Embracing the Hybrid Work Model
As the pandemic slowly recedes, many are choosing to resign and are opting for roles that offer more flexibility, better commutes, and/or more money. With this, many companies have shifted toward more flexible work schedules. While some of us have shifted to 100% remote, and others (think Essential Workers) mainly work in person, many companies have adopted a hybrid work model.
According to this Forbes article, a recent Gartner survey found that only 2% wanted to come back to the office full time; 46% want remote work all or almost all of the time, while 52% opted for a hybrid model due to the increased flexibility and the autonomy they provide.
While the hybrid model can be a compromise that implements the “best of both worlds” approach, it comes with logistical challenges. As an employee who may have to navigate this change, I want to share a few tips that will help you to embrace this new normal.
What is a Hybrid Work Model?
In a hybrid working model, employees would be working from home, office, or both. Not only this, your colleagues could be spread across geographies too!
In 2020, those of us who were considered “non-essential” quickly acclimated to working from home. Once you’ve gotten used to working at home, returning to the office requires more than trading in your bunny slippers for dress shoes. The sooner you start planning for the transition, the easier it will be to cope.
Maybe it’s your idea to go back because you want to build your network or increase your job security. Maybe your employer is changing its policies. IBM and Best Buy are just two examples of big companies that suddenly scaled back remote work, citing productivity reasons.
Adapting to a different work environment is a big transition. Use these suggestions to help you ease into our current new normal.
Office Days
Enjoy more balance. I recently transitioned from working from home full time to our new hybrid model of working 2 days in the office. I found that while working from home, I had no clear boundaries and would work some evenings until well after 9 PM. Now that I am in the office 2 days a week, I know that I am definitely out of the office no later than 5:30 PM which allows me to create that health boundary.
Revise your budget. While working from home, especially during the pandemic, we cooked more and ate out a lot less. Because of this, we were able to save a few funds. Now that I am back in the office, I have had to revise my budget to allow for those days that I “forget” to bring my lunch, gas, and parking.
Decorate your space. Make your workspace more welcoming. Bring in artwork or drawings by the children and photos of family members and pets for a comfortable environment to work in.
Deal with distractions. You may feel overwhelmed by background noise or apprehensive about colleagues dropping by. Consider noise-canceling headphones or designate certain hours to close your office doors and minimize interruptions.
Stick to routines. While you may have to change some things you did at home, there could be other daily habits that you can carry over into an office environment. This will also help with transporting necessities back home to eliminate the “darn I left that at the office” sentence.
Work From Home Days
Wake up at the same time as you would on the days you have to commute to the office. Use what would usually be considered to be your commute time, as your “me time”. Read, exercise, or get an early start.
Dedicated Workspace. Setting aside a regular space to work sends a signal to your brain to work whenever you’re in your workspace. Plus, having your own workspace will help keep distractions to a minimum. For those of you who are working solely from a laptop, consider purchasing a monitor as it can make a world of difference.
Create a schedule. A work schedule also helps to get you going each morning and be more productive while you work. With a schedule, you’ll know what to get started on the moment you sit down to work. Then, you can depend on it to guide you throughout the rest of the day.
Take time to exercise. Set aside some time each day to get some exercise. Regular exercise is good for both your body and mind.
Most office jobs are pretty sedentary but working from home maybe even worse. After all, you only need to travel a few feet to visit the restroom. With this in mind, it’s important to ensure that you take extra care to look after your physical needs.
Avoid social media. If you find yourself browsing Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram instead of working, you can take steps to avoid these distractions.
Try deleting these bookmarks from your browser or installing a plugin that will block/limit you from visiting those sites.
Turning off notifications on your smartphone while you work also helps to stop distractions.
Many employees have noted that this model allows for a better quality of life, one that will contribute to their overall happiness and most likely their ability to perform at their highest levels and employers are listening.