Hybrid Work Schedule: Everything you need to know

Hybrid Work Schedule is a work arrangement that combines remote work and presential work. It allows employees to have a flexible schedule where they are able to work from home for a certain number of days and be present at the office for the remaining days. On top of that, this can encompass, for instance, coming to the office in the morning and working from home in the afternoon.

Due to the pandemic, this practice has become increasingly popular in recent years and has proven to offer multiple benefits. In the first place, it has helped employees to improve their work-life balance, as allowing them to work remotely has saved them time on commuting and enabled them to have more flexibility to attend to personal matters.

On the other hand, it has undeniably increased productivity in organizations on the grounds that distractions in the workplace have been reduced by working from home. Generally, employees have used their remote work time to focus more on their tasks. Thirdly, it has reduced costs to both sides. Companies have economized for example, in utilities and employees in other areas as commuting or even meals.

Moreover, employee satisfaction has considerably increased with this new measure, as the flexibility and autonomy gained from the hybrid work schedule has even enhanced retention rates. Lastly, it has been proven that health and well-being have risen. The fact that employees are more in control over their work schedule and environment has contributed to reducing stress levels and preventing burnout. Furthermore, social isolation has decreased as employees have the opportunity to still meet their colleagues in person and connect with them.

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Types of hybrid work schedule

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As blended work schedules are becoming increasingly popular in today’s workforce, the number of employees that can work both remotely or in-person is constantly growing. There are several types of hybrid work schedules that employers can consider when implementing a hybrid work model. 

• Split week system: This one involves workers taking part of the week in the office and the other part remotely. Thanks to this procedure, employees can enjoy the benefits of working from home alongside having interpersonal interactions face-to-face with their colleagues.

• Rotational hybrid work schedule: is a method in which employees alternate between working remotely and working in the office on a set schedule. This can be weekly, biweekly or even monthly depending on the set policies of the organization. It has been recognized as a successful way of balancing remote work with working at the office.

• Hhybrid work program: This system allows workers to personally choose when they work at the office and when they can work from home. This can be especially beneficial for workers that have different work preferences and a tied schedule. This specific model is mostly used by entrepreneurs and freelancers.

• Team-based approach in regards to hybrid work schedules: This method consists of designating different teams or departments as either remote or in-office. This means that a specific team can meet once a week in the office and work from home the rest of the week. This requires coordination among team members in order to ensure that they are collaborating effectively.

• Finally, multiple enterprises choose to execute the job-specific program, which is customized in order to meet the specific need of certain positions. For instance, jobs that require to have constant in-person interactions might be demanded to be more in the office than the ones that have a more computer-based position. This last method can ensure that employees are able to perform their job duties effectively and efficiently, regardless of their location.

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10 tips for managers on how effectively manage hybrid work teams

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Nevertheless, it is crucial that employers know how to effectively manage hybrid work teams. Several tips that we recommend to employers to follow in order to accomplish this, are the following ones.

• Managers should take advantage of the multiple tools available nowadays that can help them increase the productivity in their company and create a more efficient work environment. It is essential for enterprises to use technology to their advantage to keep the hybrid team connected and informed.

• For example, a very useful tool in this case is Uphint. It is the perfect chrome extension to improve communication between employees (it creates step by step guides automatically and free) as it can be utilized to train teammates, training manual, process documentation, sop training, onboarding new hires and even implement new tools. It helps you to document any workflow you do on your computer. Besides, it works automatically thus saving you up 93% with each workflow. It is the best productivity tool to increase the performance of employees.

• Clearly communicate the goals and deadlines to your team and ensure that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. Besides, setting clear expectations can increase motivation and productivity in employees.

• Honest communication among team members is key, regardless of their location. Managers should establish a safe environment where employees feel comfortable expressing themselves and voicing up their concerns, opinions and ideas. Organizing regular team meetings, one-on-one reunions and feedback sessions can help the team to stay connected, share updates and ameliorate their solving problem skills in a collaborative atmosphere.

• Trust with employees is critical for any successful company. Employers should build trust by being transparent and approachable. Also, they should create opportunities for team members to connect and interact with each other and foster a sense of community.

• Having a flexible schedule can enable employees to work when they feel more productive and improve their work-life balance. Thus, managers should establish guidelines for working hours and allow team members to work flexibly within those guidelines.

• Providing adequate resources, tools and equipment is undeniably necessary for employees to work efficiently. This can include softwares, second screens and other work-related resources so they are in a safe workplace, whether they are at the office or at home.

• It is very important to focus on results rather than on the hours worked. This is a mistake that managers tend to make, however, this will increase the motivation of the team. Therefore, establishing clear performance metrics is crucial.

• Social interaction plays an important role in regards to effective hybrid work teams. Virtual team-building activities, social events and other activities that help the members get to know each other better are the perfect to build long-lasting relationships and improve communication in the organization.

• Executives should avoid burnouts immediately. They should detect the signs of it as soon as possible and encourage teams to take time off when necessary. They should also ensure that team members are taking adequate breaks and have the resources they need to manage their workload.

• Managers should model the behavior they expect from their team. Managers should show commitment to their team's success and well-being, so the team members follow their lead.

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Hybrid Work Schedule Examples

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As aforementioned, nowadays there are several options of hybrid work models implemented in millions of organizations to ensure the increase of productivity in them. Numerous companies attempted to receive back their employees in the office in 2022, ensuring that at least they are in the office 50% of the time. This is an example of office-first, top-down decision making. 

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In the other respect, other companies allow employees to work remotely up to 50% of the time. This is a top-down decision (as the company executed it) and offers a more balanced hybrid system.

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Nevertheless, other companies simply adopt a balance between office and remote work and leave the decision-making at the team level. Thus, hybrid work responsibilities are delegated to the team directors, which are the ones in charge of taking the decisions.

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Besides, numerous firms allow employees to choose their own schedule plan. This includes how many days they want to be at the office, whether they want to work fully remotely or if they prefer to be physically present at the office.

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Similarly, some organizations also prefer employees to decide between three options, work from home certain days, being at the office the rest of their week and tailor their flexible plan.

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In the last place, there are companies that translate this decision entirely to their employees, giving them the complete freedom to choose whether to attend the office and stay at home.

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Conclusion

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Nonetheless, what is the best hybrid work schedule that your company should implement? On the one hand, flexible work schedules are becoming increasingly popular as more and more enterprises are recognizing the benefits of offering flexible work arrangements to their employees. 

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Flexible schedules imply different options, as for instance the following ones. Firstly, part-time employees work fewer hours than full time employees, it usually consists of 20 or 30 hours per week. Another example is compressed workweeks. This means that employees can work the same amount of hours in a week but in less days. In the other respect, another popular system is job sharing. This implies different employees sharing a unique full time position. Lastly, flextime allows employees to choose their own start and end times within a range of hours established by the employer.

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In conclusion, the hybrid work schedule system is becoming more and more popular within companies and their employees. With the rise of technology and the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have chosen to adapt to the current times, allowing employees to have a flexible schedule between remote work and in-office work. The hybrid work schedule can help companies attract and retain employees, increase productivity, and reduce costs associated with maintaining a physical office space and the utilities this entails. Moreover, it provides employees with the freedom and flexibility to work in a way that suits their individual needs and preferences creating a win-win situation for both parties.