What is the latest office situation "hybrid office"? How is it different from working from home or remote work?

What is the latest office situation "hybrid office"? How is it different from working from home or remote work?

Work styles have diversified, and more and more companies have introduced remote working, which connotes working from home. New words are being created one after another, but recently, "hybrid office," which combines working from home and traditional office work, has begun to attract attention.

We will explain the advantages and disadvantages of the kind of work style hybrid office refers to, while taking up specific examples that will be helpful for companies considering either option.

What is hybrid work?

First, let's confirm the meaning of "hybrid office" and the origin of the word. Hybrid office is a combination of the following two words.

- Hybrid: A combination of different methods

The content of "hybrid" changes each time a new work style is born, but at present, hybrid office mainly represents a work style that combines remote work and office work.

For example, "hybrid work" is a style of remote working three days a week and going to the office twice a week to work. There is no strict definition for the ratio.

Background to the birth of hybrid work

In response to the worldwide spread of the coronavirus, hybrid office has been heard since early 2020 as a new way of working in the with covid-19 era. As part of infection control measures, "remote working" was actively introduced, and in some cases, the office was abandoned and all employees were transferred to work from home.

There are aspects in an office work set up such as labour management, personal appraisal, and communication between employees that remains to be preferable for some companies. On the working side, there are also opinions such as "I can't concentrate at home" and "The office is more suitable for the work environment".

Therefore, in order to establish a more suitable work style for our company, "hybrid office" was born, which combines remote working and office work.

Advantages and disadvantages of hybrid office

There are, of course, both advantages and disadvantages to the introduction of hybrid work. Here are some typical ones.

Advantages

1.) Smooth Communication

Hybrid work facilitates communication by providing regular face-to-face opportunities while keeping in touch via chat and video calls. Face-to-face communication can be useful, especially when you want to actively exchange opinions.

2.) Increased employee satisfaction

It will also create trust and attachment to the company and improve satisfaction.

3.) Securing excellent human resources

An increasing number of people place more importance on workability and work-life balance than salary treatment. You can work at your own discretion, avoiding unnecessary visits to the office and using your time efficiently. Consequently, it is an added value for employees as they would have the flexibility to work remotely and work in the office according to their preference. As for companies, Hybrid Office opens up more growth opportunities and access to excellent human resources since they will be able to hire people even from distant locations.

Disadvantages

1.) Difficulty in employee labour and health management

When hybrid office is introduced, it is difficult to grasp the employees who go to the office and the employees who work from home, and the opportunity to know the work progress, productivity, schedule management, or the physical and mental condition of the employees is inevitably reduced. It is necessary to create an environment where employees can easily share information by utilising cloud-type project management tools.

2.) Communication is reduced

Smooth communication is possible by using but it is important to create rules within the team in order to thoroughly report, connect, and communicate. If this is not shared and thoroughly implemented, important communication items may not be delivered, communication may not be successful, and problems may occur. Instead of top-down, try to develop rules and share manuals by incorporating as many opinions as possible.

3.) Employees are divided into two teams

In some cases, there are differences in the speed at which work progress is grasped and the way work is carried out between office attendants and remote workers. For example, it is easy for employees who come to the office to have business authority. For discussions, it is necessary to thoroughly implement a system premised on hybrid work, such as requiring everyone to participate by using web conferencing tools.

3 cases of companies working on hybrid work

In order to clarify the image of introducing hybrid work, here are three specific examples of companies.

Pasona

The Pasona Group, which develops dispatching businesses, has set up a new base on Awaji Island and introduced hybrid work that combines remote work and office work in the Tokyo metropolitan area and rural areas. Work outside the home or office, such as cafes and beaches, is also permitted on the island. Employees seem to be highly satisfied with being able to work flexibly while being surrounded by nature.

In addition, hybrid work was carried out in October 2020 with the aim of "creating diverse work styles that match people's lifestyles, and aiming for regional revitalisation through migration and settlement in the region and the creation of related populations." Established Life Association. We are promoting hybrid work by disseminating information, establishing hybrid work bases, and working to create employment through this.

Microsoft

Microsoft, which develops software represented by Windows, has closed its headquarters campus in Washington State and its Seattle campus due to the spread of the new coronavirus. Now this has been resumed in a limited way, allowing employees to choose between remote work, office work, or hybrid work.

Microsoft believes that every organisation will be required to have a hybrid work style that is not bound by traditional norms such as working hours.

Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, a provider of network systems and solutions, has been working to improve workspaces since the 2010s before the Corona disaster. Half of the employees work remotely. Employee schedules have been switched from advance reservations to ad hoc, and 241 office buildings are closed nationwide. As a result, employee engagement has increased by 16% and employee productivity has also increased by 14%. In addition, it seems that there are results such as CO2 reduction.

Utilising these in-house achievements, technologies and services, Cisco Systems also provides a conference system "Cisco Webex Room kit" that supports hybrid work. It is a system that has functions such as face recognition, name display, automatic translation / transcription, number management, and dimming, and can be installed anywhere. In addition, we have developed an application that allows you to use landlines on your smartphone. Regardless of the size of the company, we support the introduction of hybrid work to solve problems.

We have introduced specific examples of large companies, but it may be difficult for SMEs and small businesses to introduce hybrid office as a system. In that case, you can also use the coworking space or shared office, which has been increasing recently, for individuals.

Servcorp representatives will answer about workplaces suitable for hybrid work when using shared offices.

Problem solved – case examples

Mix of remote working and Office working team

The staff at this company take turns, working at the company twice a week, and working remotely at home for the remaining three days. It is inconvenient to completely eliminate the office, and it is also impractical to spend money on rent and equipment even though it is used only occasionally.

Servcorp Solution

Servcorp also has a contract for remote teams and hybrid office that is perfect for those worries. In addition to one private office room equipped with IT including furniture, telephone line, and private internet line, there is a benefit of using a coworking space for remote workers, and it is a service that allows you to utilise the workspace you need when you need it.

Not only can you use a safe and high-speed internet line, but you can also manage postal and courier services that are difficult to receive with remote work, while suppressing the cost of furniture and IT, as well as secretarial services and telephone agency services.

You can use the Onefone app that allows you to make a call from your company's phone number even during remote work for free, eliminating the need for a company mobile phone!

Needing professional workspace environment for limited hours

Basically, I work from home five times a week. There is no problem with my work, but I also use the cafe to refresh my feelings. However, cafes are not suitable for work, so I am looking for a coworking space that I can easily use.

Servcorp Solution

Servcorp's coworking space is endorsed by our clients for its well-designed and comfortable environment and the facilities that allow us to work smoothly. Not only is there an environment where you can concentrate, but the bilingual reception team can also help you with a little clerical work.

In addition, more than 150 coworking spaces around the world can be used, and online and offline communication exchanges between members are also possible. Servcorp has a wealth of solutions to revitalise your business, as opposed to just renting space.

Summary

The unprecedented spread of infectious diseases has boosted work style reforms at once. In the future, flexible working styles like hybrid work will be required.

Hybrid work, which combines remote work and office work, has various merits such as smooth communication and improvement of employee satisfaction, but it also poses risks such as in-house rule maintenance and the dichotomy between remote working and office work. Measures are also required. Please consider the method of adoption that is suitable for your company by referring to the advantages and disadvantages introduced this time and specific examples of companies.