Hybrid working models - what forms are there?
There is now a consensus that hybrid working will establish itself as an organizational form in the long term wherever possible. What is less clear in most companies, however, is what the actual structure will look like. For this reason, we summarize the different models of hybrid work that exist and give you tips on how to find the right model for your company.
What are the different hybrid working models?
Hybrid working means that not all employees do their work in the office at the same time, but also work outside the office. But what sounds quite simple at first can take very different forms in detail.
Hybrid work gives employees more flexibility in terms of when and where they carry out their tasks. Consequently, the two dimensions of work location and working hours must be taken into account when choosing the right hybrid model.
Place of work
With regard to the place of work, it is a matter of distinguishing between the
- workplace in the office or the
- Workplace outside the office.
For workplaces outside the office, it is not important whether it is the home office or the café around the corner.
Secondly, a distinction is made between the degree of flexibility. A classification can look something like this:
- Office First: The office remains the primary place of work. Working outside the office is only the exception.
- Semi-flexible: Employees can also work outside the office on set days.
- Fully flexible: Employees do not have a primary place of work, but choose each day from where they want to do their work.
- Remote First: Is the exact opposite of Office First. Work generally takes place remotely; the office is only used as a place of work in exceptional cases.
Working hours
Working time must also be differentiated according to the degree of flexibility. This can be roughly divided into:
- Fixed: The working time is fixed.
- Partially flexible: There are core working hours with an additional flexitime option
- Fully flexible: employees work completely independent of time
If you combine the two dimensions, you quickly realize that there are numerous hybrid working models from which the right one must be found.
What effects do the different models have
Each model offers advantages for companies and employees, but also brings challenges. The following basic points can be made:
More flexibility leads to ...
- This makes it easier to reconcile work and private life, for example by reducing travel times to and from work or integrating appointments into the working day.
- There are potential savings for companies, for example by reducing office space and therefore rental costs. There are also opportunities to save on office equipment if, for example, fewer workstations are required as part of a desk-sharing approach.
- greater opportunities when recruiting employees. Flexibility is an important criterion when choosing an employer, especially for young talent.
However, more flexibility also means...
- a greater coordination effort on the company side. This includes, for example, planning office occupancy, organizing meetings or managing projects.
- Potentially higher costs for companies if, for example, office space has to be additionally equipped so that people can attend meetings in and outside the office or additional workstations have to be provided in the home office.
- that employees feel socially isolated. It can also have a negative impact on loyalty to the company if employees are only rarely in the office and have less contact with their colleagues.
How to find the right model for your company
As always, there is no one-size-fits-all recommendation as to which model is suitable for which company. Rather, each company must find the right model for its individual situation as part of a structured process.
Such a process can look like this:
Step 1:
First get an overview of the situation in your company and define which requirements the hybrid model must meet for your organization. Involve your colleagues in the process right from the start and incorporate their suggestions. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What wishes and expectations do your employees have in terms of flexibility?
- Which of your employees' activities can also be carried out outside the office?
- What skills do your colleagues already have, especially in dealing with technology and digital tools?
- How important is (creative) collaboration between colleagues for the success of your company?
- What legal aspects need to be taken into account, such as data protection or occupational health and safety?
Step 2:
Based on the knowledge gained, the first models that do not meet the requirements can now be excluded.
At this point, it may make sense to create different hybrid work personas and apply the requirements to these personas. Colleagues in sales, for example, have to work fixed hours, while marketing teams meet regularly in the office for creative meetings.
Step 3:
Once you have identified possible hybrid models for your company or individual personas, they must be evaluated in terms of their advantages and disadvantages. Not only financial aspects (e.g. cost savings due to reduced space requirements vs. additional costs for equipping workstations in the home office) must be weighed against each other. Rather, all organizational and social effects must also be taken into account.
Step 4:
The evaluation results in a suitable hybrid model for your organization. Now the implementation of the model can begin. Once again, your individual circumstances and preferences will determine whether this should be done in one go or step by step in an agile manner.