Designing Your Hybrid Workplace: Things to Consider

In today’s definition, a workplace is no longer a place. Most people realized they could work literally anywhere — office, coffee shop, home. Organizations and companies worldwide have turned to remote working for some time now. With the onset and offset of multiple lockdowns in many countries, there is a need to implement a hybrid workplace to adapt to the demanding conditions of today’s work setup.

What does a hybrid workplace look like?

The hybrid workplace is a work arrangement where employees have the option to work on-site or remotely. Depending on their convenience, the workforce can conduct operations in the office or the comforts of their homes. A hybrid setup promotes a flexible workplace where team collaboration will not be fully compromised while the employees work on-site or online.

One of the usual courses of action that companies take in adopting a hybrid workplace is designating specific days where some employees will work in the office. Having this kind of setup addresses the need for physical presence in specific meetings while allowing employees to do work remotely.

There have been positive outcomes recorded with implementing hybrid workplaces. These include increased employee productivity and work-life balance. When employees feel less stressed and have a defined line between work and life, they can function adequately at work — leading to enhanced performance. Moreover, companies can also benefit from implementing a hybrid workplace by minimizing operational costs (electricity, water, and rent).

What are the types of hybrid setups?

Adopting a specific type of hybrid workplace depends on the conditions of your business and workforce. The right style for your company relies on flexibility and support while maintaining employee collaboration and productivity. Below are some of the types of hybrid workplaces that you can adopt.

Remote-first Model

This type of hybrid setup requires everyone to work entirely remotely, with very few employees rendering work in the office.

Occasional-Office Model

The core of this model allows employees to spend time working in the office — not fully implementing a completely virtual or remote work environment.

Office-preferred, Remote-Allowed Model

In this kind of hybrid setup, the office is the primary space for working. Employees who choose to work remotely have to adhere to remote work policies and requirements.

How to choose a suitable hybrid workplace?

The hybrid workplace has been seen as the ideal work setup, as it marries the sociability present in in-office work and the flexibility of working remotely. As leaders are now pushing for innovation and agility in operations, the hybrid workplace may be the best option for today’s businesses. If you are considering implementing a flexible setup, here are some things to examine to select the best hybrid workplace for you.

Review the Characteristics of an Effective Hybrid Setup

In order to choose the setup that best works for your business, there are certain characteristics that make the hybrid workplace successful and effective.

Flexible

The hybrid setup is all about flexibility. Businesses must ensure that tools and processes are in place to support the flexible work setup for all employees, on-site or remote. This means that communication and collaboration can be similarly done whether remote or in-office employees are involved.

Inclusive

Hybrid workplaces must be accessible and inclusive to all employees, regardless of their demographics, language, or abilities.

Collaboration

The best practice in executing the hybrid setup is to assume that everyone is working remotely. In this way, digital tools must be ensured to foster collaboration among the team members wherever they are.

Security
A successful hybrid work setup must not breed digital risk but should mitigate cyber threats. The digital solutions that will be utilized must have security features that can protect the corporate data while ensuring the productivity and privacy of the employees.

Managed

Ensuring the effectiveness of the hybrid workplace requires the setup to be measurable and transparent. Managing the controls and permissions of the tools and the data can help in empowering governance within the workplace.

Seek Sentiments from the Workforce

Developing a space that fuses the physical and remote work experience may shift the culture and goals of the business. Such change must adapt to the demands of a hybrid setup to have a successful transition. A way to do that is to invest in the well-being of the workplace.

Building the arrangement that works for your company needs input from the workforce, the main player in the hybrid setup. Involve your employees in the process by surveying them of their stances on hybrid work. Some questions you can ask include:

• Would you prefer working in-office or remotely?
• If both, how many days of working in the office? How many days of working remotely?
• What are the types of equipment you might need to work at home or remotely?
• Do you prefer working a flexible shift?

Furthermore, you also need to weigh the pros and cons of each hybrid workplace model. Some may work fine for your company, but others may bring more drawbacks than benefits. Apart from initial surveys, you also need to invest in collating employee feedback once the hybrid setup has been implemented. In this way, you can also gauge the sentiments of the employees towards the adopted model.

Redesign the Collaboration Space

An effective hybrid workplace prioritizes the bridging of the physical and remote environment. It is crucial to seek solutions that integrate both workplaces, considering the employees’ equity, engagement, and convenience. Select the hybrid workplace model that allows equal access to the content and tools while empowering better collaboration and ease of use.

The collaboration space will be redefined in one way or another when implementing a specific hybrid workplace model. That is why it is imperative to invest in a hybrid infrastructure. Choose the right hybrid workplace tools depending on the needs and conditions of your business. Below are some of the tools that you may need in selecting the best hybrid setup.

Communication tools

Select a digital solution that caters to both synchronous and asynchronous communication. This could be in the form of video conferencing platforms, messaging applications, or team management tools.

Project Management tools

Look for solutions that can conveniently manage action items and tasks for your in-office and remote employees. It must ensure that your team is aligned with all the charges.

Document Management Platforms

Choose a software that allows secure and seamless storage and control of corporate documents. Seek platforms that support access control and permissions to avoid digital risks.

While it is better to prioritize agility when choosing a suitable hybrid workplace for your business, you must also consider your budget in transitioning to a hybrid setup. Opt for solutions or hybrid workplace models that make every cent worth of its innovation and efficiency.

Convene is an essential element in your hybrid workplace

Leveraging your work arrangement into a hybrid setup requires a solution that upholds efficiency and governance simultaneously. The shift in the business’s goals and culture can lead to changes in workflows. Your hybrid collaboration space may require the adoption of several platforms that aid in remote work.

Convene is a one-stop board portal platform that allows efficient board and team management — streamlining the meeting and collaborative processes. Develop effective meetings by preparing board packs with the Smart Agenda Builder. Discuss and collaborate seamlessly with the built-in audio and video conferencing. Present your ideas better with live presentation tools in Convene.

Support communication outside of meetings by assigning and tracking your team’s action items easily. Review and approve documents using a hassle-free tool. Store and manage your documents securely with a document repository that allows identity authentication.

Create quicker workflows in your hybrid arrangement with Convene. With the board portal features, experience seamless remote meetings and collaborative work. Schedule a consultation with us today!