The concept of hybrid work came into existence when employees were allowed to work in an office or remote or both places. The new system is now widespread thanks to the pandemic, but problems arise from the new work system. Employers and employees find it difficult to maintain productivity as many cannot adapt to the remote environment.
Challenges of Hybrid work model
Some problems arising out of the hybrid work model which is causing productivity issue are
- Social isolation
- Longer working hours
- Disconnect between employees
When a company has a workforce in scattered locations, the primary concern is maintaining productivity. For this, some of the measures one can take improve productivity, such as
- Better Communication
Employees remote working works in different shifts and miss out on important communications from the management. Encouraging open communication helps employees to reach out. Managers must ensure that all employees have access to communication channels even if they are working from home.
- Work Flexibility
Regarding official work timings, there are no hard and fast rules regarding work timings in hybrid mode. Managers can let their team decide where they want; they want to work from – either Office or home or perhaps 2-3 days in a week at Office. The main idea is to get maximum productivity by using any variants.
- Organize task
Many works can be done from home. Managers need to identify those tasks that can be done from home without affecting productivity. For example, software programming or HR recruitment activities can be done from home. While some work requires the employees to present in the Office, others can be done anywhere.
- Set Boundaries
In the hybrid model, Managers do not have the same control over what their team is doing. It is important to ensure that employees do not engage in unofficial work. To prevent this, managers can call regular meetings so that employees remain engaged. Following an open approach policy allows employees to communicate with management directly. Fix the job responsibilities, deadlines, and working hours so that there is no confusion.
- Provide productivity tools
By empowering the employees in remote locations with tools, the management can help in remote worker productivity. Laptops, secured internet connection, mobile phones, and access to network data are important for remote workers to work efficiently.
- Create a suitable working environment
It has been found that many workers working from home do not have a suitable working environment. This is a determining factor for work productivity. If the home place is not conducive, employees’ work output will suffer. Many employers provide a budget that allows workers to buy tables and chairs to set up a home office.
Conclusion
The hybrid work model is in nascent stages and still evolving. Organizations are working out different solutions to meet the challenges and ensure work productivity does not suffer.
