Why a Hybrid Work Arrangement Brings the Best of Both Worlds

In recent years, companies in Singapore have been adopting hybrid working arrangements that allow employees to work from their houses and offices in the Team A/Team B structure. While hesitation accompanied this drastic change – especially following a fully remote setup – the advantages of this best-of-both-worlds solution soon became evident.

Firstly, a hybrid setup mitigates stress from commuting since you'll only be coming to the office a few days a week. Secondly, days in the office can guarantee more deliverables are done, if your home setup isn't conducive to deep-focused work. Moreover, you have days that allow you to attend to household responsibilities and other personal tasks (assuming you complete your office duties).

This half-half regimen is hardly new to the 2020s. But in just the past two to three years, the world, not just Singapore, was forced to adapt from the traditional system to a fully remote one. And now to a middle ground. The remote setup drastically changed the workplace. As result of this, companies whose workforce was limited by geography suddenly had a global pool of talent from which to choose. But with employees from various parts of the world and others based online, developing and maintaining organisational culture has become much more imperative.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Hybrid Work Setup

Some companies may be concerned that a hybrid work setup will ruin their culture or performance, which can only be sustained by having employees report to work daily. Reframe your mindset, and you'll find that the middle ground gives employees and employers the best of both worlds.

Switching to a hybrid work setup provides employees with a versatile arrangement that can be adapted to their needs and that of the company.

Key Advantages:

• Increases work productivity
• Develops working relationships and rapport with colleagues
• Access to company equipment, administrative assistance, and direct communication with colleagues
• Improves mental health by providing a steady routine and a sense of belongingness in workplace culture

Being in between comes with cons, too. Since employees come to the office on alternating days, you might find it cumbersome to establish a connection with your colleagues. Employee performance is also more difficult to monitor when supervisors do not see you regularly.

What pitfalls can companies prepare to mitigate in a hybrid setup?

Key Disadvantages

It disrupts the work routine. 

It may sometimes be challenging to remember your differentiated professional and personal duties in an office versus a work-from-home day. Anyone could easily confuse one day for another, forgetting to do crucial tasks. Make use of tools such as planners, calendars, and alarms to stay on track. You could also ask your company to invest in tracking software, such as Asana, Jira, or Paprika.

An alternating structure may be mentally exhausting. 

BBC states that more time and energy is spent on planning and adjusting your schedule to transition from office days to remote days. Coordinating these shifts in your routine is an entire task altogether, adding to an already demanding workload from work and home. Establishing a routine could help you get used to the hybrid structure.

Expect a learning curve.

Though not exactly a disadvantage, shifting to this system might require an adjustment period, which could be challenging. To help smoothen matters, companies must have a detailed blueprint for the transition, such as investing in planning and conflict mitigation. Communication channels must be unified and organised, remote employees must be given due attention and promotion opportunities, and all employees must be given open access to information.

Success is how you make of it. You might have been met with a few hiccups when you were doing a completely on-site practice or a fully remote one, but you overcame them. Give yourself an adjustment period and come up with your style to thrive.

Moreover, the hybrid setup is seen as the future of work. For better and for worse, it is here to stay and will change how people work across industries around the globe.

How to Build a Strong Company Culture in the Hybrid Workplace

According to McKinsey, companies with healthy cultures have three times greater total returns to shareholders. On the other hand, 70 per cent of transformations fail, primarily due to people- and culture-related challenges. Learn to evolve with the times and embrace the hybrid working environment. Follow the tips below to make it work for you – and ultimately, help your company, too.

The challenge in building a culture in a hybrid setup is finding camaraderie when not everyone is in the office at once. But companies have brought employees together on a global scale through virtual means. They can definitely establish camaraderie and a sense of unity through virtual activities coupled with on-site policies.

Your role is to remain open, enthusiastic, and committed to your company's cause.

1. Attend virtual and face-to-face events such as townhalls, festivals, and holidays.

When the HR team gets through the hurdle of coordinating a schedule when most employees are available, they will succeed in hosting events that establish rapport between employees. On-ground events may also be staged, provided that long-distance employees can join virtually or hold an alternative event. Participate in company traditions or help create new ones. It will instil a sense of company pride in you.

Make sure to attend these events and efforts, whether on-site or online. These are terrific avenues to learn about other employees.

2. Find a schedule that allows you to communicate with the teams with whom you collaborate.

Request a custom work arrangement if possible. Let human resources or your manager know if there are days you prefer to spend at home – you might be attending to your mother-in-law every Wednesday or taking your daughter to extra classes every Friday.

That said, also endeavour to check the days your teammates and other work-adjacent groups chose. If you constantly collaborate with the IT and creative departments, try getting at least a day that would allow you to work in-office with them. A top indicator of a thriving hybrid culture is open communication between all all employees, so the trust and collaboration is homogenous throughout, and not just within your own department. Make an effort to spend some face-to-face time with everyone by adjusting your schedule, and you may just become the influential link who connects people at your company.

Don't worry. Your organisation understands that letting employees have the flexibility to fix their schedules based on their needs gives workers a sense of value and the autonomy to help them thrive.

3. Ask management to make company operations transparent.

In a hybrid workplace, the workflow must be on a digital system for employees to update and monitor progress. It keeps everyone on the same page despite different work schedules and creates a centralised communication system. It also helps to have a digital archive of company documents, policies, and other reference materials accessible for everyone to look up in their own time. Having these digital resources prevents the risk of conflicts that are more likely to ensue in a hybrid setup

4. Support company goals.

One of the greatest unifying factors among teams is having a common goal. Check out your company's goals and values – ideally, they should align with yours – and see how your work can help the organisation fulfil them. It will give you a greater sense of purpose and camaraderie, understanding you are all working towards the same thing.

Remember that you have a voice – what would you like to do that develops your career and contributes to the company? Open discussions for collaboration, and you may just find out that there are many like-minded people among your colleagues who are willing to collaborate with you and make your aspirations a reality.

Whether you're in the office or at home, realising you and the rest of the company are on the same roadmap will remind you that you're one team.

5. Give feedback.

Do you feel left out? Make sure your company is hearing your voice and addressing your needs. Utilise the channels the organisation provides for feedback and evaluation. Understand that your opinion is important in creating a more effective and relatable organisational culture.

Love the thought of a hybrid setup? Find a better work arrangement that offers flexibility and considers the team’s needs. Check out our Career Resources page or download JobStreet’s app on the App Store and Google Play for more tips on building a healthy workplace culture.