Working model. Practically, the attorneys still work at the office to handle thousands of document files.

The Hybrid Working model has gained wide interest from the world’s leading companies and many executives have supported that style. For example, Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, views that working from home can create tremendous productivity for the company. However, there’re some critical concerns, such as the loss of employee interactions leading to feeling disconnected, including Burnout condition or mental health problems occurred from long-term work from home. Consequently, Hybrid Working seems to be consistent with working in the Next Normal. Anyway, Sandeep Mathrani, WeWork CEO, comments that those who are eager to work at the office are highly engaged with the company and their work, and they would want to spend 2-3 days weekly at the office.

Nobody can guess how long Hybrid Working will be practical in the Next Normal. Apparently, office workers all over the world have realized that the traditional 9 to 5 working routine will no longer be the same in the post-pandemic.

References

https://brandinside.asia/ceo-wework-on-work-from-home-and-engagement/?fbclid=IwAR3oQC8oa-WeQyGqHM7qoW5WT3GcLBIL6Hel40eAPNzpBjL0-de4viuC7XM

https://brandinside.asia/ceo-jpmorgan-on-work-from-home/

https://brandinside.asia/satya-nadella-on-work-from-home/

https://brandinside.asia/uber-hybrid-model-of-working/

https://www.popticles.com/case-study/google-hybrid-work/

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200824-why-the-future-of-work-might-be-hybrid