Finding the Balance - The Rise of Hybrid Working

The COVID-19 pandemic forced an overnight switch of working practices. As working from home became mandatory for those that could, businesses and their employees were required to completely transform their ways of working. In fact, by April 2020, almost half of the UK’s population (46.6%) [1] were working exclusively from home, meaning a 30-second commute to the kitchen table, virtual meetings and balancing home-schooling had become a daily reality. 12 months on, working from home has become normality for many, but as the world begins to reopen, is this set to continue?

While some firms plan for the great return to corporate offices following the final lift of COVID-19 restrictions, a survey carried out by Slack found that only 12% want to return to the office full-time, with 72% voting in favour of a hybrid remote-office working model moving forward [2]. This way of working is nothing new. Technological advancements had enabled remote working long before the pandemic, but the uptake was slow. The impact of COVID-19 has been an accelerator to a pre-existing trend and has enabled workers to highlight desires that may have once been ignored.

The Demands of the Next Generation of Workers

The recent acceleration of remote working has exposed the generational divide around working practices. New research from Deloitte found that two-thirds of Gen Z and Millennials are looking to permanently work from home [3]. Given that those born between the years of 1980 to 2000 now equate to approximately 50% of workers [4], employers can’t simply ignore their calls for more flexibility. Having discovered the stronger work/life balance that hybrid working provides, the workforce is seeking roles that enable flexibility and allow them to thrive both inside and outside of work.

Furthermore, a study of graduates carried out by Opinium Research identified personal development and flexible working hours as their top priorities at work, holding more importance than financial reward. Having grown up in the digital age, it is no surprise that 41% of graduates say they would prefer to communicate electronically rather than face-to-face or over the phone [4].

*Finding the balance between working from home (WFH) and the office is key.*

Working from Home is Here to Stay

One thing is for sure – when lockdown restrictions start to lift, there will be no ‘back to normal’ when it comes to the workplace. Working from home, at least part-time, will be the new normal for many. Increased levels of productivity and focus-time is one reason why the workforce of today prefers to work from home. In April and May 2020, although the average UK working day was 30 minutes longer, working from home has rewarded most of us with flexibility, a better work/life balance and avoiding a commute [5].

There will be certain changes to our ways of working with the proliferation of hybrid working. The Microsoft Work Trend Index survey concludes business leaders are ready to incorporate what employees want:

*Survey carried out by Microsoft Work Trend Index 2021 [6]*

The Importance of the Office

Whilst some employees have flourished working from home, others have found it more challenging. At the office, the spontaneous conversations by the coffee machine or crowding around a whiteboard to brainstorm are interactions that have surely been missed. While at home, many suffer from unreliable Wi-Fi and don’t have the luxury of a spare bedroom or kitchen table to work at. Whatever the reason, it has highlighted the case for adopting a hybrid working strategy.

The face-to-face interaction that humans crave is not the same over phone or video. Whilst businesses have done their best to keep teams connected, the impact of ‘face-to-face’ is vital. In person, employees can fully connect without being distracted by homelife or endless emails. When interacting via email or video only, the nuances of body language, tone of voice and social cues are lost.

From a business point of view, there are some activities where office working is essential. Therefore, offices must be used appropriately to support those activities which may be less effective or efficient when conducted remotely, e.g. onboarding new staff. Without the office experience, it may be more difficult for new recruits to pick up ways of working or information through osmosis. Those all-important office cues, the key to the integration of an employee, cannot be so easily replicated over Zoom.

If all 47% of the UK workforce who moved to working from home exclusively were to continue doing so, it would mean there would be three to four times as many people working from home than before the pandemic. This would have a profound impact on urban economies, transportation, and consumer spending. Socially responsible organisations must ensure they consider the impact on local economies as well as their employees’ wellbeing when making choices about office space.

*Fluctuation in % of people working from home in the UK over the pandemic [7]*

E-learning & Development

Over the next decade, platforms and materials for online learning are going to be increasingly available. The rise of platforms such as LinkedIn Learning and company-specific resources will continue to gather momentum as more emphasis is put on the use of online resources to facilitate personal development. In-person learning will definitely not disappear, however, the virtual reach is far greater and is particularly beneficial to larger corporations. E-learning programmes will continue to evolve to capture the attention of the learner by using more interactive approaches such as gamification, which enhances employee engagement through game-like problems and activities. This is just one of the trends set to influence our daily working lives.

Top 3 Hybrid Working Considerations:

There will be no one way to operate in the working world post-pandemic, but three important points for businesses to consider are:

What do staff want and what do they need? Taking drastic measures such as removing offices and implementing permanent home working does not take into account the times where in-person collaboration is vital. Recruitment and collaboration are examples of working life that are not easily virtually replicated.
Flexibility is very important to employees. Whether it’s working hours or working locations, each employee works best with a different mix and allowing this where possible will benefit the employer.
Using technology to an advantage. From e-learning to video chat, finding the mix of technology that works best for your business will drive positive ways of working in the future.

These three practices have been in use at Deecon since 2018, providing employees with the flexibility to work in the office or from home. Deecon finds this allows employees to balance in-person collaboration with quiet concentration, and combined with working in and out of client offices has helped to foster an agile working environment to deliver the best results for our clients.

Words by Mollie Jordan

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