Flexibility as a Competitive Advantage: How Hybrid Working Can Attract and Retain Top Talent

The modern world is as competitive now as it had ever been. Organisations are rooting for any advantage they can get over their market rivals. And one such widely popular trump card is flexible working. It can help your organisation stay one step ahead in the marketplace and adapt to environmental changes beyond the administration’s control. 

This shift towards flexible working has been caused due to multiple factors. In this read, we’re going to discuss these major contributing factors and how flexible working can be helpful for your business. 

Benefits of Flexible Working For Employers 

Gartner research revealed that a 40 per cent increase in high performers is witnessed when they are offered the flexibility of when, where, & how. Let’s discuss some key reasons offered by flexible working to help you scale your business. 

Work-Life Balance

Working at a 9-5 on-site job, an employee’s personal life is sure to be compromised. Spending time with one’s family, exercising, and eating healthy are only a few examples of things that are compromised. But if the employee is given a chance to create a healthy work-life balance, its positive impact is sure to be apparent in the quality of his work. 

Employee Retention

Enthusiastic employees who feel like they have some sense of control over their working environment are likely to stay loyal to their workplace. In contrast, an employee who can not maintain a healthy work-life balance and has limitations on his creative gear is sure to be on the lookout for other opportunities. Gartner shared that 43 per cent of employees look for new opportunities when bound to work on-site.  

Reduced Stress

Flexible working goes hand in hand with a reduction in the amount of stress an employee has to deal with regularly. Ultimately, with a present state of mind, the employee will retain his focus while completing the task at hand. Not too astonishingly, a recent correlational study proves that higher stress scores are directly correlated to lower levels of productivity.  

Flexible Working Model & The Changing Workplace Landscape

With the advancements of the world, the dynamics of workplaces have dramatically changed over the period. Contrary to old times, organisations are now focusing on employee-centred leadership styles, incorporating technological advancements and welcoming changes in their working model, like flexible working. 

From working at a desk in an office cabin for 6 hours a day to living a freelance lifestyle, the modern workforce brought forth quite a few remarkable findings. Allowing flexible working can make it possible for organisations to find the much-needed hidden potential they need. 

Additionally, high-potential employees with an ambition to strive are much more likely to opt for a work environment that does not put constraints on their work-life balance. After all, 83% population considering the transition from working on-site to working a success remotely says something about flexibility being a core component.  

Hybrid Working As a Flexible Working Arrangement 

Now that we’ve discussed the flexible working model let’s shed some light specifically on hybrid working. The two are often confused with one another but differ vastly in terms of definition. 

Flexible working is an umbrella term that conventionally grants freedom to employees to work at their convenience without any fixed measures. However, hybrid working is a type of flexible working that gives the workplace convenience. In hybrid working, while there may be standard working hours, more often than not, they would not require travelling to the workplace. 

The Benefits of Hybrid Working For Organisations 

Neurodiversity 

More and more startups across the globe are favouring neurodiversity in the workplace. This is because workplace inclusivity and productivity are highly likely to increase with the addition of neuro-diversified employees. Needless to say, an efficient way to accept neurodiversity would be to incorporate the hybrid working model. Win-win.

Reduced Operating Costs

A hybrid workplace on a large scale does not require you to spend on maintenance and running costs. For startups with limited capital, hybrid working is a dream come true with an extra pocket of benefits as well. 

Vast Employee Pool

Since the employees aren’t required to travel to the workplace daily, what’s stopping you, as an employer, from hiring international employees as well? The gathering of multiple cultures and backgrounds under a virtual roof will bring in quite a lot of fresh perspectives. 

Challenges of Hybrid Working & How To Overcome Them 

Coordination

Unlike a work setting where on-site meetings can be held, coordination can become a task with the flexible working model. But we’ve got just the right solution for that! As a project head, you can use employee timesheets and project management software. They’re sure to take the maximum burden off your shoulders. 

Working in Isolation

Hybrid working is like the multiverse of introverts, but for people who thrive in social settings, not so much. The employees may feel like they’ve lost connection with one another if they’re not required to meet at the workplace. To counter this, hosting virtual and physical events or employee catch-ups could be the perfect energiser. 

Lack of Learning Space

Some employees might feel like they’ve been cut off from learning opportunities that they could’ve otherwise benefitted from. Mentorship programs and growth discussion zoom meetings could help take care of this. 

How To Create A Hybrid Working Model? 

It may seem like a piece of cake, but implementing the work-from-home model, without proper measures can go the opposite way. Here are a few techniques that will help you frame a better infrastructure for your workplace. 

• Provide Guidelines: there should be no room for ambiguity. Create and communicate in-depth guidelines about how everything is supposed to work.
• Choose a Management Software: decide on a software that meets the needs of your work nature and ensures that the employees have access to it. 
• Provide Training: train your employees to work from home and still maximise their productivity levels. 
• Gather Feedback: make sure you know what your team thinks about the new change and how well they’re adopting it. It will be an aid in making the necessary adaptations. 

Final Thoughts

Finally, like everything else, there are upsides and downsides to the hybrid working culture as well. Nonetheless, if run properly, the employee and the employer could benefit plenty from it. 

To help the process be as seamless as ever, EmployeeConnect can sort the HR process out for you. It is an all-around HR system designed to accommodate all work-related tasks. Whether that is expanding your employee circle or providing work analytics, Employee Connect will surely be an aid to your new hybrid workplace.