Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few years, you’ll have probably heard of the latest workplace strategy sweeping the world of work. Ever since the global pandemic and the resulting work from home orders, most workers have been hesitant to return to the office full time. This has left organizations looking for new ways of working that not only provide employees with the increased freedom and flexibility they desire but also boost their productivity and efficiency. In this post, we explore how hybrid working can help you boost your productivity.
Hybrid working is another type of flexible working that enables employees to work from the office, remotely, or a combination of the two. Which employees make up these groups usually depends on their job role and personal preference. Although many businesses have been hesitant to adopt hybrid working, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that hybrid working has provided a productivity boost, with 57% of respondents saying their organization outperformed workforce performance and productivity targets over the past 12 months. Keep reading to find out six ways hybrid working can boost productivity.
1. Multiple Locations Support Every Employee
Most of us have been brought up thinking the office is the best place to get our work done, and for many workers, that may be true. However, work comprises different tasks and actions that require a range of skills and equipment. Giving employees the freedom and flexibility to decide where and how to carry out each task empowers them to find what works best for them.
Hybrid working enables employees to find peace and quiet at home for deep-focus tasks or escape the distractions of the home office. The office space also leaves employees with a designated space that can be used for collaborative work and face-to-face meetings. This flexibility allows employees to find what works best for them and focus on productivity.
2. Less Time Spent Commuting
We have all endured public transport or been stuck in a traffic jam on our morning commutes, but hybrid working could make that a thing of the past. The average commute prior to 2020 and the global pandemic was 59 minutes. Imagine being able to save nearly one hour every day!? That is another hour you could spend with family, pour into the things you love, or even spend working. However you decide to spend time saved commuting, it is sure to improve your productivity levels — or maybe it is just another hour in bed.
3. Collaborative Spaces
A hybrid workforce enables you to optimize your entire workplace and create specially-designed spaces for collaboration and team working. Being able to adapt your office space and meeting rooms to suit the new needs of your teams will help boost productivity and successfully adopt hybrid working.
To facilitate the adoption of hybrid working, you should explore technology like workplace management systems. This technology can help your hybrid teams manage the office space and seamlessly work together.
4. Employees Can Find Their Productivity Sweet Spot
No two people are the same, and that statement certainly rings true when it comes to work. Although most employees have become used to the norm of the nine to five workday, it doesn’t suit everyone. This is where the flexibility of hybrid working comes into play. Hybrid employees can work when they are at their most productive, whether that is the crack of dawn or late at night.
5. Improved Employee Satisfaction
When you provide workers with complete autonomy, you can expect employee satisfaction to skyrocket. After a couple of years of working from home, it is no surprise that employees want to continue enjoying the freedom and flexibility they have become used to. Furthermore, employees want to feel as though they are trusted to get their work done without their manager standing over their shoulder.
Hybrid working can offer workers both the autonomy and responsibility needed to boost employee satisfaction. Studies show that happy employees are 13% more productive, which means that by paying attention to your employees’ needs and wants, you are likely to see an improvement in their output.
6. Fewer Sick Days
We have all soldiered on into work while nursing a nasty cold or mild flu with little thought of how it might affect those around us. However, after a period of mostly working from home, we are now seeing employees take fewer sick days. Before 2020, the average worker spent 7.2 days a year at home due to illness. This is double the 3.6 days a year recorded during the 2020 lockdowns.
Although the strict lockdowns minimal socializing no doubt played a part, it is clear that working from home will help reduce the average number of sick days employees take. This reduction in sick days will have a positive impact on productivity, with employees working more days each year than before.
