Tackling These Hybrid Work Challenges Will Make It A Success

By Staff Reporter - 15 Feb '22 15:30PM

(Photo : 12019 from Pixabay)

The Accenture Future of Work Study in 2021 showed that 83% of global workers in the study believe that a hybrid working model is ideal. Employers seem to agree. 90% of them are planning to adopt this working model in 2022, according to a Harvard Business Review article. Hybrid work will make it possible for workers to work remotely some days and come into the office on other days. Here are some challenges that companies need to address for the successful implementation of hybrid work.

Person-to-person Interactions

Investment banking, consulting firms, and sales enterprises all rely on personal interactions. Some companies outside these industries promote a culture that gives value to interpersonal interactions. Google is a company that values collaboration and building community. Continuous communication between management and employees will help find a balance that will work for everyone. This is crucial since there are knowledge workers who believe they can be productive even if they do their work remotely. The United States Patent and Trademark Office, GitLab, and Zapier have instituted policies that allow for virtual collaboration, mentoring, and brainstorming. These policies enable their employees to work anywhere.

Additional Investments In Technology

The IT and research consulting firm Gartner remarked that IT spending will rise to approximately $230 billion in 2022 as companies prepare to shift to a hybrid work model. Companies that will embrace hybrid work will need to invest a significant amount of their financial resources for technology to maintain security from cyberattacks, reliable cloud services, adoption of efficient tools. These tools will encourage synergy between employees working from home and those in the office. Businesses that have been used to outsourcing some of the work may already be a step ahead, but it could be a big stride for everyone else. Outsourcing is also one way for companies to manage costs. Compensating a professional for some business needs can help stave off significant investments for infrastructure and software.

Employees' Sentiments

Employers will also need to take heed of what their employees believe to be the right work-life balance for them. They do not have to limit hybrid work to the work location. Employers can also allow for hybrid work that allows flexible working hours. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are vital issues that management should also address. It is crucial in hybrid work workers to know that they are seen, heard, and included, no matter where they work.

Possible Rocky Start

Forrester, an analytics firm, predicts that a third of companies who will adopt hybrid work will fail initially. This is because it is a novel approach that has not been tried and tested and will need at least a year to figure out the nuances and logistics to make it work for both the employers and employees. Those who will be successful are enterprises that will pay attention to the challenges mentioned here and those with a flexible culture. Business leaders will face many difficulties with the new hybrid work model. They will need to be agile in adapting and adjusting as their companies navigate through the untested territory.