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Future of work
5 min read

The future of work: Why employees now expect hybrid working as standard

The modern workplace is constantly evolving, and the hybrid working model is the latest trend to emerge from the pandemic and can be considered the future of work.

And getting people working in the office some days and remotely for the rest isn’t just what companies want. It’s what employees want. McKinsey found that younger workers were most interested in hybrid working, with 48% of 18-to-29-year-olds favouring the split working model. And it’s not just the younger generations that like hybrid. 38% of workers 50 years old and older were also happy with hybrid work models.

But why are we seeing such positive attitudes toward hybrid work, and how can you take advantage of all that hybrid working has to offer? Let’s take a closer look.

Why employees see hybrid working as the future of work

Many companies are offering employees hybrid work options. And companies who don’t hop on the hybrid train might lose out on top talent. To better take advantage of everything that the future of work has to offer, it’s important to understand why employees want it.

Better work-life balance

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With hybrid work, employees no longer have to choose between their career and personal life — they can have both.

For example, the hybrid work model is perfect for parents who want to have a successful career and spend time at home with their kids. This type of arrangement allows them to work from home some of the time, which gives them more flexibility to take care of their children.

Additionally, they can come into the office for other tasks, allowing them to stay connected with their colleagues and advance their careers.

Opportunity to learn new skills and stay up-to-date

Hybrid working arrangements allow employees to learn new skills and stay up-to-date with the latest technology. They can take advantage of the training and development opportunities available to them at the office while also using their own time to learn new things. If they don’t have to spend time commuting to work every day of the week, they can use some of the time they’ve saved to work on personal and professional development.

Increased job satisfaction and motivation

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Hybrid working arrangements tend to lead to increased job satisfaction and motivation. A study by Owl Labs found that workers in hybrid and remote working arrangements were 22% happier than those working full-time in the office. Hybrid working gives employees a sense of control over their schedules and work-life balance, which can help them feel more confident when taking on new challenges and responsibilities.

Increased productivity

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When employees can work remotely, they are often more productive because they can design their work schedule around their natural rhythms. This increased productivity can lead to better results for the company, which is why more and more businesses are beginning to embrace hybrid working arrangements.

The future of work is the opportunity to work in different locations

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Employees now expect to have the opportunity to work in different locations. Studies show that changing your surroundings can make you feel happier and more relaxed, both of which are great ways to boost productivity and job satisfaction. Employees are looking for the freedom to work from wherever they want when they’re not in the office and value the chance to change things up.

Health and safety concerns

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If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that the office can (unfortunately) be the perfect place to share germs and viruses with colleagues. And we’ve learned that staying home and away from the office when we are sick is the best way to keep coworkers from catching whatever we have.

Hybrid working helps normalize not coming into work when you’re sick. If half the office is already working remotely on the days an employee isn’t feeling their best, they won’t be the odd one out when they don’t come into the office. Plus, not worrying about a tiring commute can help people recover sooner!

The Future of work is more flexibility and less stress

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The hybrid work model can help reduce stress levels, as employees no longer have to commute daily to and from work. They can also take advantage of flexible working hours, avoiding rush hour traffic and working during times that suit them better. Additionally, juggling work and personal life can be made easier by offering employees the flexibility to take care of personal errands or appointments when it suits their schedule.

How to make the changes employees want in their hybrid workplace

If you want to make the changes employees want in their hybrid workplace, there are a few things you need to do:

  • Make sure that your remote working policy is up-to-date and outlines the expectations for both employees and managers.
  • Ensure that all employees have the equipment they need to work remotely and they know how to effectively use software to keep in touch with their coworkers.
  • Encourage employees to take advantage of the flexible working arrangements by offering incentives, such as extra vacation days or flexible start and end times.
  • Employees expect in-office work to be purposeful. They don’t want to come into the office simply to write emails all day — they can do that at home! So make sure you’re bringing people into the office to do valuable, collaborative work together. Give them a reason to be face-to-face and they’ll be much more likely to keep coming into the office.
  • Use a scheduling solution to easily setting up meetings when teams are in-office and integrate bookings into Microsoft Outlook and Teams to help you invite remote attendees to meetings.
  • Employees expect the office to look and feel different. They are looking for more spaces for collaboration. Using a room and desk booking software can help you create different zones for different types of work and let’s employees easily find and book the spaces they want to use.

Offering employees what the want doesn’t have to be hard

It’s clear that people are on board with hybrid work, so companies need to do their best to give current and potential employees what they want. While adopting a hybrid work model might seem daunting, it doesn’t have to be hard. All you need are the right tools to help you organize hybrid working for your entire organization.

With the right tools in place, hybrid working can be a success for both employers and employees. Relying on a powerful workplace scheduling solution, like Smartway2, is a great first step to creating a collaborative, hybrid workplace.

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To learn more about how Smartway2 can help your business, book a demo today!

Author

Jackie Towers

Last updated August 2, 2022