CHALLENGES AND POSSIBILITIES OF HYBRID WORKING MODEL

Posted by: Aditya Batra, Head of Operations

Things are no longer the same as they were earlier. Different parts of life have gone through critical shifts during pandemic, working culture is not an exception. Various aspects of work are evolving and even shifting entirely. People being at the centre of this whole process, the concept of 'working flexibly' is rooting in this transforming work culture.

The flexible work culture, which is now what we call a 'Hybrid working model' can't be considered as a whole new concept. Various developed countries are already dealing with such models. Industries in India are also well-aware about it; however, they were not much adaptable towards the same until the pandemic got the ball rolling.

Scattered Playing Field

Major challenge the hybrid working model can face is in terms of ' effective work distribution'. Hybrid models are of various types, including complete remote working, half-staff on field and half at home, working from office for a couple of days in a week and rest of the days from home, etc. Hence, the issue of unequal work distribution among employees may happen not knowing the workload of each of them. In such cases, one more possibility can't be ignored and that is; employees may feel excluded which can lower their interest in the work. 

The way out- There should be a strict meeting etiquette where video calls should be prioritised over the phone calls. At management level, the work distribution should be considered as an important aspect and there should be an authority checking on work loads of each employee and taking follow-ups of the tasks assigned.

Shaping the Workforce

Leaders play an important role in shaping the mind-set of their teams. In terms of new employees in an organisation, hybrid working models can be challenging while conveying the work ethics and standard of an organisation. In other terms, effective role distribution can be an issue which may require a unique style of handling.

The way out- Creating opportunities for the entire team to connect and get-together once or twice in a month could be an effective way of interaction where employees can have spontaneous communication with their peers and understand expectations of an organisation. Such gathering can be essential in terms of achieving support and guidance.

Employee Engagement at Workplace 

With the hybrid working models, employees are going to come to the offices for very specific reasons. Hence, the workplace experience has to be updated for engaging staff in the offices. Possibility can't be neglected that, in future, employees may like to work at their home offices more than that of their actual ones. If the office is not engaging, creative and collaborative, such conditions can lead to the employee job change.

The way out- To keep an employee engaged in the office, offering them something that their home office doesn't offer could be an essential step. A welcoming workplace with some activity areas to have fun in free time can keep employees fascinated about the workplace. Offering convenience could be the next step to work on to give them a home-like feel. 

These are some common challenges that can be encountered while exploring any hybrid working model. Moreover, different hybrid models have been proposed in today’s scenario, each of them can have a unique set of challenges to tackle. The organisations should study and analyse what works best for them. Future of work will be bright; organisations should play their cards wisely to make the hybrid working model a success.