Whether we like it or not, remote work is not going anywhere, and now that employees have gotten a taste of what it feels like to work remotely, more are eager to do so than ever before. Unfortunately, the reality is that employers are eventually going to want their employees to return to the office in at least some capacity. How can employers do this without upsetting employees too much? The answer lies in a hybrid work environment.
What is a Hybrid Work Environment?
When people imagine the workplace, they generally see it in black and white rather than shades of gray. Either an employee works in the office and gets everything done from their work desk, or they work remotely and do not need to make the trip to the office. Hybrid work is a mixture of both, where the employee spends a certain amount of time working in-house and the rest of the time working remotely.
If anything, a hybrid workplace model is more of a compromise than anything else, giving employees the freedom to work remotely while still coming to the workplace as needed for meetings and other responsibilities.
How Can It Be Achieved?
So, you want to implement a hybrid workplace. That’s great, but how can it be done in a way that gives employees the flexibility they desire while ensuring that employers get what they need from in-house operations, too?
One way that you can ensure that your hybrid workplace solution works in your favor is to design with remote work as the priority. The reasoning behind this is simple; if it can be done remotely, it can be done in-house. The reverse cannot be said quite so easily, as in-house systems are designed specifically for in-house operations. Since remote work is so accommodating in the fact that it allows employees to work from anywhere, it also allows those who do choose to work in-house the ability to do so with little-to-no restriction.
It also helps to ensure that your office has the accommodations necessary to handle any amount of in-house workers as needed. Some companies utilize a desk reservation system where employees can book a desk or workspace for the days that they plan on coming to the office. This transitions into the next tip we have, which is to make sure that employees have access to the technology they need to succeed, be it laptops, smartphones, software, data access, or any other assets that they might require on a day-to-day basis. By making sure that your employees have access to this technology, they will be able to transition between remote work and in-house work seamlessly.
Don’t Let Technology Be Your Sticking Point
As you might imagine, the proper hybrid workplace will revolve around access to technology solutions that allow your employees to work anywhere at any time on whatever devices they have been assigned or choose to use. The possibilities might seem overwhelming, but remember that you are not alone in this pursuit. CoreTech is available to assist your organization with the shift to a remote or hybrid workplace. To learn more, reach out to us at (270) 282-4926.
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