Back in March 2020, we moved overnight into enforced home working across the UK. Predictable office patterns and the era of the 9-to-5 came to a halt. We all had to adapt and find new ways of working. We shifted to a new normal, juggling working patterns to meet the needs of both the business and the individuals who work there. This shift has changed the work landscape and has created an ongoing conversation about what the working week now looks like.
Many businesses are now exploring a longer-term shift to a hybrid model of work, offering a blend across the week for employees to be based in both the office and at home. The move to this model of work is an iterative process and will take time to find the right balance to meet both the needs of the business and individuals. If hybrid is done well, it could improve work-life balance, create more inclusive teams, and improve productivity, employee loyalty and help with recruitment.
To date there is no blueprint for hybrid working, every individual and business is different, one size doesn’t fit all. There are however some common themes emerging from those who are piloting a hybrid model of work, such as communication, consistency, inclusion, culture and leadership. Alongside this is the focus on the wellbeing and happiness of employees. Investing in getting hybrid right will be key to navigating the changing world of work.
In our most recent research, we found that hybrid and home working now make up the largest share in the different types of flex being offered, with 68% of Scottish employers saying they now offer this. From this research we identified that for the best results, flexibleworking needs to be created with workers, by listening to their opinions and feedback. And flex needs to filter through all business areas, from recruitment and retention, and trainingfor management and leadership teams to employee wellbeing and company communications and culture.
“It doesn’t matter what fantastic principles you come up with, success stands or falls on the real-time conversation between a line manager and employee. That’s why we need our managers to feel confident and equipped to have different conversations with their teams about performance and focusing on the customer whilst working flexibly. And they need to feel supported and equipped to do this.” Senior manager, multinational energy services company.
Our hybrid training programmes have been designed for employers and employees, the training supports you to build on what we have learnt prior to and during the pandemic to embed a long-term shift in how we work. To successfully transition permanently to a more flexible and hybrid working culture we need to support and encourage behavioural change in workplaces. We have consulted with our clients, looked at global trends and research to inform the content of our training. Through a series of interactive workshops, we will focus on key skills, practical tools, and theories to enable managers to successfully lead a hybrid team and for employees to stay connected and work well in a hybrid environment.
With the support of Paths For All, we have some funded places available for organisations to take part in our hybrid training, get in touch to find out more: Helen Denny, Learning & Development Lead – helen.denny@flexibilityworks.org.uk
