Hybrid work: everything you need to know about the new work habits

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01. How to install the new working methods in your organization?

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A multitude of new ways of working have emerged since the health crisis. Hybrid working, nomadism, the smart office... It can be difficult to find one's way around, but above all to adapt to these constantly evolving trends.

A real lever for performance and creativity, hybrid working involves setting up a managerial organization that adapts to employees' needs, integrating technology and software to create a productive environment.

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The question is: How do you make a successful transition to hybrid working?

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Implementing hybrid management

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Here are a few tips for adapting your management style to the new ways of working.

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1. The feedback culture for a continuous improvement of hybrid management

Feedback is essential for adapting the company's leadership styles. Don't hesitate to check in with your teams regularly to find out what they need.

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2. Focus on work and team cohesion

Creating new rituals within the company boosts motivation, while helping remote workers to avoid feeling excluded. To reinforce the sense of belonging, emphasize the pillars of the corporate culture.

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3. The fight against digital fatigue

While digital tools develop team spirit and encourage collaborative working, they must not be allowed to become hyper-connected. Finding tools that are both collaborative and ergonomic is essential to improving communication and achieving the right work-life balance , thus promoting disconnection.

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4. Horizontal management

Manage through trust: give your teams autonomy to make them more efficient, more productive and more accountable. The advantage of the hybrid approach is that it allows you to enhance your employees'workspace. Since employees have a choice of location, they can choose the one that offers them the best conditions for carrying out their tasks, thus guaranteeing their safety.

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Rethink your workspaces

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Workspaces need to be transformed, without being restricted to the company itself. Here are three ways of working that you can offer your employees:

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• Coworking is the ideal solution for employees who need to work as a team, or to share.
• Telecommuting often provides the ideal conditions to concentrate and complete a task in a quiet environment, away from the noise of the office.
• The flex office gives employees the flexibility to find the workplace that suits their needs.

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If employees work from several different locations, it is essential to homogenize the digital equipment and services of the company:

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• provide stable and secure connectivity for face-to-face and remote tools on a unified platform;
• propose adapted work tools, which boost productivity (octopus in meeting rooms, whiteboards for brainstorming sessions...);
• offer additional services to improve the quality of life at work (cafeteria, concierge service, etc.).

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02. Teleworking: what does it involve and how can it be democratized?

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Autonomy requires the choice of one's professional environment. Telecommuting is one of the new working methods favored by employees. But what is the difference between telecommuting and remote work?

Telecommuting is the practice of performing duties and responsibilities outside of the official workplace. Depending on company policy, employees may also be required to return to the office one or more times per week.

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Remote working, or full remote working, is based on a different approach: the ability to work from any location. Employees can carry out their assignments for the company, regardless of the distance separating them from its premises. In some cases, they are also free to choose when and how to connect to the company's collaborative tools and complete their tasks.

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Advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting

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Better productivity

Improved productivity is one of the biggest benefits of telecommuting. As employees are no longer confronted with the distractions of open-space noise or the solicitations of their colleagues (even in a closed office), they find it easier to concentrate on their tasks. The result? Increased performance.

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What's more, telecommuting enables a better work-life balance, thanks in particular to more flexibletime management. All these elements improve satisfaction, motivation and, consequently, productivity!

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Flexibility of working hours and locations

As employees choose where to work, they can travel to a workplace and carry out their professional activities close to home. In this way, they reduce their commuting time and the associated stress, as well as the costs associated with public transport journeys and lunches outside the company.

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However, working remotely does have its drawbacks.

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Burnout

Why can telecommuting cause burnout ? It's simple: distractions remain, especially at home, where the employee can be solicited by his entourage (family, roommates...), by his pets or even be tempted to perform household tasks.

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In the evening, it can be harder to switch off than at the office. In fact, 22% of teleworkers say they find it hard to switch off at the end of the day.

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Social isolation

Digital tools make it easy to communicate. But working remotely means no direct contact. Exchanges take place only via interposed screens, which can leave some employees feeling isolated.

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Online communication tools are optimized for a professional environment: shared servers for the whole company, servers reserved for teams, private messages... However, the fact of not being able to move to meet a colleague and speak to him or her directly can quickly become annoying on a human level. What's more, written exchanges can sometimes lead to misunderstandings, encouraging mistakes and reducing staff performance. 

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An inappropriate work environment

Not all employees benefit from an optimized workspace at home, nor from ergonomic telecommuting accessories (double screen, chair...). And at a distance, the management style must be reviewed to adapt to the situation.

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Hybrid working limits the risks of telecommuting, namely isolation,burnout and reduced performance. To meet employees' needs, it's best to alternate between face-to-face and remote work.

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03. The flex office: a flexible and mobile way of working

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Flex office: how does it work?

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The flex office offers a vision of nomadic working. Gone are the days of a fixed desk and a fixedworkspace. This hybrid way of working is based on the principle of the flexible office:

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• to meet the needs of their activities, the company lets employees choose where they work (at home, in a coworking space, at the office...);
• As employees are not all in the office at the same time, spaces are optimized, individual offices are removed and other styles emerge (phone box...);
• As a result, mobility is encouraged and the various business lines of the company are led to cross paths more often, thus exchanging and sharing their knowledge.

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A flexible company offers a workspace that is more open to interaction and information exchange between teams. What's the best way to implement and benefit from flex office?

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Steps to deploy the flex office

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1. Assess the needs of each individual

Flexible working makes it possible to reduce the number of workstations within a structure. The average desk ratio in French companies is 0.7 (i.e. 7 workstations for every 10 employees). These employees are not always in the office: some work from home, others in a coworking space...

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You can therefore reduce the work surface to match the real needs of your employees.

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2. Rearrange the work environment

If the work surface is adapted to the number of employees, it must also meet their needs. Phone boxes, concentration areas, meeting rooms, creative spaces... Offer your employees places to work within the company to improve their working conditions and enhance their work experience.

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Rely on their needs and expectations ! A company that creates new spaces without having surveyed its employees runs the risk of not offering the environments expected to increase productivity and performance.

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The reorganization of the work environment also involves optimizing the computer system. Make sure it is reliable and secure.

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3. Establish guidelines

Although it is synonymous with freedom, the flex office must be supervised so that everyone can find their way around. Here are some good practices to put in place: 

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• Hygiene rules: shared offices must be tidied up and cleaned after being occupied.
• The organization between face-to-face and remote work: allocate a number of days and times for employees to be present in order to balance out the crowds in the open space. Those who need to work in teams, for example, can meet in a coworking space where they will have access to a meeting room and all the necessary equipment.
• A suitable reservation solution : there are applications for employees to reserve a place in the office or, on the contrary, to announce that they are going to an outside location.

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In this respect, set up a network of external offices so that employees can travel to a location close to home when working remotely.

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04. Coworking: friendly places

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Coworking: advantages and disadvantages

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Coworking refers to a dedicated, shared collaborative workspace. It ensures that employees who work remotely are not alone, boosting motivation and productivity. It's undeniable that theshared space offered by coworking prevents the feeling of isolation resulting from prolonged telecommuting.

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What's more, companies that give their employees the opportunity to work in a coworking space save money. And why? Because not all offices are occupied systematically, the size of the workspace can be rethought to reduce real-estate costs.

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Another advantage concerns equipment: coworking spaces provide all the necessary equipment for professionals. A meeting room with an octopus, presentation screens, whiteboards... Employees benefit from modern, ergonomic equipment. 

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But coworking also has its drawbacks:

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• It's a shared space. Confidentiality and cybersecurity are not as strong as in-house.
• Coworking spaces are often open-plan. Other coworkers and ancillary services (such as the cafeteria) can therefore represent sources of distraction. 
• Contrary to telecommuting, employees must travel to the coworking location concerned. Car, public transport, bicycle... The travel time is to be taken into account when the employee chooses his place of work.

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How to choose your coworking space?

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1. The location

Even if coworking spaces are less numerous in rural or suburban areas, offer several locations to cover a wide geographical area (in the city center, on the outskirts...). In this way, employees will be able to find a coworking space that's closer to home, easier to access and more practical (close to the children's school, to an extra-professional activity, close to a customer's offices...). 

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This flexibility means fewer trips by car or public transport. A shorter journey not only saves time and money. It's also a good way to reduce stress.

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2. Working hours and working time

Employees appreciate the flexibility offered by coworking. Working hours can be chosen to suit the location, the activity and the working method. 

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3. The activities and profile of your employees

All coworking spaces offer different services. Check whether they support activity-based working and meet your employees' needs. For example, a coworking space with a meeting room is preferable for a group of employees who need to exchange ideas as part of a project.

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4. Evolution and commitment

Coworking spaces are bound to evolve to offer more services to professionals and adapt to all uses. For example, coliving is a growing trend: it is a place where several people live and work (a new vision of colocation).

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Another trend concerns mixed-use spaces, which offer a coworking area and a :

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• coffee;
• a climbing gym;
• a space of insertion, where the users can discover the professions of the ones and the others...

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Coworking is becoming a more convivial place, where different activities can be mixed together.

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05. Hybrid workspaces adapted to the challenges and needs of employees

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Are activity-based working and hybrid working the winning duo for companies and their employees?Activity-based working is at the heart of today's new ways of working. The needs of employees to accomplish their tasks must be at the center of attention for hybrid management.

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Offer your employees a variety of workspaces to suit their needs: central, user-friendly areas where they can exchange ideas more easily, areas dedicated to teamwork and brainstorming sessions with all the equipment needed to stimulate creativity, areas a little set back for those who need to be quiet or concentrate... An open space with various zones will benefit everyone.

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Open space, closed office, meeting room: which environment to choose?

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Theopen space has the advantage of being modular. Divide it into several zones to :

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• encourage exchanges between different positions within the company. Employees will have the opportunity to interact with colleagues from other departments. They'll discover little-known aspects of other professions.
• Facilitate communication and boost team synergy by creating benchs by business line.

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To avoid excessive noise pollution, opt for acoustic furniture. The golden rule is to create a bench with a maximum of 10 employees. If you put too many people together, you'll notice a negative impact on concentration and productivity. By limiting seating capacity, you can maintain good circulation within the different work zones.

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Open space doesn't always meet all employees' needs. The flex office overcomes the difficulties associated withactivity-based working. In particular, it makes it possible to diversify workspaces so that everyone can find the place and workstation best suited to their activity.

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And with the end of the fixed office, employees choose where to work:

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• in the middle of the open space for more collaboration, 
• in a closed office for better concentration,
• in a meeting room to ensure confidentiality, 
• in an enclosed and quiet space to promote relaxation.

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06. Why move to hybrid work: what you need to know

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Hybrid working has many advantages, both for employees and for companies. With the emergence of new ways of working, employees don't work in company workspaces every day.

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Do the math: how many workstations are used every day? Empty offices can be rented out, or the work surface reduced, so as to reduce the company's real estate costs and carbon footprint. Telecommuting also plays an important role, reducing the need for commuting, which is a major source of CO2 emissions.

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The hybrid work model is also an excellent argument for attracting new talent. More and more of them are looking for companies that are open to different working options and meet the need for flexibility. Flex office, coworking, closed offices, creative spaces... Employees can choose the workplace best suited to their activities and uses. This flexibility boosts motivation and performance.

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Managers, workplace managers, human resources and CEOs need advice and support in choosing the best workspace for their employees. To find out more, read our dedicated ebook.