What is Hybrid Work and Why is it So Popular?

Many are touting hybrid work as the ‘FUTURE OF WORK’. Some of the world’s largest corporations, such as Apple, IBM, FORD Motors, and General Motors, have all adjusted their organisational structure to get the best of both worlds (i.e. remote and onsite work)

But what exactly is hybrid work, and why is it becoming so popular?

What is Hybrid Work?

“Hybrid” work simply means a split between office-based and remote work. A hybrid worker might spend 2 days per week in the office, with the remainder spent working at home or another location of their choice. Some organisations require staff to be in the office for a certain number of days each week, while others allow employees to choose where they are most efficient.

So why is it becoming so popular?

Reduced Absenteeism

70% of unscheduled absenteeisms are due to personal or family-related issues, stress, and exhaustion from work. It has been shown that remote work initiatives can reduce absenteeism by 26% to as high as 88%!

Moreover, a report by Global Workplace Analytics shares interesting statistics. According to the report, the BBC observed a 26% reduction in absenteeism-related stress in their home-based employees. Apollo also saw an 88% reduction in unapproved absences when they introduced work from home options.

As we have reported elsewhere, hybrid work allows employees to take time for personal appointments, without needing to take a leave from work. Hybrid work also opens up the workplace to those that may otherwise be unable to rejoin the workforce. For example, after events such as surgery, accident or birth of a child, they can work from the comfort of their home.

Better for creativity

According to Spotify, employees’ effectiveness can’t be measured by the number of hours an employee spends in the office. When people have the liberty to work from anywhere, especially with jobs that require creativity, their creativity and effectiveness can improve.

Just imagine, if you were tasked with creating a piece of art or music, or any creative work requiring extreme focus and Zen mode of mind, would you prefer an office buzzing with people or the silence of your room or studio or even somewhere in nature? I think we all know the answer to that.

Hybrid offers the best of both the worlds

When 72% of office workers would rather be paid less than let go of a hybrid work arrangement, it goes to show there is something about this work model.

Working from home can also be difficult. When employees were forced to work 100% remotely (the pandemic), reported burnout increased by almost 20%. Furthermore, 27% of these respondents claimed that burnout was due to the lack of separation between work and life.

The social aspects of office work, the sense of camaraderie, and the ability to collaborate on certain projects are all important, and aided by office-based work.

On the flip side, a  recent survey reported that employees without flexible working options are almost 2X more likely to have poor or very poor mental health. Other studies suggest that only 2% of employees want to return to a 100% office-based setup.

So, an office-based position doesn’t seem optimal, nor does a remote one… Enter hybrid work. A model that allows employees to decide where they are best placed to work, one that allows staff to benefit from both worlds and strike the optimum balance for their needs.

That is why hybrid work seems to be becoming ever more popular.