You no doubt know about hybrid-working, the model allowing employees to split their time between remote work and the office. Insider reported that more than 60% of businesses are planning to adopt it post-pandemic to enable staff to continue experiencing the benefits of working from home. “The flexibility of remote working has improved work-life balance for employees and cut down commuting expenses — in many cases it has also boosted inclusivity and hiring from different parts of the country,” says Joe Fitzsimons, IoD senior policy advisor to Insider.

That said, working from home has come with its challenges, particularly around  communication, collaboration and working hours, and for many businesses managing a team virtually hasn’t been easy. But considering it’s set to stay (even just for a few days a week),  management teams need to be equipped to deal with employees working in the office and at home simultaneously. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, so businesses must assess individual circumstances and identify best practices. Here we look at some of the ways managers can be prepared for hybrid-working.

1.    Take part in management training

It’s essential that managers are taught the correct tools, techniques and strategies to manage the hybrid-work challenges and ensure business success. For example, remote staff may experience isolation, technology difficulties and productivity issues. Managers also need to have a strong awareness of the psychological barriers employees might face, such as social isolation, mental health issues and an inability to switch off outside of working hours.

A new approach to leadership is necessary if all team members are to work to the best of their ability, regardless of location. It’s not as simple as it once was, but with some training, managers will be able to navigate the hybrid-working world. Take MTD Training’s management courses, for instance, which provide comprehensive content covering all the essentials. Accredited with the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) and CPD (Continuing Professional Development) certified, some of these classes can even be attended virtually, meaning you can train your staff wherever they are.

2.    Agree upon a hybrid-work model policy

There’s no right or wrong way to implement hybrid-working. What works for one company might not for the other. However, it’s essential for senior management to agree upon a policy that suits their business best. This should cover things like how hybrid-work is to be scheduled, the number of staff who can safely work in the office at one time, equipment accessibility, and cybersecurity measures.

Your first step is to assess your business needs. Is it possible for all roles to work remotely for some of the time? For construction workers and medical professionals, for instance, this isn’t doable in most cases. If your office is small, you might need to implement a rota system to ensure the building doesn’t reach full capacity. Then, lay down the ground rules. Is there a certain number of days everyone should be in the office or is it entirely flexible? Are there set days? Is anyone exempt? For example, those with health conditions might not feel comfortable being in the office too often. Clear boundaries need to be set to ensure everyone is on the same page. Other things to consider are communication, meetings, and collaboration. It’s a good idea to send a questionnaire to all staff that covers key components of hybrid-work, as you can use their input to finalise your policy.

3.    Refine your lines of communication

Good communication is the key to business success. For the hybrid-work model to be effective, managers must therefore be clear in refining lines of communication to increase productivity, finish projects on time, and ensure employees collaborate successfully. However, this can be hard to achieve in this model. For example, teams might be impacted by fewer opportunities to collaborate, weak internet connection or a lack of support. The new working landscape must foster alternative ways of communicating in order to survive, such as positive feedback, transparency and a learning mindset.

It’s also important for businesses to implement the right remote working tools, such as Slack, Hypercontext and Troop Messenger so that staff can keep in contact wherever they are. Such apps allow employees to discuss ideas, concepts and problems at work, and help everyone stay on the same page. For this to function though, managers should provide equipment to ensure the physical aspect of communication runs smoothly. High-quality microphones and headphones are essential, as is ironing out internet issues.

4.    Help staff find the perfect balance

Some employees will want to be back in the office more than others, so it’s vital that managers check in with everyone individually to learn their references. PwC research suggests that 68% of executives believe that staff must work in the office at least three days a week to retain company culture, but over 55% of employees prefer remote work for three days —suggesting there needs to be a balance between the two. If you’re wondering what this looks like for your business, getting your staff’s input is a great place to start. It might be that some are apprehensive about returning due to safety, childcare responsibilities or other health conditions.

By having one-to-ones with every employee, you can identify what their ideal working week looks like and support them. Not only do managers need to consider what is best for everyone’s lifestyles, but also for productivity levels. Every staff member is different. Some may prefer to work from home in silence, free from distractions to concentrate, while others thrive in the office atmosphere. This is naturally going to influence how many days people want to come into the office.

Announcement: All over the world, the idea of a collaborative workspace is becoming more and more widespread. Why are coworking spaces are so attractive both for freelancers and startuppers?

A coworking space is an equipped workplace for a group of people to work together. These can be regular offices and conference rooms, as well as large public areas where people can work and communicate with each other. People pay according to the lease terms for their workplace, or space, depending on how they use it. In some cases, people can use the common area free of charge.

In the coworking space, you can often see web developers and other people involved in the IT industry. As well as people from other industries who decided to work outside the office – now the list of coworking residents has expanded significantly.

These include consulting companies, banking, and insurance institutions, the media. Many large firms move customer service departments, innovation departments, and project development staff to the coworking spaces. There are several explanations for the demand and growing popularity of coworking.

Cost and flexible lease terms

The first and main advantage of the coworking surface is its rental price. Prices for the regular offices are very different – it depends on the city, location, the building in which the premises are located, as well as the repair and furniture.

The money for which you can rent, for example, excellent coworking spaces in Dubai, you will not be able to take on lease good regular offices, not only in the center but also in remoted districts. In addition, when using a regular office, you should take into account the costs for cleaning, Internet, and renting additional spaces for utility rooms (wardrobe, bathroom, kitchen area, coffee zone). When calculated all the additional spendings on organizing a comfortable office, the average cost of one employee accommodating in a coworking space is several times lower, whilst the equipment is better.

The flexible rent terms of a workplace are also very attractive: it can be rented for an hour, a day, a week, a month, a year. With a long-term lease, the cost decreases, and one can secure his own place.

Higher productivity, lower distraction

Sometimes it’s not possible for an employee to work remotely from home, and the way to the company office requires a lot of time and money. The coworking spaces have workplaces equipped with computers and Internet, conference rooms, and lounge areas. And the atmosphere itself is conducive to productive work, it disciplines the employee, doesn’t distract him with household chores. The employee concentrates only on work, all household and other issues do not concern him.

Since everyone in the coworking space is busy with their own business, such an efficient activity stimulates you to work. It’s not appropriate to watch various videos or listen to music in the place people came to work hard. When you work in a separate office or at home, this allows you to do anything, including not working at all.

Active networking

It is a great opportunity for startuppers to find themselves among like-minded people and expand their network of acquaintances. You can find business partners, colleagues, and even investors among the coworking residents.

You can communicate with specialists in your field, exchange experience, improve your qualifications and get advice from more experienced professionals. For free. Such communication always takes place at a high ethical, professional level, but at the same time, it is not necessary to enter any kind of business relationship with colleagues and cooperate with them every day.

Professional environment with good design

Almost all centers have conference rooms, which are usually tastefully decorated and contain everything you need for presentations, negotiations, and similar meetings. This is another advantage of the coworking space. There you will always find TV, projector, internet, whiteboard or flipchart, tea, and coffee.

As a rule, many coworking spaces are designed in a modern and functional style that is pleasant to be in and even more so to work in. The nice design of the room and a variety of furniture will dispose and inspire you to new goals and ideas.

Necessary socialization

Most of the coworking space residents are freelancers. The downside of a freelance lifestyle is the lack of a team and communication, and such isolation can cause permanent stress in some workers’ lives. Coworking perfectly solves the issue of freelancers and remote workers socializing. While in a coworking space, it is simply impossible not to communicate with others working in this space. In addition, you can test your idea here and receive feedback or an unexpected solution.

Useful events

Within coworking space, where appropriate premises are provided, the following events can take place:

• Conferences and lectures are performed according to their structure – performances, communication, breaks, and coffee breaks.
• Business training and a variety of educational activities are held not only for those who are currently present in the hall but also for those who are hundreds of kilometers away, thanks to the World Wide Web.
• Service or product presentation, where many startuppers who have ideas, and a desire to implement and develop them, can meet their future partners.
• All kinds of masterclasses, where the lecturer can share the necessary and useful information with the audience.

Such a modern world phenomenon as coworking is suitable for freelancers and owners of small startups. If an informal atmosphere, expanding the network of acquaintances, and the opportunity to work at any convenient time are important to you, coworking is the best option.

If you’re feeling stagnant in your business, startup, app, blog, or whatever else you’re working on, time in the coworking space might be exactly what you need to get things going smoothly again.