Hybrid work models: what choice is the best for your business?

Is hybrid work the same in all companies?

Since 2020, a big change has occurred in the way a large part of the business world works. Even if your business has returned to its pre-Pandemic office routine, some remaining policies remind us that the effects of homework (WFH) are more durable than we initially believe. More specifically, some companies can still operate mainly on a WFH basis, while others may require an office presence three or four times a week. There is no fixed way to do so, because you can choose from many hybrid work models based on what works better for your business. Let's explore 9 of the most common.

9 hybrid work models to choose

1. Remote model

This model is particularly popular from the pandemic, and it implies that employees working at home most of the time and visit the office only sometimes a month, for a customer meeting, an intra-organizational meeting or a team consolidation event. It is preferable for companies that have a general workforce that does not need to work close to each other.

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Pros

• Greater flexibility for employees
• Increased productivity of employees
• Reduced office space costs
• Access to a wider talent basin

Disadvantages

• Potential feelings of isolation
• Collaboration and communication impact between employees
• Increase in the chances of exhaustion and disengagement of employees

2. Model of the Office First

This is the opposite of the previous hybrid work model and the one that most resembles pre-pale days. Companies that operate with a privileged office model prioritize the physical presence of their employees in the office and only visualize remote work as an advantage that is implemented several times a month or if necessary. This model is used by companies where collaboration in person is vital or when their infrastructure cannot be accessible remotely.

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Pros

• Improved collaboration and communication
• Corporate culture is better maintained
• Simple team management

Disadvantages

• Increased operational costs
• Employees use more days of illness and PTO
• Limited flexibility and dissatisfaction of employees

3. Hybrid model at the split week

Here, the employees divided their week between the office and their houses. This can mean something different for each company, for example, three days at the office and two at home, two days at the office and three at home, Mondays and Fridays at home and the rest of the week at the office, etc. These schedules are built according to the comments of employees and organizational needs and guarantee the optimal flexibility level for gentle operations and employee satisfaction.

Pros

• Increased structure and employee stability
• Salle for experimentation and improvement
• Help with overcrowded desktop spaces
• Improvement of flexibility according to personal and organizational needs

Disadvantages

• Challenge planning
• Requires careful planning to coordinate the teams collaborating to be at the office the same days

4. Model week per week

If you need more freedom regarding your hybrid work model, you can plan it every week. More specifically, the leader can determine which department should spend next week working remotely or on site depending on the current projects. In this way, employees who need a calm environment can work at home, while those who have to collaborate with their colleagues can enter the office.

Pros

• Balance between remote work and on site
• Increase employee satisfaction
• Ability to reduce office spaces by alternating employees on site
• Improved planning

Disadvantages

• Requires careful planning and coordination
• On site weeks can be disruptive for certain roles
• Do not welcome impromptu meetings

5. Hybrid work model based on roles

In this case, it is even more focused on each role and discover which work setting is more beneficial for their specific tasks. For example, IT teams can be perfectly productive by working mainly remotely, while product development teams who need to work closely with their team members can spend more time in the office.

Pros

• Personalization of specific needs of each department
• Effective use of desktop space
• Acceptance of the preferred work model of each employee
• Improved productivity and collaboration

Disadvantages

• Communication reflections between on -site employees and distant employees
• Challenges in meeting meetings
• Management becomes more complex

6. Fixed hybrid work model

To minimize planning and coordination efforts, you can implement a fixed schedule. This implies establishing a standard work model that all employees can adjust as they see fit. More specifically, you must clarify the days of the month that employees must enter the office (for example, every Tuesday and Thursday or the first day of the month). Employees can choose where to work in the remaining days. This approach forces companies to have enough office space to accommodate all employees simultaneously.

Pros

• Promote collaboration and interdepartly communication
• Gives employees a routine on which they can count
• Facilitates the coordination and planning of meetings
• Simplifies work schedules planning

Disadvantages

• Flexibility reduced compared to other hybrid work models
• Travel challenges and operational costs remain
• Potential overcrowding if the office has a limited capacity

7.

This is the hybrid model known as “Choose yourself-adventure”, because it offers the highest level of autonomy. Employees are completely free to decide when and where they want to work. For example, when they need to focus on a project, they can work remotely from any place, and when they need to work with their colleagues, they can make arrangements to work in the office.

Pros

• Ultimate flexibility level for employees
• Improvement in satisfaction, productivity, morale and work-life balance
• Promotes a relationship of trust between the employee and the employer
• Stimulates innovation by offering access to a wider talent basin

Disadvantages

• Challenges in the coordination of meetings for collaboration in person
• Management becomes more complicated
• Difficulties in assessing the commitment of each employee

8. Asynchronous work schedule

Some companies have such a diverse workforce, which makes it imperative that they allow their employees to work at different hours throughout the day. This can happen because they or their customers are in different time zones and must therefore adjust their schedule. In addition, some employees can be more productive in the evening rather than in the morning. By allowing employees to work during their most productive window, companies can obtain optimized productivity.

Pros

• Easier to attract talented candidates from around the world
• Increased autonomy for employees, leading to higher satisfaction
• Uninterrupted work, because few colleagues work at the same time

Disadvantages

• Communication between employees and departments can be delayed
• Collaboration on different hours can be difficult
• Employees working radically different from their colleagues may feel isolated

9. Basic office hours model

This hybrid work model can be combined with the asynchronous work schedule that we have just discussed. More specifically, employees receive a specific time window every day (for example, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) during which they must be at the office or available for meetings, emails, collaboration, etc. The remaining working hours can be completed before or after these basic hours or later in the day without location restrictions.

Pros

• Employees can easily collaborate and enjoy the flexibility of remote work
• The availability of each employee is visible and predictable
• Supports various lifestyles and personal responsibilities without compromising productivity and collaboration

Disadvantages

• Not adapted to employees in radically different time zones
• The limited number of basic hours can lead to intense workload
• Partial flexibility which may not adapt to the family and personal responsibilities of certain employees

Conclusion

Hybrid work is presented in many forms and sizes, which allows most companies to offer their employees a certain flexibility and the balance between professional and private life. The diversity of work planning options allows employees to balance their personal life with their professional responsibilities, motivating them to perform at a satisfactory level while maintaining a high level of commitment and morale. Take the time to explore the different types of hybrid work models we have discussed in this article and select the model, or combination of models, which will keep your workforce as happy and productive as possible.