Technology has changed the way we work. The advent of new technologies has led to a new era of working, where people are able to work from anywhere and collaborate with people across the world.
A recent survey stated that 76% of employees believed their company’s culture had improved during remote work. Working from home scenarios are here to stay; giving employees the freedom to choose where to work only enhances staff loyalty and goodwill towards the company culture.
Hybrid working models are the future of work. With the rise of technology, it has become easier to balance work and life.
However, some challenges still remain that can be addressed through IT strategies and procedures, depending on your business’ needs.
What is a hybrid working model?
As more offices begin to open their doors to employees, the decision of when to come into the office and when to work remotely has changed from company to company.
A hybrid working model allows employees to work from home or a remote location while still being productive, as they can still collaborate with colleagues on projects, share files, and make use of other remote working tools that have been developed, like Microsoft’s Modern Workspace, Slack, or Zoom.
Hybrid working models help companies to be more productive and efficient. The benefits of have been well proven:
- Better work-life balance
- Less commuting stress
- Lower carbon footprint
- Lower overhead costs
- Greater flexibility for employers and employees
However, as with all new scenarios, some challenges facing the hybrid working model have arisen that employers and managers need to address.
Disconnected to the workplace
The lack of consistent communication between co-workers is a common challenge with a remote working model. The distance between co-workers can make it difficult to be in constant contact and have a clear understanding of what is going on.
Lack of communication can lead to issues like confusion and isolation among remote workers. These feelings can lower morale and make people feel less motivated in their work.
Solution
Digital applications like Microsoft Teams allow remote workers to schedule regular meetings, talk via video or voice calls, collaborate on shared documents in real time, and talk in group chats.
Holding consistent, weekly meetings between team members to talk about workloads, weekly tasks, and any other business issues is a solid solution to creating a stronger feeling of company culture and making employees feel that they are still part of a team.
Transparency and open communication
With a hybrid working scenario, employees will inevitably miss certain conversations. Decisions may be made in the physical office when some employees are working remotely, which makes it harder for all employees to collaborate on projects.
A lack of consistent face-to-face interaction can lead to misunderstandings in how work gets done. This can cause problems when all employees are not on the same page with each other.
Solution
Managers need to put in place processes and procedures to ensure that all decisions made in the workplace – physical or digital – are made clear to all employees.
Examples:
- Mandatory weekly meeting between all employees
- Group chats for each department where work updates can be posted
- Separate channels for projects, tasks, or clients to post continual updates
- Schedule a day for all employees to be in the office
Technology has made it possible for companies to send out timely information and updates through mediums such as emails, push notifications, and text messages. Many platforms, like Microsoft 365 and Slack, support these mediums.
The use of this new technology is also beneficial as it allows employers to create a culture of transparency, which ultimately leads to better company morale and productivity.
Real-time collaboration
Real-time collaboration challenges are common in hybrid working models. With some employees at home and some in the office, it isn’t as easy as simply calling all your co-workers into the meeting room at the same time.
With a hybrid working model, it’s easy to accidentally leave out a team member when working on projects, tasks, or documents.
Solution
Digital platforms like Microsoft Teams and Azure make it possible for people to collaborate on documents in real-time; they can make changes and comments together, while voice or video calling, or simply using the chat feature. Azure offers a centralised digital hub to store documents and data in an organised, secure manner that can be shared easily.
Ensuring your employees utilise these features is also key; you may need to conduct employee training on how to use collaborative digital platforms.
Find your hybrid working solution with the IT experts
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for adapting your company to hybrid working, certain technologies, digital working spaces, and digital strategies can make the situation easier for you and your employees.
The IT strategy specialists at Steadfast Solutions can help you discover the best tech, and work processes and procedures, for your business’ hybrid working model. Talk to them today and start creating your digital landscape.
