Why over half of UK businesses are expected to have hybrid offices by summer 2022?
One study by a cybersecurity firm, Nexor, has found that 54 percent of businesses will have transitioned to a hybrid working model by the summer of 2022. This is largely due to the successes of flexible working during the pandemic.
With the popularity of hybrid offices evident, let’s take a look at some of the benefits that this working model might offer your business.
More collaboration
Employees can find it hard to collaborate with their colleagues if they don’t see them face-to-face at least some of the time. This is because in-person meetings often facilitate more in-depth discussions and real-time collaboration, allowing everyone to communicate clearly and effectively. With hybrid offices, employees might only be required to come into the office for certain meetings, such as these, encouraging innovation and growth.
Better work-life balance
A good work-life balance is essential to any workplace, as it ensures that no one is getting burnt out. According to one survey, 73 percent of people who worked from home due to the coronavirus felt that it improved their work-life balance. Thus, a hybrid office model will allow employees all the benefits of working in the office, with the added flexibility of remote working.
More productive
Operating with a hybrid office model can increase productivity within your business, allowing employees to work from wherever they believe is best for them. In fact, one study found that around 58 percent of workers reported being more productive whilst working from home during the pandemic than they were in the office. Their respective bosses also agreed that remote working had a positive impact on the general working day.
Access to more talent
Whereas an in-person only business would be geographically limited to a workforce that was able to effectively commute to the office, a hybrid office model widens the potential talent pool exponentially.
Businesses with a hybrid office have the opportunity to hire people from all over the world, offering remote working as an alternative. This allows you to hire the most suitable candidate for the job based on their skills and experience alone, as opposed to their physical location.
Employee retention
Following on from above, hybrid office models can also help you to retain the employees that you already have. If 54 percent of offices in the UK are looking to be hybrid by summer 2022, and a business decides not to follow suit, the likelihood is that employees will opt to leave for a company that offers more flexible working arrangements.
Emphasis on employee wellbeing
By allowing employees to work flexibly around their responsibilities and family commitments, this will improve the trust between workers and employers, as it shows how you are willing to put their mental and physical wellbeing first. This will generate a healthy and productive working environment, and a sense of respect and loyalty towards the business.
So, what are you waiting for? Join the majority of UK businesses moving towards hybrid offices, and adapt with the ‘new normal’ for workplaces across the country. A hybrid office model has a multitude of benefits, all of which can significantly improve the working lives of both employees and employers.
