How to Maximise the Hybrid Working Opportunity

The world of work is evolving, and the concept of the office has undergone a profound transformation. The rise of hybrid working stands as a defining feature of the modern workplace. It’s a concept that combines the best of both worlds, allowing employees to blend the convenience of remote work with the collaboration and camaraderie of office life.

Hybrid working can look very different from one person to the next. For some it involves a mixture of remote working from home, whilst also being based in an office part time. That office environment may also differ for some, depending on whether your business has permanent offices, serviced offices or co-working space for you to use.

Regardless of your ratio, if you’re hybrid working, and you find yourself working in different spaces, it might be that you haven’t fully discovered the best way to make each of these potentially very different environments really work for you. Perhaps you haven’t considered it too much before.

Seizing the full potential of hybrid working requires more than just a flexible schedule and encompasses a strategic approach and a commitment to adaptability – recognising where things from home might not always quite work in the same way as they do at the office.

But there are many ways to harness the benefits of hybrid working while addressing the challenges that may arise. From fostering teamwork and maintaining work-life balance to leveraging technology and optimising productivity, embracing a blend of the old and the new can do wonders for motivation and productivity.

Let’s discover how to make the most of hybrid working:

Planning Workloads: The Right Task, for The Right Place

Not all tasks are created equal, and not all environments are equally conducive to them. It’s essential to align your tasks with the most suitable workspaces.

It’s safe to say that your office space will be better for certain tasks, over others. It can be helpful to plan your week and tasks ahead to suit your environment. For instance, if you have a complex report to draft or any task demanding intense concentration, your home office might be the ideal setting to immerse yourself in creativity. On the flip side, planning sessions, HR-related discussions, or collaborative team efforts often find their most fertile ground in the office.

Strategically scheduling your tasks in alignment with your work environment ensures that you make the most of both worlds.

Mitigating Tech Issues

Hybrid working relies heavily on technology, and sometimes, it can be a double-edged sword. The transition from the office to your home office may bring unexpected tech challenges, from Wi-Fi disruptions to power outages. To navigate these hurdles successfully, co-working spaces can offer a viable solution by offering reliable infrastructure, creating a smoother transition from one workspace to another.

Additionally, collaborating with your IT department to ensure seamless access to all necessary tools and resources from both your home and office environments is a proactive step towards overcoming tech-related obstacles.

Where possible, it can be helpful to ensure your IT department assists you with ensuring you have access to everything you have in the office, at home too. This demonstrates a proactive step towards overcoming tech-related obstacles.

Setting Boundaries

Working from home can sometimes blur the lines between personal life and professional commitments. Sometimes it can be challenging to set the boundaries you need to ensure work doesn’t creep into your downtime.

Working from home can go one of two ways for people: Some may find the home environment distracting. At home, distractions can come in various forms – from unexpected deliveries and unplanned visits, Wi-Fi interruptions, to competing for workspace with a partner who also works remotely, or family members may have expectations for you to handle domestic chores during your “breaks.”

The key to success is setting clear boundaries. From strict working hours to creating a dedicated workspace, implementing a routine is effective in reinforcing boundaries. Be firm with yourself (and others) about your working from home days.

Self-Care

Working from home can sometimes leave you craving some real, human interaction. You might not even notice it until you’re back in the office, but face-to-face connections are essential for healthy working life.

Sometimes working from home can feel a little isolating– especially for the extraverts among us. Often, we don’t even realise it, but we haven’t seen a real-life work human in days. It’s usually when you next head into the office or go to an in-person meeting that you realise an uplift in mood and energy. Having in-person connections with others is so important, and a co-working space could offer a middle ground between office and home for those who enjoy a hybrid way of working.

When you are working from home, find other ways to make those connections such as going to the gym after work, meeting a friend for lunch, going for a meeting over coffee. Never underestimate the importance of in-person contact. Even if you don’t think you’re missing it.

Motivation

Moving from home working to co-working or working from a serviced office can feel a little back and forth for some. Others really appreciate the freedom and flexibility and enjoy having two or more working environments. It keeps things fresh. However, if you find that moving in between these environments means there’s a drop in motivation when you’re on your ‘working from home days’ (or vice versa) then it can be helpful to put into place different ways to motivate yourself on the days where you notice your energy dip.

Dressing for work on ‘working from home’ days helps. Organise your day just as you would an in-office day. Give yourself breaks. Manage your workload so that you complete the right tasks for your working at home days. You might like to also try putting in place little rewards such as a night out with a loved one, cinema with a friend after work or a nice meal to prepare at the end of the day.

Navigating the Hybrid Work Terrain with Co-Working Spaces

It is clear to see that the importance of balance and planning cannot be overstated when it comes to hybrid working. From navigating the challenges of planning workloads, tech hiccups, setting boundaries, staying connected, and maintaining motivation in a world where the lines between home and office blur, it is in being adaptable that hybrid working can really shine.

Enter co-working spaces as the ultimate hybrid solution. Co-working spaces have become the unsung heroes of the hybrid work revolution. These spaces offer more than just a desk and a chair; they’re an ally in maintaining equilibrium for hybrid workers offering an out-of-office experience with all the facilities of an office, but with some of the comforts of home.

From tech reliability to providing dedicated work environments, co-working spaces stand as a robust solution to the hurdles of remote and hybrid work. They reinforce boundaries, promote productivity, and offer the social connections that are sometimes lacking when working from home.

Embrace The Balance

In the world of hybrid work, finding that perfect balance is an ongoing mission. With strategic planning, technology support, clear boundaries, self-care, and a dash of motivation, you’re well on your way to navigating the hybrid work terrain.

On the hunt for a new hybrid working space? Contact our expert team for a guided tour of Hartham Park.