Last Updated on August 16, 2022 by user
A hot topic in the post pandemic world is whether to let your workforce return to the office full time, remain working remotely or, perhaps adopt a hybrid working model. Is it time to re-imagine your future?
A recent survey by Cisco revealed almost “90% of UAE employees want to work either in a hybrid or fully remote working model in the future.” And whilst it’s what employees are asking for, most CEO’s are taking a deep dive into the impact of adopting Hybrid work models. A
Here’s our list of pros and cons to adjusting your business model to a Hybrid one:
Advantages of Hybrid working
- Happy and engaged employees
“A highly engaged workforce has been shown to increase profitability by 21%, sales by 20% and customer ratings by 10%.” Giving your employees the flexibility to work from home and at the office offers the time they need to maintain a work life balance. If employees have the ability to work from home and come into the office on alternate days, it could lead to a more motivated and engaged workforce.It places your employees in a better frame of mind to come to the office and be ready to collaborate after getting the chance to work whilst caring for their families.
- Boosted culture of trust
CEO’s of SME’s work hard to build their corporate culture, knowing it is the backbone of any organization. And while you may think having your teams working partly remotely versus in the office full time could hinder your internal culture, it can in fact boost it. Hybrid working shows your employees you trust them enough to get their work done. You can give them control of their schedules, giving them the opportunity to come to the office refreshed and ready to continue working towards your mission and goals as a company. Invest in the right software and you could have the visibility to see where your workforce is at any given time.
- Attractive employer positioning
With a rise in resignations across the globe, the focus has shifted from being predominantly customer focused, to that of the employee experience. We aren’t just talking about staff functions to keep employees happy, but rather looking into their work life balance and the need for flexibility in a post COVID-world. LinkedIn research found “74% of professionals in the UAE and Saudi Arabia think the pandemic has exposed how employers need to change their approach to flexible working”. Hybrid models also allow your organization to employ the necessary skills in other countries.
- Cost savings for your employees
A recent Bayzat survey revealed that fuel is among the most requested reimbursements for UAE employees. The average amount per reimbursement has increased by 18%. With ever rising fuel costs in the UAE, hitting Dh4.63 per litre for Super 98, think about the cost savings you could pass on to your employees by minimising their daily travel to the office.
- Lower operational costs
If your organization hasn’t already done so during the pandemic, it could be a wise move to look at downscaling your office space. This would reduce your overheads such as rental space and electricity and work your office days in shifts with hot desking options. With Bayzat’s HR & Payroll software, you can also gain the level of granularity when it comes to seeing where your overheads lie and insights into employee expenditure data.
Cons of a hybrid working model
- Increased reliance on technology
Unless you have invested in the right software you may find it harder for teams to collaborate. Cloud platforms and technologies can help businesses ensure continuous compliance in an efficient and cost-effective way, if you have the right infrastructure in place. You won’t always have control over your employees’ connectivity, software and environment on the days they work remotely. Connecting to the internet is not always a given.
- Employee burnout can occur
If your workforce isn’t used to working remotely, they could struggle with maintaining productive routines and carefully balancing home life with getting work done. On the other side of this discussion point, is an employee who tends to work through the evenings and not take note of the time. Burning the candle at both ends can quickly result in deteriorating mental wellness and disengagement. If this is a challenge you would like to combat, try the Bayzat work life platform where your employees can clock in and out of their day remotely, as well as receive prompts that their work day is complete. Included in the Bayzat app is access to a wellness hub, online pharmacy and doctor consultations.
- Not always suited for your industry
Not all industries can adopt a hybrid working model as you need people on factory floors or in your restaurants to manufacture and deliver your service/ product.
At the end of the day, only you can assess if your organization is geared up to adopt a hybrid model. It doesn’t matter whether your workforce is in the office, working remotely or both, there are solutions you can invest in to help digitize and automate your processes to deliver on a world-class employee experience, faster payroll processes and streamline your HR. Contact our team at Bayzat for a demo and we will show you how to re-imagine your future!