Hybrid Work Model: Solutions for Employers

Thanks to innovations in technology and communications, the hybrid work model has been trending for years now. The pandemic has accelerated the push to remote work, which offers employers benefits such as saving on real estate costs and reaching talent on a global level. A 2015 study showed that when a Chinese call centre let employees work from home, productivity increased as much as 22 per cent.

But there are challenges such as managing a diverse remote workflow and monitoring employees. There are no easy answers, and a blanket approach won’t work. Communicating between employers and employees is important now more than ever with hybrid work models. Looking at how different companies are managing the current transition can help illuminate best practices for your business.

Microsoft

As the title Hybrid Workplace Flexibility suggests, Microsoft emphasizes flexibility as part of their hybrid workplace. For example, Microsoft allows employees to work from home up to 50 per cent of the time. If an employee wants to spend more time working from home, they can seek approval from a manager. As their Hybrid Work: A Guide for Business Leaders points out, they’re designing their business places for people who are not in the room, not vice versa, which they believe gives them the opportunity to transform key business process in bold new ways.

Lockheed Martin

Of course, this is easier said than done and may require some retraining on behalf of managers and employers. Before the pandemic, only 3 per cent of Lockheed Martin employees worked remotely, so when the shift came managers had to log twenty hours of training to learn how to lead in this new normal. Now, almost half the company will be hybrid.

Cisco

Part of the challenge for making a successful hybrid work model is that it involves more than just waving goodbye to employees as they pack up their stuff from their office and head home. As the IT and networking company Cisco explains, there needs to be more focus on replacing ad hoc arrangements with better long-term tech solutions like web conferencing, whiteboard tech, and digital assistants.

Too often employee experience is at the bottom of priorities for work transformation initiatives. Employers will need to think more strategically about employee experience in remote work models to maximize productivity and reduce turnover.

Modernizing your onboarding process will be crucial to creating a successful hybrid work model. Triton’s pre-employment background screening solutions can be integrated into any applicant tracking system and HR software. Our thorough criminal background checks, employment history verifications, and reference check verifications will quickly enable employers to trust their new hire can work remotely.

To learn more contact us today by phone at 1-855-790-7516, by email at customerservice@tritoncanada.ca, or by visiting our website.