Instituting A Hybrid Workplace

Since COVID-19 pandemic the way we work has been fundamentally changed for a lot of companies. It has brought about a significant shift in the functioning of offices, compelling us to introspect on our professional aspirations and expectations from our organizations. What was initially a compulsion has now culminated into a fresh outlook on the concept of work, including the elusive goal of achieving a harmonious work-life balance.

As we move beyond the exigencies of working amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we are presented with the opportunity to deliberate on the manner in which we proceed. The integration of in-person and remote work to establish a thriving hybrid workplace will be pivotal in this regard. Therefore, it is imperative to comprehend the concept of hybrid work, devise strategies to optimize its efficacy, and ensure that our team members feel bolstered and integrated as we undertake a sustained transformation in our organizational structure.

How Long Will Hybrid Last?

In light of the global economic adjustments, businesses are confronted with a novel paradigm. The past year and a half may be deemed unfavorable by some, who yearn for a return to the pre-pandemic status quo. However, the current state of business is far from ordinary. What implications does this hold?

The integration of remote and in-person work has become a prominent topic due to the pandemic, although it is not a novel concept. According to Jim Keane, CEO of Steelcase Inc., and Todd Heiser, principal at Gensler, in their report for Harvard Business Review, 52 percent of American workers favor a combination of working from home and the office. They assert that this approach has a beneficial effect on their capacity to generate innovative ideas, tackle challenges, and foster professional connections.

Companies are adapting to this transition through diverse approaches. For instance, Google has implemented a “flexible work week” policy, which requires employees to work three days per week in the office and the remaining days from home. Microsoft has introduced a “hybrid workplace” model, which permits a 50/50 division between in-person and remote work. Meanwhile, Ford Motor has adopted a “flexible hybrid work model,” which empowers workers and their supervisors to make the decision.

Does your hybrid workplace support your workers?

If hybrid work is something companies will continue to support as part of their standard practice the question becomes not only that it needs to be done, but how to do it well to best service their employees?

Fortunately, a positive outcome in the aftermath of COVID-19 is that we have acquired a wealth of knowledge, particularly with regard to the management of remote work. We have gained insight into what actions to take, what to avoid, the obstacles that arise, and how to maximize the advantages. In essence, the key is to achieve equilibrium. Naturally, implementing this requires a degree of diligence and skill.

Evolving culture: Finding the happy medium

Each one of us possesses unique strengths, weaknesses, needs, and circumstances, rendering us distinct from one another. This individuality is particularly evident in our inclination towards remote work. According to Nicholas Bloom, a professor of economics at Stanford University, who reported for the New York Times, 30 percent of U.S. employees have no intention of returning to the office, while 25 percent have no desire to work from home again.

In the event that certain individuals excel in remote work while others struggle, where can equilibrium be found? The answer lies in shared objectives, autonomy, and adaptability. As conveyed by a manager to Bloom, “I approach my team members as mature individuals. They are afforded the liberty to determine their work location and schedule, provided that they fulfill their job responsibilities.”

In actuality, this implies that while a combination of remote and in-person work has been previously implemented, there exist fundamental distinctions between pre- and post-pandemic hybrid work environments, including:

1. Scheduling of in-office and remote workdays is not always predetermined. 
2. Distribution of in-office and remote workers has undergone a transformation, with hybridity now being the norm rather than the anomaly. 
3. This shift is not fixed, but rather dynamic and subject to ongoing change.

Building your FLOCS

If the objective is to establish a prosperous hybrid workplace, what measures should be taken to achieve it? Robert Pozen, a senior lecturer at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, and Alexandra Samuel, a technology researcher, propose directing attention towards one’s FLOCS.

FLOCS is an acronym that represents the five key elements of function, location, organization, culture, and schedule. In order to establish a thriving hybrid workplace that caters to the diverse needs of your workforce, it is advisable to deconstruct the concept into these constituent components.

• Function: What is each team member/contributor’s role? How does collaboration work with a team typically? In the event that your team engages in extensive group brainstorming, it would be advantageous to allocate more time for in-person interactions. Conversely, if your team prioritizes individual tasks, remote work may be a more suitable option due to its conducive environment for concentration.
• Location: The other question is where is your team located and is the distance and factor in how they collaborate and what items they’re individually responsible for delivered? If team members have to work with physical on premise tools or equipment it makes more sense for them to be either hybrid or fully on site. If they happen to be situated within the same city, arranging in-person meetings would be a relatively effortless task. However, if a significant number of them commute or are already working remotely, virtual meetings would be more practical and feasible.
• Organization: What is the current organizational structure of your establishment? According to Pozen and Samuel, a more horizontal hierarchy has proven to be conducive to virtual work, as it enables remote workers to feel more closely connected to the core of the organization.
• Culture: Identify your company culture. According to research, prioritizing the individual leads to more seamless transitions to virtual work, whereas companies that emphasize collective identity over individuality tend to experience slower adoption of such changes.
• Schedule: What is the current scheduling structure of your team? Who shows up where and when? The concept of flexibility necessitates the establishment of parameters, and this is one such parameter. It is advisable to maintain the existing schedule if your team members are already working on a similar schedule. However, if your team members are located in different cities, time zones, or even countries, it is beneficial to establish specific time frames for conferences while permitting other work to be completed at times that are convenient for each individual.

Enabling a hybrid workplace may appear to be a daunting task in terms of scheduling. However, the pandemic has demonstrated that we possess the ability to adapt positively. By altering our mindset while modifying our methodology, we can effectuate enduring favorable transformation.

Evolving culture to meet the moment

Effectively reimagining and reconstructing workplace culture necessitates more than minor alterations; rather, it requires a deliberate shift in perspective, intention, and function. Although this may appear to be a daunting task, it is important to remember that we have accomplished it previously. The nature of work has changed significantly before and after the advent of the internet. Similarly, adopting hybrid workplace models in the aftermath of the pandemic may have a comparable impact. In an article for Harvard Business Review, Jim Keane and Todd Heiser propose tactics for advancing in this direction.

• The concept of balancing the physical and digital experience warrants a reconsideration of the conventional approach of conducting meetings at a lengthy table with a solitary screen displaying diminutive remote faces at one end. Keane and Heiser advocate for prioritizing equity, engagement, and ease. One approach to enhance sightlines is to provide each in-person attendee with an individual screen. Employing software that segregates content and video call-ins into distinct areas of the screen is another recommended strategy. Additionally, it is imperative to ensure sufficient lighting and audio to facilitate seamless participation for all attendees.
• It is important to reconsider the implementation of the “open plan” office. Despite the prolonged adoption of open plan layouts in workplaces, it is now appropriate to reassess this approach. A reversal of this trend is recommended, whereby personal workspaces are enclosed and private, while collaborative workspaces are open and designed to be flexible, promoting co-creation and problem-solving.
• Adopt the concept of physical fluidity. By freeing ourselves from the constraints of a fixed workspace, we are able to explore various environments that are conducive to our individual requirements and imaginative faculties. Presently, offices are progressively embracing this notion of physical fluidity. For instance, at Steelcase, Keane’s company, “we have enhanced our own premises by creating an open space that facilitates hybrid meetings in the morning, transforms into a cafeteria during lunchtime, accommodates town hall meetings in the afternoon, and can be leased for evening events.”

At times, when we contemplate an impending transformation, we may perceive only formidable challenges. It is natural to question whether the endeavor is worthwhile or to harbor concerns about the possibility of failure. Nevertheless, ultimately, there is solace in recognizing that we have previously confronted significant alterations. Furthermore, adopting a hybrid workplace and culture does not necessitate relinquishing or modifying our current objectives. In fact, irrespective of the dimensions or arrangement of our physical office, notwithstanding the number of personnel who operate on-site, remotely, or in a flexible capacity, we all aspire to a more efficient, inventive, and prosperous future.