In today’s blog I wanted to address some of the misconceptions attached to creating Hybrid working in your business.
I’ve been in HR for over 20 years now and I’ve supported many businesses with remote and Hybrid policies, including many who hadn’t considered this an option until the pandemic. Changing how you work can be daunting but it can also be exciting and successful if carried out and supported in the right way.
So, let’s get into it.
You can only implement if ALL roles are made Hybrid.
Not true, in fact as part of you initial assessment it’s advised that you consider all roles and outline which can AND which can’t be completed from home. It’s good practice here to be very clear on why the roles can’t be considered for Hybrid working. These moves are generally emotional for all involved and you wouldn’t want to upset or disengage employees in the process.
All Hybrid workers must work the same ratio at home vs the office.
Not true, as part of the initial assessments you can assign roles based on how often you need them in the workplace. For example, in a retail store you will need cashiers, supervisors, and shop floor workers in the workplace all the time, however, managers and admin staff may only be required in the workplace 2/3 times a week based on activities they carry out. The arrangements for each role should be explained to the employee concerned at the earliest opportunity and JD’s amended accordingly.
All employees should be consulted about the changes in advance.
Yes, it is always good practice to involved your employees in the consultation process, along with any representatives they have including trade unions especially, if any changes are to be made to their contracts of employment. By involving employees you can identify any that perhaps may not want to work from home, don’t have the capacity to, or have health concerns surrounding it.
I need to be seen online and available at all times in the working day.
Actually, I advise companies against this as I personally think it’s a toxic trait to have in a company culture. There are far better ways to manage productivity for employees. Try to consider things like setting the core hours you need cover, how you monitor if breaks are being taken, what expectations clients have, you’ll create a much healthier environment for employees to thive.
I could go on for a while here as there are many questions I get asked over and over about the introduction of remote/hybrid working. On the whole though I do think it has been a welcomed change for many industries, not least in productivity and supporting a more balances approach for many households to work/life.
