The pandemic has been a catalyst for change and innovation in organizations across the world; the biggest change has been to remote working practices. A recent global survey of over 30,000 employees from various industries revealed over 70 percent of employees want flexible work options to continue. Yet, the same survey also showed over 65 percent of employees want more in-person time with their team. Why is this significant? This is where hybrid working strategies come in.
Hybrid work environments offer employees and employers the best of both worlds and are based on the belief that not all work needs to be done in the office. Some of the most successful organizations in the world are leading the way and adopting hybrid working strategies to help improve their office culture, attract and retain top talent, and enhance employee engagement. There is also a financial incentive for organizations operating a hybrid working model, with the reduction of expensive real estate costs associated with traditional office spaces.
In the U.S., companies like American Express and Microsoft have already introduced formal hybrid working options for their employees. For organizations like these, flexible or hybrid working has become part of their DNA. Others are still struggling to decide the future of their working practices. Research by Gartner projects that 47% of employees will work from home by the year 2022, up from 27% before the pandemic hit. In response to this shift in the working environment, 66 percent of business decision-makers said they are already thinking about redesigning office spaces to accommodate hybrid work environments.
Employees are now used to greater flexibility in their working day and allowing employees to work from home and reduce their working hours to maintain a better work-life balance is becoming more common across all industries. Some blame federal unemployment benefits, introduced during the pandemic, for motivating people to stay at home. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying the demand for home working is becoming more popular—and more normal.
It’s no accident that “work-life balance” has been creeping into the modern workplace lexicon. The demands on today’s workforce are arguably more arduous than they’ve ever been. Millennials continue to work more than any generation, leaving less time for life outside of the office. Smartphones and tablets catered to our need for instant communication and the ability to answer email and work at all hours. As a result, we’re working longer, harder — and this trend isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
The Hybrid Model offers the ultimate synergy. Both traditional and non-traditional workers feel their needs are being met. However, although working from home can offer significant benefits and boost the bottom line, not every organization is ready to let their staff work from home 100% of the time and many don’t have the technology and infrastructure needed to make it a success. At the heart of the debate lies a simple question: can companies afford to ignore the growing demand for remote working arrangements? It’s clear that hybrid working offers an attractive compromise.
But how can a recruitment or staffing agency without the big budget of American Express or Microsoft efficiently introduce a hybrid working model?
A successful transition requires careful planning, the right technology, and a change in mindset. Hybrid working is about more than adjusting physical work locations. It’s about embracing a new way of doing things and gives the opportunity to redefine your organizational culture and values.
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In a hybrid-workforce environment, the success of the business depends on the leader’s ability to introduce successful remote working arrangements. As more recruitment companies are employing a hybrid workforce, the need for powerful technology with built-in collaboration goes up. It is important to choose the right communication tools to keep your team connected. For businesses, it is essential to communicate in real time – no matter where they are located. By embracing the online workplace, leaders will enable their business to thrive in this new era.
For recruitment companies lacking the technology and infrastructure to establish a successful hybrid working model, outsourcing key business functions offers a solution that is quick and easy to implement—with minimum fuss. IMS People Possible has provided high quality outsourced solutions for many years and is well experienced at fitting into businesses seamlessly.
24/7/365 support means it doesn’t matter where in the world your business or your clients are located, there is always a team available to help. Business continuity never has to be a challenge again, as outsourcing allows you to maximize productivity, with instant access to skilled business professionals around the clock, on hand to deliver administration, deep insight reporting, and build long-term strategic partnerships.
Worried about the cost of outsourcing? There’s no need to be. Lower labor costs in India can mean cost savings as high as 50 percent on traditional hiring practices. There is also the bonus of being able to scale your business operations up or down to meet demand, your business can respond quickly to your client’s demands and allows you the flexibility to explore new opportunities, without needing to the long-term commitment of hiring new employees or having to make redundancies – saving further time and money.
Whatever your view on hybrid-working—it looks like it’s here to stay. Current research points towards a future rich in new ways of flexible working and smart business leaders recognize the world of recruitment is on the cusp of re-evaluating the purpose and behavior of modern work environments. Technology facilitates this type of flexibility, but with the recent growth of the number of employees working remotely, recruitment and staffing agencies need to approach business development in new ways. With a culture of more flexible working already on the horizon for many recruitment companies, outsourcing saves money and offers a low risk, high return route to introduce greater flexibility and improved outcomes for your client’s.
There’s no doubt that the time has come for successful leaders to re-imagine the traditional work environment. Understanding current workplace trends will allow you to remain competitive and introduce hybrid working strategies that will define the post-pandemic workplace.
