Advantages and disadvantages of hybrid working

Most people know what hybrid working is, but for those who don’t, hybrid working is a form of flexible working where workers spend some of their time working remotely and in the office.

The UK has seen a huge increase in this over recent years, and it has now become the normality for a large proportion of UK businesses since post COVID-19 pandemic.

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Advantages of hybrid working

1. Flexibility: This is a great perk to offer employees. Allowing employees to have more control and flexibility can help with their personal lives (especially those who have families or experience a long daily commute to the office).
2. Increased productivity: Allowing employees to work in environments which they’re happy with, can help mental well-being. Some studies show that working from home can help increase productivity.
3. Talent attraction and retention: This allows employers to attract the best talent. Due to less travel, this opens up the geo-targeting. Some people might not mind spending 2-3 hours plus commuting to work if they only have to do it once to twice a week. If you have to be in the office 5 days a week, you’re likely only going to be able to attract people local to the area.
4. Cost-effective: Both employers and employees can benefit financially from hybrid working. Companies can reduce overhead costs by maintaining smaller office spaces, while employees save on commuting expenses. These savings can add up over the year, which can lead to saving, hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds!
5. Environmental benefits: Fewer commutes mean reduced carbon emissions and less traffic congestion. This supports a more sustainable lifestyle, which helps to reduce the overall carbon footprint.
6. Metal Wellbeing: Studies have shown that journeys can increase stress and anxiety levels, which will impact your mental health.
7. Company perk: Most employees no longer expect to work 5 days a week in an office, and if you do, it can potentially be a key deterrent for not accepting the job. In today’s society, people expect flexibility.

Disadvantages of Hybrid Working

1. Security hazard: Working remotely requires companies to add extra levels of security to help prevent cybersecurity attacks. This can be costly as it may require a significant investment, which some companies, may not have the budget for.
2. Mental Wellbeing: Like anything, with every positive, comes a negative. As there are positive effects on your mental well-being, it can have an adverse effect. You can feel isolated and disconnected from the workplace.
3. Management difficulties: Managing a hybrid team requires new skills, and it can be difficult to manage. This is why a business needs to have a good, efficient infrastructure in place.
4. Training: It’s hard to teach people through a screen as you’re missing regular communication and feedback. Asking questions is more long-winded and it is another obstacle that you need to overcome.
5. Work-life boundary: Employees may find it difficult to disconnect from work when their home becomes their office. This can lead to working more hours than you should be.
6. Communication breakdown: If you’re a company that is growing at a rapid pace, you could go weeks, if not months without seeing new people due to being on different office rotas. Before you know it, the company will be full of a mixture of people who have joined and left, therefore making it seem like you need to start all over again, making new relationships and connections.
7. Company culture: It’s hard to develop culture when people don’t interact day in, and day out. This will impact the company’s cohesion.

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5 Top tips for successful Hybrid Working

1. Organisation: Use management tools such as Slack or ClickUp to set daily tasks/communicate with colleagues.
2. Encourage team collaboration: book in regular 1-2-1’s or brainstorming sessions which you can go through with your team. Whether this is a brainstorm, or someone presenting a particular topic.
3. Prioritise communication: Make sure that you encourage regular video chats, and don’t get stuck behind a keyboard. You can also book regular meetings to maintain cohesion.
4. Set clear working spaces: Set start and end times throughout the week. Plan things in your personal life, whether that’s as simple as, starting at 9 am, finishing at 5 pm, or going to a spin class or coffee with friends at 5:30 pm.
5. Wellbeing: Take regular breaks at home to avoid being burned out, and make sure that you have the correct equipment, e.g. a supportive chair and an ergonomic mouse/keyboard.

Make hybrid working work for you

As discussed above, hybrid working offers flexibility and efficiency, making it an attractive option for both employers and employees.

However, it does come with its own set of challenges. As the future is forever adapting, hybrid working is likely to remain or be a key part of a business’s future planning, which will impact our professional and personal lives.

This is why you should be flexible and some employers should be able to cater to an individual needs. When it comes to hybrid working, it’s not one-size-fits-all. You need to be adaptable and ready to take on new challenges when they come.

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