The COVID-19 pandemic forced most companies to rapidly adopt a fully remote work environment. Today, many organizations are shifting to a hybrid model.
Research shows that approximately 29% of paid work days in the U.S. are work-from-home (WFH) days. Although this number is down significantly from the height of the pandemic, it’s stabilizing.
If your organization is considering in-office vs remote vs hybrid work, it’s important to consider that employees’ opinions often differ from leadership.
The same report highlights that companies currently offer fewer WFH days than employees want. This adds to the challenge of determining the right course for your company.
Empathy, connection, and trust have never been more important. Here are some best practices and practical ideas to help your team navigate the challenges in the shift from remote to hybrid work.
Challenges of Fully Remote Work
Many employees would prefer to stay remote on a long-term basis. People have become accustomed to this working environment and don’t want to abandon it for a long commute and time in a cubicle.
When it comes to remote vs. hybrid, approximately 32% of employees want to work in a fully remote environment.
However, remote work has several challenges that are difficult to work past.
According to Harvard Business Review (HBR), many individuals who work remotely at all times are lonelier than those who spend part of their time at the office. It can breed a sense of isolation that isn’t present in a traditional workplace.
In addition, many employees find that their work-life balance suffers with fully remote work. Being at home and working can lead to employees working past quitting time, checking emails off the clock, and more.
When work and regular life have no real separation, it can cause issues for those who want to keep up to date constantly.
The Hybrid Work Paradox
Although fully remote models work for many companies, a large number of employees struggle with remote work since they want in-person interaction with team members. However, they don’t want to work in person full-time either.
This is known as the hybrid work paradox. Individuals want to enjoy the flexibility associated with remote working, but they want the ease and inspiration of in-person work. The challenge is finding a solution to those two.
How To Decide if Hybrid or Remote Work is Best
When it comes to choosing between remote vs. hybrid work, there are questions that you should ask your employees.
These inquiries can give you insight into what will make your team members happy. It can also give employees a lot to think about in terms of which arrangement meets their needs.
The first questions you should ask are:
- What do you enjoy about working at home?
- What do you miss about being in the office?
The answers will let you know what challenges and benefits your team members see when they consider these options.
There are numerous other questions to ask, such as:
- Do you feel more or less productive working from home?
- Do you ever feel isolated or siloed?
- Has your collaboration with your team increased or decreased?
This gives additional insight into the pros and cons.
Finally, ask questions about employees’ overall preferences, such as:
- If given the opportunity, would you want to work from home permanently?
- How many days would you ideally like to work in-office?
- How often would you like to work from home?
You can easily find out if most people are happy and content working from home or have some concerns about it being permanent.
Think of the questions that are specific to your team to decide on remote vs. hybrid work.
Remember that feedback from your employees is essential. The last thing you want to do is make a decision that leaves the team unhappy and feeling as if they have no control over their future.
Hybrid Work Requires Synchronous Communication
Another challenge of virtual work is communication. If you choose to go with hybrid work, synchronous communication is essential.
It’s important to understand the difference between asynchronous and synchronous communication:
- Synchronous communication: Scheduled communication that takes place in real-time, such as in-person conversations, phone calls, or video conferences.
- Asynchronous communication: Unscheduled, not occurring in real-time, such as emails or messaging.
With hybrid work, it’s important to ensure people have opportunities to collaborate and communicate in real time. This staves off feelings of isolation and ensures things get done.
Having everyone on a similar schedule, whether in-office or at home, is something that should be implemented for the best results. If communication is in place, other factors will be easier to work out.
Optimize Remote or Hybrid Work With Teamraderie
Despite the challenges of connecting virtually, it’s a mistake to assume that it’s impossible.
Whether your team works remotely, in-person, or on a hybrid basis, it’s critical to find opportunities for your team to build their feelings of connection, trust, and inclusion.
Teamraderie’s team experiences are perfect for accomplishing this.
Our live, virtual workshops are intended to help your team connect through upskilling, learning together, or simply sharing an enjoyable experience together.
Click here to explore our 60+ team experiences and find the perfect option for your team.
