Hybrid Workplace: How to Make It Fair for Business?

A hybrid workplace sounds attractive to many managers and human resource employees, and business owners. However, to make it work, there are many things you need to know first. Otherwise, you could have unplanned issues. Read on and find out more about what it is, what it requires, how you can implement it, what you should keep in mind, and more.

What Is a Workplace?

A workplace is a specific location where someone works for an employer. Nowadays, it is one of the most essential concepts, as most people spend many hours in that environment.

Besides their home, most people spend a big part of their day working. Therefore, the definition of a workplace has shaped today's society. However, it has also changed.

Years ago, a workplace was merely a physical location, usually an office or any other specific place where the workers and their boss could complete the day's tasks, finish, and meet again the next day.

Nonetheless, with the rising popularity of home offices and remote work, a workplace is now completely different. 

What Is a Hybrid Workplace?

If you're wondering about the hybrid workplace meaning, it's one of the most innovative workplaces because it combines remote workers with in-premise employees. Therefore, it doesn't rely completely on a physical location nor a home office to function.

A hybrid work environment allows managers to focus on their employees. Since hybrid working combines two different kinds of workplaces, it requires them to understand their workers’ skills and possibilities.

Statistics Show Employees That Prefer a Hybrid Work Model

It started as a way to combine the best of in-person work with a remote workplace. However, it's become so popular that now 83% of employees prefer it over fully online or fully in-premise work.

However, many factors influence your workers’ ability to function with a hybrid work model. For example, your remote employees might have connectivity issues or other problems that could hinder their productivity.

Additionally, in-premise workers might have issues as well. Not everyone can work productively in a structured setting, and many people prefer to organize their own schedule.

How to Implement a Hybrid Working Model in Your Business

If you want to try the hybrid workplace approach, you should try different strategies first. Therefore, you get an overview of whether or not it might work.

1. Employee Survey

A great way to find out if your team could function in a hybrid work environment is to simply ask your workers.

However, you should keep in mind that they might not know what it is. Consequently, you have to educate them before making the employee survey. Otherwise, they wouldn't know how to answer.

Tell your workers about the model and explain how it could help boost everyone's productivity. Likewise, make sure you include some of its disadvantages since they should know about them as well.

When you get your workers’ answers, you should share the results with them. It could make them feel part of the decision-making process. 

2. Technology for a Hybrid Workplace

Over the past few years, many people have learned an important lesson from technology: it can be an incredible asset for the workplace.

Nonetheless, you should know what to use if you want to create a productive hybrid work environment.

Suppose you use apps such as Slack for your team. Workers who are located on in-premises might have trouble resisting the temptation to communicate there. However, try to encourage them to talk face to face with their coworkers.

Additionally, your remote workers might not know what to use for each discussion they have with coworkers or other employees. You could instruct them to use emails for specific questions, and video calls for longer conversations.

As a manager, you should also keep in mind that you shouldn't encourage video calls unless they have a clear purpose. You should learn all you need to manage your hybrid workforce.

3. Hybrid Office

Managing a team in a hybrid work environment is the most difficult thing you should take care of when you're using that approach. Fortunately, the Hybrid Office helps you with that.

The Hybrid Office is a hybrid workplace solution that helps you manage your team, have an effective and useful booking system, and make sure that space is used correctly.

When you use the Hybrid Office, you guarantee that you take advantage of the space you have. It's a great asset for teams with limited desks and chairs.

4. SmartDesk Hybrid

One of the best Autonomous desks you can find is the SmartDesk Hybrid, which is perfect for your hybrid work model.

You can use it in any working environment as it has the ideal size. Likewise, its minimalistic aesthetic makes it a great addition to your workplace because you can match it with any decorations you have.

The SmartDesk Hybrid is customizable, and you can set it up with the Hybrid Office software, so it automatically recognizes your employees’ preferences.

Thus, from the moment your employees sit down to work in your hybrid workplace, they can enjoy the comfort of a desk that always shows the settings they want. A convenient addition to a workplace with a high-quality desk could also be implementing a hoteling office space.

5. A Good Communication Tool: Jam

Some tools such as Slack and Zoom are very well known in the hybrid workplace. However, Jam replaces all of them because it offers an intuitive platform where workers can communicate with each other.

With Jam, you get all the good things of working in person, but remotely. All responses occur instantly, so you do not have to wait. It is probably the future of the hybrid work environment.

Something You Should Keep in Mind: It Affects Power

The first thing you should consider about the hybrid work model is that it affects employees’ access to different things. Therefore, not all of them can have the same possibilities regarding visibility and resources. Consequently, they might have various outcomes in terms of influence and power.

Employees’ access to resources depends on where they are located. If they are in the office, they can use technology and other things to do their work. Additionally, they are in contact with quick-changing and useful information.

Access to information allows employees to respond accurately when they need to. In turn, that can be very useful in nowadays’ ever-changing environment. Lastly, when they are in the office, they can get support from peers who are also there.

On the contrary, employees who work from home in a hybrid work environment or hybrid workplace are usually hindered in terms of resource access. They can have slow internet speed, a non-sophisticated workspace, and fewer things in general.

In the hybrid work model, employees who work remotely are not present in the conversations that occur in the office, and they might feel like they're missing out on things because they're the last to know. Moreover, they may experience isolation feelings because they're not getting emotional support from their peers.

An employee's location is also related to visibility, which is being seen by the people in power. When workers are in the same place as their boss, they tend to work harder because they aim for recognition. 

However, remote hybrid work doesn't allow people to see if workers get up early in the morning or stay up late at night to deliver everything the best way possible. Understanding all those nuances can make a difference when you want to ensure you implement a proper hybrid work model.

Being Competent in a Hybrid Work Environment

Not every worker can work effectively with the hybrid workplace. That alone is a skill. Therefore, when that model is used, employees need to effectively balance themselves between remote and in-premise work.

Workers need specific abilities to thrive in a hybrid environment and flexible workspace. Firstly, they have to be good at building relationships remotely and in-person since they might have to do it both ways.

Furthermore, employees with political awareness and networking abilities are usually very talented in a hybrid environment as well. 

Lastly, the third ability employees need is thought flexibility and adaptability. In other words, rigid workers who only see the world in black and white might have issues in a hybrid workplace, whereas flexible people can thrive in the same situations.

Some workers have more issues building relationships, both online and in person. They might struggle because they don't know how to cooperate with other people who don't work the way they do. Consequently, they might not be able to adapt to a hybrid work environment.

What Managers Should Do

Employees have certain responsibilities. Besides completing their respective tasks, they should also aim to improve specific skills so they can adapt to a hybrid work model.

However, managers also have their duties. One of the worst mistakes a manager could make is to operate in the dark, without knowing how their employees are doing.

To avoid that, there are several things you could do. First, you need to know specifically who's working where. Thus, you should have a map with all your employees’ locations, as they affect their access to resources and visibility.

Once you know where your employees are, constantly check up on them so you understand the challenges they face and can come up with solutions to make the hybrid work environment function correctly. 

Then, you should consider the hybrid office design. Power imbalance can't be avoided, but you should seek to implement methods that shift access to resources and visibility. Therefore, all your employees can have the same fair working conditions.

On many occasions, power imbalance stems from a lack of education of both the manager and the employees. Consequently, education is another key strategy you should use. You should establish an atmosphere of psychological trust and cooperation, encouraging your workers to trust each other and yourself.

Lastly, in a hybrid work environment and hybrid workplace, managers should also monitor everything that occurs and be ready if they ever need to intervene. Thus, you can identify when there's an issue going on that requires your immediate action and fix it.

The Best Solution for You: Autonomous Hybrid

It is not easy to accommodate workers when you're in a hybrid workplace. There are many things you have to take care of, such as apps, programs, collaborative workspaces that work for both kinds of employees, and more.

If you want to make things work, you have to be ready for change. A common mistake among managers is to be reluctant to let go of their previous perspectives on their team. You don’t have to change your wish to succeed, but you should adapt your point of view, so it fits accordingly to the environment you want to create.

There are hundreds of options to use when you're setting up a hybrid environment and hybrid workplace. You can use different texting apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram or choose options with integrated video call functions like Discord.

Likewise, there are many options to choose from if you're looking for collaborative workspaces, such as Notion or Slack. However, the best one you could pick is the Autonomous Hybrid series.

The products from the Autonomous Hybrid line allow you to manage a pleasant hybrid workplace. You get innovative and effective solutions you were always looking for. Check out each product: 

Pros and Cons of a Hybrid Work Environment

A hybrid workplace has benefits and disadvantages you should know about if you are thinking about using it. Check out the following pros and cons:

Pros and Cons of a Hybrid Work Environment

• You can guarantee a flexible workspace because it is adapted to your workers’ skills and possibilities.
• According to statistics, most workers prefer it.
• Some good color variety.
• It can boost your office's productivity if you know how to implement the model correctly.

• A hybrid work environment might not work for your company.
• You need time to learn about it, and resources to implement it.

Keynote Takeaways

The hybrid work model has not been around for long, but according to statistics, it's very popular among workers and it could boost productivity and satisfaction. However, you should know how to implement it correctly so you can make it work.