The Rise of the Hybrid Work Model

Over two years of the WFH setup, many employees reported that they were far more comfortable working from home than at the office. Remote working became the norm, and flexibility and work-life balance became the forefront of the movement and for companies to adapt.

According to the Work Trends Index, 74% of Asian workers want flexible remote work alternatives to remain, but 67% want more face-to-face interaction with their teams. There are obviously conflicting preferences here, and the solution is hybrid working — the ability to work from home and onsite. Since its rise to popularity, it has grown to become not only a pandemic option but a solid policy implementation that is already in place for forward-looking organisations. In fact, leading companies in APAC like Microsoft, KPMG, and PwC have already recognised its benefits and are in the process of perfectioning a hybrid work policy. 

Also read: 5 Major Enterprises Making The Flight Towards Flexibility

In this article, we will introduce you to the steps for creating a hybrid work model policy with reference to the practices of leading companies.

10 Steps for Creating a Hybrid Work Model Policy

1. Addressing challenges and the need for a hybrid approach

The first step answers your reasons for implementing a hybrid work setup. Start by listing out your need for a hybrid working policy, the implications, the challenges, and the problems it solves.

2. Conduct an internal survey that involves all hierarchies 

Every employee should have a chance to participate in a survey before undertaking important company decisions. Insights from the top executives down to the entry-level staff will make creating hybrid working policies work better. It’s always foolproof to make decisions after considering inhouse preferences. 

3. Assess the nature of the business operation and the employees’ work

For a hybrid working policy to work, insights across different departments, employees, and the nature of the company’s business should all be taken into consideration. It used to be a hard truth that not all companies could enjoy hybrid work due to their business nature (e.g., medication consultation or dining services). However, these industries have now overcome the old past with the aid of technology. Today, we’re seeing doctors giving consultations online, orchestras doing live zoom performances, and foods that can be delivered via mobile.

4. Determine eligibility for hybrid work (if the company will continue to do so) 

Clear communication is the most important factor for any company-wide policy change, so there has to be a clear hybrid schedule of who comes in and who’s not. In setting up criteria for eligibility, consider the following: nature of employees’ work; impact on service quality or organisational operations; whether it is cost-effective for employers or not; and direct impact on team performance. Provide alternatives for staff who cannot do remote work due to their role (e.g., floor manager in a hotel), to keep everyone happy.

The employer can use this quick guide from the University of Washington Human Resources in determining the eligibility of the employee.

5. Determine which types of hybrid work approaches to offer

It’s also significant to note that there is a scale of hybrid models to consider. Open Sourced Workplace has categorised five types of hybrid work that provide you with a hybrid work shopping catalogue. They’re good to start, easy to remember and allow you to modify and customise them later on.

At-Will and Remote-First Models

It prioritises remote work first rather than on-site. It could be 3-4 days remote and 1-2 days in-office.

Office-First Model

 Basically, the opposite of the remote-first type of hybrid work arrangement where employees spend more time in the office.

Split-Week Model

Primarily concerned with schedules. It works by assigning specific days specifically for on-site work and remote work.

Week-By-Week Model

The week-by-week model works by assigning weeks when specific employee groups must be physically present at the office.

Designated Teams Hybrid Work Model

This hybrid work setup specifically assigns which teams or employees should work at the office or remote.

Using tools, such as Deskimo’s Workplace Management System solution will help you to transition to hybrid work model policy smoothly. WMS will optimise office spaces with a tool that displays seating, space requirements, and office allocation. The good news is it’s all accessible from one integrated platform.

Also Read: Hybrid Workspaces: A Workspace Solution Here To Stay

The steps mentioned above will guide you through creating a hybrid work policy manual that is specifically tailored to your company and employee needs. At this point, it’s also important to note that for a hybrid working model policy to work, it needs to be led by a management expert, bringing in industry knowledge who would be helpful in putting in the best practices of hybrid working into the company.

We know how important it is to you to learn the best way to create a hybrid work policy that will work for your team. So, stay tuned for the second part of our content for the rest steps.

About Deskimo (YCS21)

Empowering the paradigm shift in hybrid work is at the heart of Deskimo’s mission. The company helps businesses and teams transform their workplace policies to become more productive, collaborative, and cost-effective. With operations in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Indonesia, Deskimo provides integrated workplace solutions – Coworking Space Marketplace and Workplace Management System (WMS) to help management and team leaders boost team productivity (5 annual days per employee), improve employee engagement (by 7 times), and cut office costs (by 20 percent).