Hybrid working : Fad or new standard?

In recent months, several companies have introduced hybrid working for their employees. What is hybrid working? How can it be implemented and what are the benefits? Is it just a fad or a new norm for companies?

What is hybrid work?

Hybrid working means that an employee alternates between days in the office and days of teleworking. Each company is free to define the rules of its telework policy. The most common rhythm today being 2 days of telework / 3 days on site..

How to set it up?

First of all, it is essential for the company to survey its employees in order to know their wishes : do they all want to telework? Do they all have the possibility to do so (suitable space, computer equipment, etc.)? What rhythm suits them best? The idea is to conduct a small survey among employees in order to propose a hybrid work policy that will meet their needs and that will therefore be easily accepted by all.

Once this stage has been completed and the policy defined, it is important to communicate the changes to managers and employees. Management will automatically be affected, and it is essential to maintain trust between the teams and their manager. It is not a question of controlling people too much at a distance, or on the contrary, of abandoning them in favour of those in person.

Furthermore, a good implementation of hybrid work in a company depends on providing employees with the necessary equipment and tools to carry out their mission from any location. Among the most important tools are those for :

Communication and meetings with colleagues, in order to maintain the social link and exchange easily,
Sharing documents, such as the various shared drives,
Reservation of spaces, like desk booking (parking space, office, canteen, corpoworking and hot desking spaces…), as Sharvy does.

To help you, download our free checklist!

For what benefits?

The implementation of hybrid working in organisations has many advantages, both for the employee and for the company.

1. For the employee :

Better efficiency : depending on the assignment, it is sometimes more efficient to telework. Indeed, the employee will be less disturbed and distracted than when he/she is surrounded by several colleagues, he/she will be able to concentrate fully on his/her tasks.
A better balance between professional and personal life : thanks to teleworking, the employee has more time for leisure activities, can organise his working hours according to personal requirements…
Reduced costs : the teleworking employee saves on transport costs, but also on lunch costs for example.
Less stress : by eliminating one or more days per week of transport, the journey which can be a source of stress and annoyance. According to a study by Owl Labs, 84% of employees shared that working remotely would make them happier and the QLWC increase.

2. For the company :

A better employer brand : the company is more attractive because it adapts to current trends and the new expectations of candidates
Saving space and money : by definition, some of the employees are not present on site every day. It allows the company to move from a system where everyone had their own office to a more flexible system where workstations are no longer named (desk sharing, flex office). This gain in space and therefore m² automatically leads to a reduction in the property budget.
The creation of new spaces : the gain in workspace can allow the company to create new spaces such as break rooms, discussion rooms, cafeterias, etc.

Fad or new standard?

According to a study by Cadremploi and the Boston Consulting Group, 78% of employees today favour this way of working. This figure has been rising steadily since the Covid-19 health crisis, which changed the way millions of people work.

Hybrid working seems to be becoming part of people’s habits. And companies are obliged to adapt in order to remain attractive to candidates and to keep their talents. More than a simple fashion effect following the health crisis, hybrid work and the working methods it generates, such as the flex office, are gradually becoming established in companies and seem to be continuing to evolve thanks to its growing adoption.