What are the benefits of hybrid work? What are its challenges? Answer in our article!
What is hybrid work?
Hybrid work is part of an evolution that was already well underway before the Covid-19 crisis, which makes flexibility the reference mode of work. It can refer to several models, depending on the companies that implement it: combination of telework and face-to-face work, coexistence of 100% face-to-face workers and 100% telework employees, remote work only, etc. In some companies, each employee can choose how to divide their telework and office time, while in others, a maximum number of telework days can be set.
In addition, hybrid work can be associated with other work modes, such as the flex office (in which the employee does not have a personal office, but works in various spaces within the company).
Hybrid working is a strong demand from employees: an international survey by the Adecco Group shows that three quarters of respondents (73% in France and 74% worldwide) think that the best model integrates both on-site and teleworking. Nearly eight out of ten managers (77% worldwide) believe that their company will benefit from this new work organization model.
This trend is confirmed by other figures: in France, in 2021, one in five employees teleworked on average each week. And, contrary to what opponents of telecommuting have suggested, the productivity of telecommuting employees is not declining. According to an Airtasker survey released in 2020, telecommuting employees work 1.4 days more per month than those who work in the office.
So is hybrid work the future of corporate work? Some people think so. Especially since many solutions have been created to allow teamwork to continue, even from a distance. Who has never had a videoconference meeting?
On the other hand, telecommuting does not have just advantages. Lack of social interaction, difficulties in establishing a balance between private and personal life... Hybrid work is therefore emerging as a more balanced model, which makes it possible to combine periods of remote work with periods of work on the company's premises. However, its generalization implies breaking with a well-established organization and habits. In particular, the culture of presenteeism, according to which employees who are not present in the workplace are not performing well. It should be noted that not all jobs lend themselves to hybrid work, which requires finding an organization that allows everyone to flourish.
Hybrid work therefore requires a global redefinition of the company's organization.
The benefits of hybrid work for employees
Advantage #1 More flexibility and therefore more well-being
Thanks to hybrid work, employees benefit from greater autonomy, an essential component of well-being at work. In a Malakoff Humanis study from 2020, 88% of employees cite autonomy as an advantage of hybrid work.
Benefit #2 Less transport stress
According to the DARES, it takes an average of 50 minutes to get to and from work each day. When employees have the possibility to work remotely, it is a real time saver and also less stressful.
Benefit #3 More peace of mind to focus on a topic or make important calls
The office is not always the best place to concentrate! Background noise, surrounding calls... Employees who wish to work on a file that requires a particular concentration can thus choose to stay at home, and gain in productivity.
Benefit #4 Better work-life balance
Picking up your children from school, playing sports, taking time to make lunch... Not always easy with work constraints. By working remotely a few days a week, employees can better organize themselves and achieve a better balance between the constraints of their personal and professional lives.
Benefit #5 A healthier lifestyle
With time-saving, stress-reducing hybrid work, it's easier to stay healthy, including cooking more and/or working out at lunch.
Benefit #6 The ability for everyone to work in the environment that best suits them
Face-to-face work is not for everyone, nor is remote work. Thanks to a combination of these two organizational modes, hybrid work offers employees the possibility to choose what suits them best. And therefore gain in well-being.
🚀 To go further, find out what hybrid work has changed in terms of knowledge management
Benefit #7 Increased productivity
According to a study by the Adecco Group, hybrid work increases employee productivity. Beware of the corollary, however, as 14% of those surveyed said they work longer hours. It is therefore up to managers to set limits.
💡To go further, discover employee engagement, the secret to productivity
Benefit #8 More time for leisure activities
Since remote employees don't have commute time, they can end their workday earlier and focus on their hobbies, family and whatever else is important to them.
Benefit #9 Greater sense of loyalty
More autonomous, more responsible, less prone to stress, employees are also more likely to feel loyal to their company. Which means the urge to go elsewhere will be less strong!
The benefits of hybrid work for employers
Benefit #1 More satisfied employees
Flexible working hours, reduced travel time, increased autonomy... Thanks to these newly acquired advantages, employees see their level of satisfaction increase. And a happy employee is an employee who works better!
💥To go further, discover 6 best practices to manage your telecommuting team well
Benefit #2 Reduced Turnover
Hybrid work is a factor in attracting and retaining employees, as a report by the Terra Nova think tank shows. The result is a reduction in turnover and greater employee loyalty.
Benefit #3 Greater team cohesion
Paradoxically, hybrid work can strengthen team cohesion, by encouraging employees who work remotely to maintain links with their colleagues and to communicate in a more open and transparent way. Especially since many tools exist today to facilitate teamwork.
💻 To go further, discover how to turn SharePoint into a collaborative tool
Benefit #4 Reduced overhead costs
Operating costs represent a significant portion of a company's budget, especially in the early years. These costs include the purchase or rental of office space, a particularly costly expense. However, if fewer employees are working face-to-face at the same time, the company can reduce its costs by renting smaller offices, lowering its overhead costs, etc.
Advantage #5 Easier recruitment
Every company knows that recruiting quality profiles is not always an easy task. However, hybrid work makes it possible to increase the "scope" of potential candidates, because it becomes possible, for example, to recruit someone who lives far from the company. This can also become an argument for candidates during the recruitment phase. As such, for 72% of the employees surveyed, hybrid work represents a competitive advantage!
Benefit #6 A stronger brand image
In the same vein, companies that offer benefits to their employees enhance their brand image, strengthen their attractiveness and attract more candidates.
Bonus: Finally, hybrid work also has a positive effect... on the environment! At the moment, this is an argument that should not be underestimated. Research shows that an employee who works from home at least one day a week reduces his CO2 emissions by 10%, thanks to the reduction in his travel.
Conclusion
As we have seen in this article, hybrid work is destined to become a permanent feature, and in the next few years, one of the main ways of organizing work.
By combining the advantages of telecommuting and face-to-face work, it offers employees a greater sense of well-being, increased autonomy and a better work-life balance. For employers, the benefits are also numerous: substantial savings, enhanced brand image, improved recruitment, reduced turnover...
So, what are you waiting for, to set it up?
