6 Signals That Your Choice of Hybrid Work Variants Might Not Fit Your Business

Many companies are choosing to go hybrid, which means the current future for remote work is changing exponentially. However, along with that, there could be many chances for a hybrid work fail to come about. Some of those companies focus on the hybrid work model, but they can’t successfully transition to it and see problems of the hybrid work model too late to do anything about it.

It’s important to note that there is no one size fits all formula when changing to a hybrid working model. Therefore, you have to figure out what options there are and which ones might pose the biggest hybrid work challenge while you’re setting things up.

The Company Must Learn and Adapt to Best Match Their Needs

As a business owner, it is up to you to decide if hybrid working is right for your team. However, if you decide to go that route, you don’t want to see the hybrid work fail because you chose the wrong variants.

There are many workspace layout management options to focus on when you’re trying to transition people back to the office.

In fact, some companies never make it through the unique hybrid work challenge issues they face and revert back to an all-office setting. That ultimately hurts the employees who might need or prefer to work from home a few days each workweek.

Here are seven signals that might indicate problems of the hybrid work model you’ve chosen. You can also learn ways to offset these concerns and succeed instead of having a hybrid work fail.

List of Signals That Managers Must Pay Attention To

Here is a list of signals that each manager should focus on to determine if they could be problems of the hybrid work model:

1. Productivity (Low)

Typically, studies show that a good hybrid work model ensures productivity. Employees get to pick when they start working and where they are to do it. Therefore, they are more prepared to work and can take more frequent breaks.

In a sense, those who are allowed to take effective break times during the day can relax their minds. Once that happens, and they’ve had some alone time, they can get back to the grindstone without an issue.

However, if you notice that employees working from home are less productive, it could be that they aren’t well-suited for the WFH situation. Sometimes, it has to do with the fact that they don’t have enough space to have a proper workstation. Alternatively, they might have trouble with willpower, which is necessary to be your own manager.

This hybrid work challenge isn’t easy to overcome. However, you can put policies in place to ensure that each employee knows what they need to work from home. If they don’t have the right setup, they must work at the office instead.

2. Employee Work-Life Balance

Another hybrid work failure is when the employee’s work-life balance suffers. In most cases, hybrid remote working allows employees to mix and match their hours. That way, they can deal with whatever life throws at them, such as waiting for a package to arrive or picking their kids up from school.

If you notice that they’re running behind on turning in projects or otherwise not getting work done, there could be an improper balance between work and personal life.

These problems of a hybrid work model are quite common. You might need to help the employee create a schedule that fits their needs and yours. It’s also important to include this topic in your WFH policy. They must understand that work is crucial, which might mean buckling down or coming to the office more frequently than working at home.

3. Employee Work Satisfaction

Most companies create a hybrid workforce to boost employee satisfaction. Many people are happier because they can choose their schedule, come into the office when they want, and save money by working at home.

However, with this hybrid work challenge, employee satisfaction in their job decreases. It could be from the fact that they feel left out at work or may want to work from home more than they come in. Regardless, you should talk to each employee about why they’re unsatisfied and modify your hybrid work model accordingly.

4. Leadership Concerns

The biggest hybrid work fails when leadership falls by the wayside. Most managers are comfortable handling teams in the office but flounder when they have to lead at-home employees.

Therefore, it’s best to train your managers and help them gain the leadership mindset and skills they need to transfer to a hybrid work model. While it is easy to do, most companies don’t think about how their managers have to manage teams that are at home and at the office.

5. Culture Problems

One of the hardest problems of a hybrid work model is to focus on an effective hybrid team culture. It’s hard to define, and each company is different.

In a sense, most people were unhappy with the working conditions before the pandemic, but that is changing. Since employees can now work from home, there are fewer issues and more satisfaction.

However, you should always find ways to improve the employee experience that also helps the in-office culture. Therefore, building trust is essential. In a sense, culture refers to the behaviors and attitudes of the company and the employees. It’s often hard to change them, but it is possible.

6. Incorrect Applications and Tools

Another big hybrid work fails when you don’t have the right collaboration tools available. It’s crucial for each person to know what they need and use it effectively.

Autonomous could help here. With its hybrid work products, you have everything you need. For example, JAM allows you to use text-based messaging, which is effective and helpful. On top of that, you can get the SmartDesk hybrid for each office workstation. That way, people can sit or stand while working without taking the time to figure out the presets.

The Hybrid Office OS is also integrated into the SmartDesk or can be used with other systems. You can create office hoteling, allowing people to use whatever desk is available or schedule a time to use it.

Conclusion

A hybrid work failure is something that no company wants. You’ve spent years coming up with your plan, which can greatly benefit the employees and you.

However, the first step is to figure out what each hybrid work challenge is and how to overcome them. These six things are highly important and could signal that there are problems of the hybrid work model you’ve set up.