Say goodbye to 9-5 working hours and say hello to the 3-2-2 Hybrid model instead! The pandemic era work-life-balance has seen a complete facelift! Gone are the days of traveling to the office, clocking in 8-9 hour shifts and returning home in peak traffic. Work-from-home or WFH as it was popularly called became the new norm and Zoom calls is the go-to. But as the case count in India and world over reduced, commercial workspaces gradually opened up and working from office resumed. But the after effects of flexible working hours remained and gave the concept of Hybrid Workspaces a rebirth, so to speak.

 

BUT WHAT IS THE HYBRID MODEL?

In a nutshell, the hybrid work model seeks to combine remote and office work. Which means flexibility and productivity are at the forefront. Employees can basically choose to work where they are most productive - be it the office, from a remote location (most notably work from home), or a combination of the two. A hybrid workplace in the post pandemic era, differs from the hybrid model from the past firstly by the days in the office vs. remote not being scheduled in advance. Even the balance of in-office vs. remote employees has shifted. Working in a hybrid workspace has now become a standard, and not the exception and the shift in in-office vs. remote employees is not static, but fluid, shifting in real time.

 

FROM 9-5 TO 3-2-2?

When it comes to actual implementation though, a hybrid workplace model is intentionally vague. It could vary from 100% remote to staggered in-office scheduling to request processes for limited numbers of in-office employees on any given day. This means, gone are the 9-to-5 workdays we were so accustomed to, but instead the 3-2-2 model which has become popular. This means having either three days at home, two days in the office and two days off, or three days in the office and two days working from home.

 

HOW IS IT BENEFICIAL?

It may not come as a surprise, but as much as 68% of organizations have no plan or detailed vision in place for hybrid work, according to a study by McKinsey. Having said that, the advantages of a hybrid work schedule are plenty.

1. Increased productivity: Essentially, flexibility fosters productivity. Allowing an employee who needs peace and quiet to focus or allowing those who thrive in an office setting to choose, eventually leads to more productivity.
2. Improved employee satisfaction: Autonomy here is key. Providing independence and decision-making on how, where, and when team members work will see employee satisfaction skyrocket.
3. Continuous learning: Employees too busy performing, get no time to learn and can result in a masked exhausted workforce. With work being done more productively, employees are encouraged to take time for self-development, learning, and reflection.
4. Improved mental health: The work-life balance under the hybrid model takes a whole new meaning. Employees can thrive in a healthy work environment that fits their work and life together, reducing stress and helping prevent burnout.