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We’re jumping on the bandwagon this week, and we want to talk to you about hybrid working.
Let’s face it, we’re currently in the eye of the storm known as ‘The Great Resignation’, and with nearly 50% of people looking for new jobs right now, things need to change if businesses are going to retain their key team members.
So, what needs to change? Well, let’s face it, the ‘old’ way of working hasn’t been effective for years. Whilst, the last few years of the pandemic have brought with it a reem of challenge, it has also presented us with an amazing opportunity to reflect and reset. Read on as we talk you through why the traditional ‘office 9-5’ won’t work, the pros and cons of remote working and the best way for you to strike a balance for you and your team.
The Pros & Cons of Remote Working
Boris Johnson has spoken: he wants us to get out of the house and get back into the office. For a lot of business leaders, this couldn’t come soon enough. They’ve been itching to get ‘back to normal’ since social distancing began. For the majority of employees, however, they’ll be dragging their feet back into the office five days a week. In fact, nearly a quarter of us are so enamoured with the idea of remote working that we’d be willing to take a pay cut if it meant we could keep it this way.
But why is it that so many of us are viewing remote working through rose-tinted glasses? Well, it has brought with it a lot of perks:
No time sat in rush hour traffic or packed on to a train carriage like a sardine
Less money spent on overpriced sandwiches and low quality coffee
More time to spend with loved ones
The list could go on. Pair this with the fact that people are having more meetings than ever (albeit via Zoom) it’s easy to see why working from home brings with it an idyllic picture of increased productivity with all the benefits of not having to change out of your loungewear.
However, if working from home is the perfect set up, how come more people than ever are now looking for a new job?
For us here at Zest, we think it’s time to connect the dots. Working from home does have a lot of perks, but it also comes with its downfalls. Working alone can make it harder to get things done, it’s far easier to get distracted with home life and, if we’re honest, it can be a lot less fun. Whether it’s sitting down as a team to brainstorm ideas, going to a colleague with a problem that needs solving or just sitting across from your work pal to catch up about the weekend – the office environment still has a place in the modern world of work.
It seems to us that working from home could be sucking the fun out of working as a whole, which is why so many people are now feeling unhappy. The only way to fix this? Spending more time working together in person.
Seeing your colleagues in the flesh has its own multitude of pros: it builds trust, affection and respect for the people around you and the company you work for. The problem is these benefits are much less tangible than the obvious gains you get from working remotely.
So now what? Do you drag everyone in by their hair, kicking and screaming, telling them “it’s for their own good” and “they’ll thank you later”?
Don’t worry, we think we have the solution – and it might be more simple than you’d expect.
Could Hybrid Working be the Answer?
In our experience, one of the biggest things the modern worker is searching for in an employee right now is flexibility. This can encompass a range of aspects, but ways of working is certainly a big one.
We’re here to champion the ‘Hybrid Hero’ movement, which brings with it a blend of the benefits of remote working with the dynamics of the office environment.
There are a number of ways you can get into this, and it’s all about listening to your team and tackling it on an individual basis: no more one way fits all!
Take the time to speak to your team members individually and assess the best fit. For some this might be coming in one day a week, for others, it might be three. Some teams might benefit from fixed days and patterns, others might be better with a more flexible schedule.
If you pay attention to what your team needs, you’ll be able to find the balance between these two ways of working. What’ll that lead to? Higher productivity, happier workers and lower staff turnover.
Adjusting to the current working climate can be difficult – but what’s happening around you right now isn’t something to be afraid of! Now is an amazing time of change, one like we’ve never seen before, and business leaders need to embrace it! If we can all muster the energy to adapt, listen and respond to the calling adventure of the ‘great re-evaluation’ it’s going to lead to great things.
For information about how Zest can help transform how you and your team embrace empathy, drop an email to info@zest-learning.com.
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