The call to return to office has started, but many companies are still wondering how to make the shift. In fact, the hybrid work model has eluded managers for years, but it’s not unheard of. As it turns out, giving employees the chance to choose where they work from has been part of the discussion for a while now. In fact, firms have experimented on part-time telecommuting way back in 1973. And while there are benefits and challenges of hybrid working, learning how to fix hybrid work may give teams the productivity boost they need.
The key on how to fix hybrid work
The shift to hybrid work is something that companies have been thinking about for years now. Without the struggles of commuting, wouldn’t we all be more energetic and productive at home?
That’s what Jack Nilles, a rocket scientist for the US Air Force, thought. He first played with the idea of a hybrid workplace when he had to travel from Los Angeles to Washington DC just for a meeting. Nilles believed that working from home can eventually solve the hellish and often tiresome morning commute. So, he hosted a large-scale test to analyze just how beneficial the hybrid work setup can be.
Using connections with a former colleague at the University of Southern California, he researched the discipline with various academics. In 1973, he received a grant from the National Science Foundation to test whether his concept of part-time telecommuting would be practical in big organizations.
In nine months, Nilles got his answer. Staff turnover at the national insurance company they conducted the test on went from 35 percent to zero. Productivity rose by 15 percent. The company was even able to cut training costs, sick pay, and other expenses. The company estimated that if the same system were in place for all its US offices, it would save them $5 million a year.
Why can’t we figure out how to do hybrid work?
Giving employees flexible time outside the office has always met unfavorable responses from big business leaders. The same case went for Nilles when he first pitched the idea to his bosses in The Aerospace Corporation.
It eventually went on even after the study produced results. Word of the study spread around, and several scholars tried to implement the same project. In fact, companies would often sign up for the programs. However, when C-level executives observed that the project was achieving good results, they pulled the plug on the projects.
How to fix hybrid work during COVID-19
Thankfully, it seems that more and more bosses are ready to accept the idea of hybrid working. In many cases, each person’s idea of hybrid work is different, and that’s where most of the conflict lies. In addition to that, not all companies are ready to adapt their practices to the current reality.
To work around this, Nilles proposes a results-based structure to check whether employees are able to reproduce their results at the office to the hybrid setup. David Fleming, a colleague of Nilles, also added that companies shouldn’t expect to nail their hybrid work set up on the first try.
Both say that the key on how to fix hybrid work is to train teleworkers and telemanagers. They also say that managers have to move away from the one-size-fits-all approach. Simply put, it’s high time for managers to find solutions tailored to their teams.
There are certainly some disadvantages of hybrid working to companies, but it’s a reality that they have to face. The future of work from remote to hybrid is slowly taking over our lives, and it’s best to be ready for the shift.
