What is Hybrid Work and Why Your Company Needs It

Hybrid work is a flexible work model that supports a blend of in-office, remote, and on-the-go working. It offers employees the autonomy to choose to work wherever and however they are most productive. Hybrid work also promotes inclusiveness, engagement, and well-being for all employees.

In this article, we will outline what hybrid work is, what are the main benefits for a company, some data and facts for your reference, tips regarding how to build a hybrid work environment, and some of Huawei’s solutions and products that can help you building a hybrid work environment for your office.

What is Hybrid Work and What are the Types of Hybrid Work Models

Hybrid work is not a new concept, but it has gained popularity and momentum due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a survey by McKinsey, 80% of employees enjoy working from home and 69% of employers are more open to flexible work models than before the crisis.

Hybrid work is a people-first approach to managing the workforce that drives increased productivity and job satisfaction while addressing the major challenges of remote work, such as isolation and lack of community.

A hybrid work model provides employees with greater flexibility and the option to work from home or anywhere they can be productive. With hybrid work, the workplace is no longer inside the four walls of the corporate office—it’s an ecosystem of employees working from home, in coworking spaces, and the office. Team members can migrate between various locations depending on the work they need to get done.

The hybrid work model can take different forms depending on the organization and the type of work being done. These are the four most common hybrid work models:

• Flexible hybrid work model: Employees choose their location and working hours based on their priorities for the day. For example, if they need to spend time focusing on a project, they can choose to work from home or in a coffee shop. If they want a sense of community, need to meet with their team, attend a training session or join a town hall, they can choose to go into the office.

• Fixed hybrid work model: The organization sets the days and times employees are allowed to work remotely or go into the office. For example, it could be that certain teams go into the office on Mondays and Wednesdays, while others go in on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Or an organization could allow everyone to work from home on pre-determined days each week.

• Remote-first hybrid work model: The organization operates primarily as a remote company, but maintains a physical office for occasional meetings, events, or social gatherings. Employees can choose to work from the office if they prefer, but most of the communication and collaboration happens online.

• Office-first hybrid work model: The organization operates primarily as an office-based company, but allows employees to work from home or other locations for a certain number of days per month or year. Employees are expected to be in the office for most of the time, but have some flexibility to work remotely when needed.

What are the Benefits of Hybrid Work for a Company and its Employees

Hybrid work can provide significant benefits for both the company and its employees. Some of the benefits include:

• Cost savings: Hybrid work can help lower operating costs for businesses, especially logistics and infrastructure-related expenses. For example, remote work can reduce the need for physical office space and related costs, such as rent, utilities, office supplies, food, and maintenance services.

• Productivity: Hybrid work can help increase employee productivity by allowing them to work in their optimal environment and schedule. A study by Stanford found that remote workers are 13% more productive than those working in traditional office environments. A change of workspace can also boost creativity and innovation.

• Talent attraction and retention: Hybrid work can help attract and retain top talent by offering more flexibility, autonomy, and work-life balance. Hybrid work can also expand the talent pool by enabling businesses to hire from anywhere in the world.

• Employee satisfaction and engagement: Hybrid work can help improve employee satisfaction and engagement by giving them more choice, trust, and empowerment.

• Diversity and inclusion: Hybrid work can help promote diversity and inclusion by enabling employees from different backgrounds, locations, and perspectives to work together.

How to Build a Hybrid Work Environment that Works for Your Company

Building a hybrid work environment that works for your company requires careful planning, communication, and adaptation. Here are some tips on how to build a hybrid work environment that works for your company:

• Define your hybrid work model: Choose the hybrid work model that best suits your company’s goals, culture, and needs. Consider factors such as the type of work, the level of collaboration, the availability of resources, and the preferences of your employees. Communicate your hybrid work model clearly and consistently to your employees and stakeholders.

• Equip your employees with the right tools and technology: Provide your employees with the tools and technology they need to work effectively and securely from anywhere. This may include laptops, monitors, headphones, webcams, software, cloud services, and collaboration platforms. Ensure that your employees have access to reliable internet, power, and support.

• Establish clear policies and expectations: Set clear policies and expectations for your hybrid work environment, such as working hours, communication channels, performance metrics, feedback mechanisms, and security protocols. Align your policies and expectations with your company’s values and objectives. Review and update your policies and expectations regularly to reflect changing needs and situations.

• Train and support your managers and employees: Train and support your managers and employees on how to work effectively and efficiently in a hybrid work environment. Provide guidance on how to manage teams, projects, and tasks across different locations and time zones. Provide resources on how to cope with the challenges and opportunities of hybrid work, such as isolation, distraction, motivation, and collaboration.

• Foster a sense of community and culture: Foster a sense of community and culture among your hybrid workforce by creating opportunities for social interaction, recognition, and engagement. Organize virtual and in-person events, activities, and celebrations that bring your employees together. Encourage your employees to share their stories, feedback, and ideas. Celebrate your achievements and successes as a team.

How Huawei can help building a hybrid work environment for your office?

Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. Huawei offers a range of hybrid remote work solutions that enable businesses to work smarter, faster, and safer. Some of the hybrid remote work solutions from Huawei include:

• Huawei CloudLink Video Conferencing Platform: Huawei’s next-generation video conferencing platform delivers 4K ultra-HD video to create an immersive video conferencing experience. It supports various scenarios, such as meetings, trainings, webinars, and live broadcasts. It also integrates with Huawei Cloud services, such as AI, big data, and cloud storage, to provide intelligent and secure collaboration.

• HUAWEI IdeaHub: Huawei IdeaHub is an intelligent large screen designed for offices and team collaboration scenarios. It is mainly deployed in conference rooms, executive boardrooms, and open offices — to support enterprise collaboration and productivity. It features a 4K touch screen, a 4K camera, a 12-microphone array, and a built-in speaker. It also supports wireless projection, interactive whiteboard, video conferencing, and AI functions, such as voice control, face recognition, and noise cancellation.

• HUAWEI IdeaHub Board: Huawei IdeaHub Board, a 4K soft light screen, is a new style smart office device that integrates a 4K soft light screen, a 16 ms ultra-low writing latency, and an enterprise information release platform. It also supports BYOM (Bring Your Own Meeting), BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), and multiple cloud conferences on one screen. It is mainly deployed in classrooms, training rooms, and meeting rooms — to support education and training scenarios.

You can learn more about Huawei’s hybrid remote work solutions by visiting this page or by contacting us.

Conclusion

Hybrid work is a flexible work model that supports a blend of in-office, remote, and on-the-go working. It offers employees the autonomy to choose to work wherever and however they are most productive. Hybrid work also promotes inclusiveness, engagement, and well-being for all employees.

Hybrid work can provide significant benefits for both the company and its employees, such as cost savings, productivity, talent attraction and retention, employee satisfaction and engagement, and diversity and inclusion.

Hybrid work is not a temporary phenomenon, but a long-term shift in the way we work. The data and facts support the hybrid work trend, and show that most employees and employers prefer and expect hybrid work options to continue.

Building a hybrid work environment that works for your company requires careful planning, communication, and adaptation. You need to define your hybrid work model, equip your employees with the right tools and technology, establish clear policies and expectations, train and support your managers and employees, and foster a sense of community and culture.

If you want to get started with hybrid work in your office or company, you can explore some of the hybrid remote work solutions from Huawei, such as Huawei CloudLink Video Conferencing Platform, HUAWEI IdeaHub, and HUAWEI IdeaHub Board.