In our eyes, hybrid work is all about flexibility.
We know there are different hybrid work models and it looks different for every business. But we love that a flexible hybrid work schedule empowers employees to work wherever they work the best.
With this in mind, everyone’s idea of a productive work environment is different. And when you need to work across teams or liaise externally, flexible working can become a challenge.
Before we launch into its benefits, what do we mean by a flexible hybrid work schedule?
A flexible hybrid work schedule can take many forms, but the ones we consider to be the most common are:
Autonomy over your workplace (not set days in the office, or working from home)
Autonomy over your working hours (this could be caveated with ‘core’ online hours)
Flexibility over when you go into the office (although you could have a set number of days)
Ultimately, it means your workplace empowering its individuals to have more freedom over how and where they work best.
Flexibly hybrid work models are built on trust, and for that reason it usually results in a happier, more motivated workforce.
However, that’s not the only benefit:
Increased Employee Satisfaction and Retention To elaborate on the motivated workforce; one of the biggest benefits of a flexible hybrid work schedule is increased employee satisfaction and retention. With the flexibility to work remotely, employees are able to better balance their work and personal lives. This leads to increased job satisfaction, a greater sense of well-being and more respect for the company they work for.
When employees are happy, they’re more likely to stay with the company and be motivated to perform at their best, which can reduce recruitment and training costs.
Reduced Company Costs Reduced recruitment costs aren’t the only reasons flexible hybrid working will positively impact your bottom line. With fewer employees in the office, companies can use a workspace management tool to better understand how much their office is being used and save on overhead costs such as rent, utilities, and office supplies.
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Increased Employee Wellbeing Your employee’s mental health is inextricably linked to their overall quality of life.
With less commuting time and flexibility to commit to personal appointments or routines in their workdays; whether it’s picking up the kids from school or a doctor’s appointment, having a flexible hybrid work schedule reduces the stress associated with a traditional office work model.
Not only is improved employee wellbeing important for the employee themself, but it will encourage employees to be ‘in the zone’ when they need to be, increasing output.
Increased Productivity and Creativity Contrary to popular belief, a flexible hybrid work schedule can actually increase productivity and creativity.
With the ability to work from anywhere, employees are able to create their ideal work environment.
Some may prefer the quiet of a home office, while others may thrive in a bustling coffee shop. This increased autonomy and flexibility will lead to increased productivity and creativity.
Hopefully, we’ve convinced you that a flexible hybrid work schedule is the way to go. So, how do you make sure you benefit fully, without compromizing on team collaboration and productivity?
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Strategies to Optimize Productivity with a Hybrid Work Schedule
With employees working both remotely and in the office, maintaining alignment and ensuring that all team members are working effectively can be a challenge.
Here are five strategies to optimize productivity with a flexible hybrid work schedule:
#1 Establish Clear Expectations and Deadlines
When working remotely, it's important to have clear expectations and deadlines to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
This includes setting clear goals, outlining specific tasks and deadlines, and communicating your expectations for communication and collaboration.
While expectations and deadlines are vital for every business, it’s even more important to communicate this clearly when you’re working remotely.
Consider whether the other party is in a different timezone, and make sure if you need to collaborate on a project in-person you find out when you’re both in the office.
#2 Foster Communication and Collaboration Through Technology
Communication is key when it comes to optimizing productivity in a hybrid work schedule.
If you’re a manager, make sure you have regular check-ins with your team to stay up-to-date on their progress and provide feedback.
Don’t fall into the trap of proximity bias, make sure you’re checking in with your team no matter where they are.
Use video calls and instant messaging tools such as Slack to facilitate real-time communication and collaboration.
Use the communication tools available to help facilitate point #1 on deadlines and expectations.
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‘With a great work schedule, comes great responsibility’ (or… something like that).
The point is, if you’re lucky enough to work for a company that prioritizes a flexible hybrid work schedule, it’s up to you to maintain that trust through output and accountability.
If you need to attend an appointment, you still need to make sure your tasks aren’t affected and your deadlines will be met.
As a manager, stressing the importance of accountability and ownership will make your team feel respected, while also helping to motivate them to get their heads down and focus no matter where they are.
Tools like Officely can help you stay connected with your team members and make sure you see the faces you need (and want) to see when you’re in the office.
Use Officely to see who’s in and what’s happening each day, so that you can decide when to come into the office in-line with your schedule and projects.
Features such as Favorite Coworkers enable you to receive notifications when the people you care about most book into the office or cancel their booking, to arrange your schedule around who’s in when.
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One of the most important things you can do to optimize productivity in a flexible hybrid work schedule is to ensure that your team members have a healthy work-life balance.
On the opposite side of the coin to making sure team’s are productive, is making sure your team has a work-life balance.
When you work where you live, it’s easy to open up your laptop outside of working hours, or check your work phone on the weekend. And sooner or later, this will contribute to burnout.
Encourage your employees to take breaks and prioritize self-care, and make sure that they have the resources they need to manage their workload effectively.
By fostering a business-wide culture of work-life balance, you can help your team members stay motivated and productive over the long term.
Communication is the Glue Between Flexibility and Productivity
A flexible hybrid work schedule empowers employees to work from wherever they work best. This should, on paper, make them their most productive.
The key to ensuring that productivity is across both teams and timezones, is keeping open communication between employees. From regular check-ins and project management tools, to office visibility with apps like Officely.
If you’re a hybrid business looking to give your employees more flexibility, use Officely to help manage collaboration days. Get started with a two-week free trial (no credit card required) or watch our demo!
Try Officely Today
See who's in the office, organize socials and events, and increase your office attendance all within Slack.
Alice is Officely's content manager. When not spreading the word of Officely and hybrid work, you can find her feeding family, friends and strangers with her latest baking experiment.
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