The Next Frontier: HR & the Digital Future of Work

The way we work has changed since COVID-19. After the Philippines was placed under community quarantines, nearly 72% of companies have implemented remote working arrangements.

Data from Accenture, however, reports that 83% prefer a hybrid working arrangement. Under a hybrid setup, employees may work from the office (WFO) or work from home (WFH).

And it makes sense: even though working remotely offers a better alternative to on-site work, remote employees face the challenge of reduced productivity and collaboration.

In the Philippines, employees feel optimistic about hybrid, as seen by research from Sprout Solutions conducted on 485 HR Admins and Managers and 8,194 employees:

• 64.2% of local HR professionals see hybrid as the future of work.
• 62.2% of work from office (WFO) leaders agree and plan to adopt hybrid in the foreseeable future
• 50.8% of WFH leaders envision a workplace where they work remotely and report for on-site work

If the data teaches us anything, hybrid work will be an integral part of the evolving labor landscape. Read on to find out how to plan for and ensure a successful transition to hybrid for your large enterprise.

A hybrid workplace supports a distributed workforce of WFO and WFH employees, giving companies the freedom to adopt the right working arrangement. This type of model empowers employees by choosing when and how they want to work.

Currently, five types of hybrid work exist. Let’s take a quick look at each one below.

In an at-will or remote-first arrangement, employees spend most of their time working remotely but can report on-site on certain days. Companies that follow this model use physical co-working spaces and offices for on-site work.

Employees that operate on an office-first model can work remotely one or two days a week or several days every month. This results in greater flexibility and overall productivity.

In the split-week model, businesses require teams to work on-site and off-site on certain days of the week. In turn, it results in a less congested office space with reduced health risks. Under this setup, employees enjoy the best of both worlds through an in-office work structure and remote work flexibility.

A week-by-week arrangement requires specific teams to WFO on certain weeks of the month, then WFH on the next weeks. Medium to large enterprises can benefit from the week-by-week model.

Under this model, the employer determines which teams should work on-site and from home. Organizations can embrace this model if they require certain workers to be at the office for optimum efficiency.

When teams work in the same space, they can collaborate and connect better. Moreover, working with others in person can help boost trust and morale.

Technology has made communication between employees easier because of video conferencing and work-related messaging platforms. However, too much exposure to virtual meetings could also contribute to burnout and feelings of disengagement.

Hybrid workplaces can maintain balance and prevent burnout through a combination of virtual and in-person meetings.

A recent McKinsey survey reports that a significant fraction of organizations is more productive because of their remote workforce. However, the study also cites that 41% of companies recorded no change in productivity, while 10% are concerned about lower productivity rates. If the data teaches us anything, too much remote could harm productivity.

By adopting hybrid working arrangements, you can offer freedom and flexibility to boost productivity.

The current pandemic has encouraged the adoption of hybrid work setups. Showing employees that you’re hybrid-work ready can help attract top talent, especially those who favor flexible work models.

Hybrid teams can easily track employee performance through virtual collaboration tools. Moreover, you can identify underperforming team members and discover how to foster career growth. Some HR solutions, for instance, allow you to track performance management.

Keeping your large enterprise digital hybrid-work ready entails adopting best practices to make it work. Let’s take a closer look.

Successful hybrid work arrangements require a contingency-ready strategy. HR and legal policies can help inform this strategy so you can overcome hybrid-related challenges without compromising performance.

Remote work offers several benefits, but it could also contribute to feelings of burnout and disengagement. For example, your remote team could feel demotivated because of the lack of collaboration and face-to-face interaction. As you transition to hybrid work, prioritize employee engagement and brainstorm new engagement initiatives.

Equip your on-site and remote employees with the right tech to improve employee experience. Keep these tools accessible and user-friendly, with artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and machine learning features.

Hybrid setups promote shared ownership and flexible decision-making. Consider assessing employee performance based on overall productivity and creativity instead of imposing strict quotas or deadlines.

The current work landscape means HR teams need to adjust how they hire and upskill employees. Some factors to consider are the nature of work and willingness of an employee to learn.

Consider upskilling current employees — after all, improving employee skills is just as vital as onboarding new talent. Use performance management tools like Performance+, fully integrated with a learning management system. It includes over 500 courses, including soft skills to compliance, that can help with upskilling.

Agile and flexible businesses are more likely to succeed in the hybrid future. As the landscape continues to change, you’ll need to be flexible and scalable.

Hybrid work has become more common since the pandemic. Discourse related to productivity, isolation, and burnout tells us that hybrid is the future of work. Stay prepared for the digital future of work with a robust HR strategy.

Enable digital transformation at your large enterprise and use the Sprout Ecosystem. Our holistic, all-in-one platform covers management, engagement, HR analytics, and more. Get started and fill out our sign-up form or check out our blog for more related reading.