Top 8 Amazing  Benefits of a Hybrid Workplace

The workplace is constantly evolving and changing into what the workforce and the world need at the time.

The pandemic taught us that where and how we work should be fluid. And it’s up to organizations to make sure they keep up with the times and create a flexible workplace where employees want to work.

That’s why Hybrid Workplaces are getting all the hype. This mix of traditional and flex working benefits employees and organizations worldwide.

What is a hybrid workplace?

A Hybrid Workplace Management is a flexible workplace practice that empowers employees to work where and when they want, usually by balancing their time between office work and remote work.

What are the benefits of a hybrid workplace?

A hybrid work environment encourages collaboration and creativity, working where and when you work best, instead of measuring productivity by “butts in seats.” When the pandemic forced people into remote work, the workforce stayed productive but missed office interactions. Organizations stayed successful but company culture in the digital world lacked. The answer to how the post-COVID workplace should work is hybrid.

With a hybrid model, collaboration and creativity can flow, organizations can provide a controlled, flexible environment, and everyone can benefit.

In this article, we present 8 benefits of a hybrid workplace broken down into three categories: value to the employee, the organization, and the globe. Let’s begin!

Benefits of a Hybrid Workplace for the employee…

1. Working where you are most productive

Does either of these scenarios sound familiar…?

The company quarterly report is due by end of the day, and you need ZERO DISTRACTIONS. Your best move is to forego the office, and that unnecessary conversation with Joe from Accounting (no offense Joe), and work remotely where you can get the heads-down time and some peace and quiet.

The biggest presentation of your life (not to be dramatic) is tomorrow and you know your PowerPoint is  !!

But in order to take the cake, you need to present it with confidence. You need to be in the office, in a huddle room, with your most trusted coworker-friends, so you can practice your presentation, get honest feedback, and blow everyone away.

YOU know what kind of atmosphere is the most productive for the work you need to get done. With a hybrid setup, you have the flexibility and choice to work where you need to. You can find the right workspace for the day in the office or at a coworking location or choose to work from home because you need the focus time or have to attend to personal matters during your breaks.

2. Improving your work/life balance

Burnout from juggling high stress in the office 40 hours a week and all your other daily life tasks can cost you and your organization more than you might think. In 2017, it was estimated that $125 to $190 billion a year was spent in healthcare in the U.S. due to physiological and physical problems of burned-out employees, according to Harvard Business Review.

With hybrid work, employees can use their at-home days to schedule breaks to take care of personal essentials like doctor’s appointments or getting kids to and from school. Plus, on those days, employees can save an average of 55 minutes on their daily commute meaning more time for balance.

3. More collaborative & creative places to work

The office is turning into a place employees want to go to collaborate and feel creative. Working at home has seen great productivity but also burnout, feelings of isolation, and “Zoom fatigue.”

Holding meetings, brainstorming sessions, and other collaborative activities means an increase in social interaction, engagement, and comradery.

You are a small company, and you don’t have the resources to hire a dedicated HR person.

You need someone who can take care of your employee benefits, payroll, and recruitment.

Hire Ghani Associate to manage your HR needs. We will ensure that all your employees are happy and productive!

And with many companies reimagining the workplace, including the variety of workspaces that will be offered like collaboration areas, huddle rooms, etc., employees get to experience a new way of working when at the office.

Benefits of a Hybrid Workplace for the organization…

4. Attracting and retaining top talent from anywhere

Retaining talent is vital because loyal, happy employees deliver productive results. Additionally, it costs time and money (33% more) to hire a replacement.

Attracting top talent also gets easier when you can expand your search worldwide. Having one office, one location that everyone needs to report to can narrow your search quite a bit. Plus, employees on the job hunt are looking for flexible workplaces.

Make employees want to join you and stay with you by adding flexibility to your workplace.

5. Improvements in employee engagement & productivity

Studies show when employees have flexibility and freedom in how they work, they are more engaged, productive, and satisfied.

• 81% of hybrid employees reported high engagement and 77% reported increased productivity

If not offered hybrid options after COVID-19, 66% of employees would stay but be less happy and 46% would look for another job that offered these benefits.

Employees that are able to work their jobs flexibly should be given the opportunity to do so. The good far outweighs the bad when it comes to implementing a flexible, hybrid workplace.

6. Saving millions in real estate costs

Say so long to 1:1 ratio seating. Two things to consider with a hybrid workplace:

1. Flex employees may come into the office for certain tasks on different days or at different times, so you don’t need to provide a workspace per employee
2. When you offer different types of workspaces and collaboration areas, employees don’t need a specific workspace from 9-5 each workday

With workspaces costing a company a yearly average of $10,000 each, there’s a lot of potential savings there. Let’s look at this graph.

If you make just 50% of your workplace flexible, you could see savings in the millions. And that doesn’t mean that only 50% of your workforce is able to use your office, it just means they have the choice of what type of workspace they need and when.

Benefits of a Hybrid Workplace Globally…

7. Focus on Health & Safety

With a hybrid work model, organizations have a much easier time managing health and safety guidelines. When companies began their return-to-work strategy during COVID-19, those with a hybrid plan and the right technology were able to do it quickly and safely.

Your hybrid workplace and workplace management software can:

• Implement physical distancing of your workspaces
• Manage capacity limits and follow federal guidelines
• Have employees answer health questions before reserving space in the office
• Use Contact Tracing to follow the trail in case someone ends up sick

We hope to never experience a pandemic again in our lifetime, but with the right setup, another event like this won’t leave you unorganized and unprepared. You’re able to control how your workplace is running and keep your workforce’s health and safety a top priority.

8. Reduced Company Footprint

Decrease in Gasoline Usage, Carbon Emissions, & Air Pollution – 

When fewer people are driving to work every day, gasoline usage, carbon emissions, and air pollution decrease. Prior to the pandemic, the U.S. was using 391 million gallons of gasoline a day. But when everyone was staying home during the pandemic, global carbon dioxide emissions fell by 6.4%. A massive change since emissions had steadily been rising for decades.

Monitoring Energy Consumption in the Office – 

When you combine your workplace management software with Smart Building Technology, you can decrease your footprint even more with lights, A.C. or heat, etc. only turning on when someone is in the building or has checked in to a reservation.

Downsizing Office Space – 

With fewer employees in the building at one time and space utilization analytics showing you how your office space is being used, it may be time to consider downsizing. Smaller Space = Smaller Company Footprint!

By encouraging hybrid work, using workplace resources only when needed, and even potentially downsizing office space, your company’s footprint can see a decent reduction and you can feel like a productive global citizen!

Do these benefits of hybrid work sound good to you?

Heading into a new phase of work after getting thrown the curveball that was COVID-19 can sound like a lot. But the benefits of a hybrid workplace have been laid out in front of you and we think it’s worth it!

With the understanding of what it is and its benefits, you can head into the next step: Creating a hybrid workplace.

We created this free Guide to the Post-COVID, Hybrid Workplace where you can get all the information you need about creating and supporting this flexible workplace practice. Or feel free to contact us and we’d be happy to chat with you about your organization and how we can provide the right technology to help you manage your hybrid workplace.