How To Create A Hybrid Work Policy

Employees and organisations alike want more structure around hybrid work, according to recent Gallup research.

The vast majority of employees (73%) want to go to the office when they know their colleagues are there, because they can collaborate, connect and build community. A structured hybrid work model supports flexibility and work-life balance, while allowing people to have certainty about when they and their colleagues can meet.

Organisations are moving toward structured hybrid work policies that allow for flexibility and precision in scheduling. According to the Gallup report, more than 2 in 3 business leaders demand that employees work from the office two to three days a week, while 43% of leaders surveyed indicated that their companies plan to increase Recovery Time Objective (RTO) mandates in 2024.

How To Create A Hybrid Work Policy

Step #1: Define a Hybrid Work Policy

There are multiple versions of structured hybrid work. First, you need to decide which version of hybrid work will work best for your team’s needs. A recent Gallup poll found that 6 in 10 hybrid employees want a stronger structure.

When defining hybrid work policies, employee expectations should be explored: What are reasonable parameters for remote work in your opinion? What constitutes a good balance between office time and working from home? How do you create a flexible work model that encourages office work and employee collaboration while giving teams the freedom to work remotely?

Once the position of the employees is defined, it is necessary to resort to the data. How is office space currently used for different job functions? What days do most of the employees come? Using these insights can help create a policy that feels more natural to computers.

There are a variety of ways to achieve a structured hybrid employment agreement. For example, a company might require people to be in the office 40% of the time during prime business hours, but this could be measured over a month or quarter instead of twice a week to see if the implementation of this work model is working or not.

Step #2: Empower the Team With the Right Resources

It is important to support employees with the technology they need to work effectively within the hybrid work model. In the office, workers need access to resources and bookable spaces, from rooms for team meetings to offices for individual work.

Without a desk or meeting room reservation solution, for example, hot desking or hoteling cannot be implemented within a structured hybrid work policy. Employees will be coming into the office and there will not be enough available desks and meeting spaces for everything. These types of situations could generate friction.

Therefore, whether it is hybrid or remote work, companies have to ensure that their teams have the resources they need to perform their tasks better. Flexible working requires technology that can help people regardless of their location.

Step #3: Drive Adoption of the Hybrid Work Policy

When implementing a hybrid work policy it pays to communicate proactively and clearly. How to drive the widespread adoption of this work model?

1) Documenting the hybrid work policy and underlying goals in a written document that is easily accessible to everyone.

2) Appointing and empowering department heads who, in addition to assisting in hybrid work policy development, can also facilitate organisational adoption.

3) Clearly defining the “why” of the policy, the benefits it entails, as well as the consequences of non-compliance.

Step #4: Measure and Improve Employee Performance

Last but not least, you have to define performance metrics or KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for your hybrid work policy. These metrics must be related to the underlying objectives that the policy seeks to promote in order to measure and improve the continuous performance of employees.

• Are the employees productive?
• How is your overall performance?
• Are the teams committed?
• How are your recruitment and retention rates?
• What is the impact of the policy on collaboration and corporate culture?

It is key to monitor pre-defined metrics on a regular basis, as well as collect and analyse qualitative and quantitative data to measure policy performance, including workplace analytics, employee feedback, office mood observations, and more.

When the metrics show poor performance, the corresponding adjustments must be made and measure how the changes are being made in order to correct the possible errors that are occurring.

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The Future of Work

In the medium and long term, hybrid work will become more structured. Employees want to know what is expected of them, and they also want to know when their colleagues will be in the office to collaborate and network. Organisations, for their part, want the office to be a hub for in-person teamwork, strengthening company culture and building community.

According to the Gallup report, hybrid work helps employees get the most out of their day and ensures they feel connected to their co-workers and the organisation. A structured hybrid approach, however defined, can offer the best characteristics of flexibility and human connection.