Remote vs. In Person vs. Hybrid Workplace Model

‍What is Onsite Work?

The on-site work model involves employees coming into the office five times a week and working the regular 9-5 hours. Naturally by having employees working onsite, a stronger team bond develops, creating an inclusive workplace culture that employees are excited to be a part of each day. This model is ideal for fostering an environment that values collaboration between colleagues working to achieve common goals and tasks. On-site is often the preferred model between companies handling confidential information where factors such as client security can be controlled.

Pros

• Natural environment for teamwork and collaboration

• Allows for easier monitoring and management of employees' work
• Instantaneous feedback and communication between experts outside of designated team
• Confidential information is handled securely on-site  

Cons

• Maintaining a furnished and safe location for employees can be costly  

• Shifts from a collaborative to distracting environment when having to complete individual work
• Time and money spent commuting to work

Suggestions

• Consider implementing designated areas where employees can work without distractions  
• Burnout is common between employees working onsite, make sure to provide flexible breaks

• Confirming you have the most cost-effective office space size for your team

‍‍

What is a Full Remote Work Model?

A remote work model involves employees working completely off-site and having the flexibility of where and when they work. This model has become highly popular since the pandemic and many companies are continuing to stick to it since seeing the promising effects of employees' outputs. In a recent study conducted by Slack, remote employees were seen to be more satisfied with the amount of work they accomplished (61% of remote workers vs. 53% of in office-based employees)¹. Remote models do come with challenges when first implementing but can be seen to have positive and worthwhile effects on productivity.²

‍

Pros

• Better work life balance, giving employees more time with family, leading to higher job satisfaction
• Reduced business and infrastructure costs
• Ability to recruit international talent  
• Extra time to cook meals and exercise making it easier to maintain a healthier lifestyle

Cons

• No consistent form of communication, must wait for replies on instant messaging tools
• Difficult to stay motivated with no active supervision
• Management must take extra measures to continue company’ culture ensuring employees feel connected

Suggestions

• Create virtual team building activities to aid in sense of belonging  
• Implement company-wide communication and event scheduling software³
• Create an at-home schedule with frequent breaks to help with motivation

 ‍

What is Hybrid Remote?

Hybrid Remote is a flexible work arrangement in which employees' workdays are split between days in the office and working from home. Since the big shift from full time on-site work to remote due to the pandemic, data has shown a steady increase in the number of employees favoring a flexible working schedule. In a study conducted by Bloomberg, 40% of employees⁴ would consider quitting if their employers were not offering a flexible work model when returning to work. This has been highly significant between younger employees and independent jobs.

‍

‍

Hybrid work policies vary from company to company based on the nature of the work and under which employees are most productive. The four most common models' companies are implementing now are hybrid at-will, hybrid split week, week-by-week model, and designated teamwork model.

‍

Hybrid Work Policy Types

Hybrid at-will: Employees are given the option to choose which days to work remotely and which days on-site.

Hybrid split week: Employees are assigned specific days to work in the office and remote by management.

Week-by-week Model: Management assigns works weeks where specific employees' teams need to be present on-site. They then spend the next weeks remotely.

Designated Teams Work Model: Specific teams are assigned to work on-site or remotely based on the nature of the work.

Pros

• Flexibility is given to employees regarding where to work, providing convenient spaces for collaboration.  
• Lower overhead costs by dispersing the number of people on-site over the course of a week
• Employees are free to go where they feel most creative and to brainstorm in their own unique way which tends to produce better ideas  
• Instills trust in employees

Cons

• Hard to know who is on-site and when if clear communication/scheduling tools are not set up
• It can be stressful for employees that like a fixed schedule due to the unpredictable nature of the work model
• Feeling of being left out of events or conversations that on-site employees get to participate in

Suggestions

• Set up straightforward management software⁵ which employees will use to help with keeping them connected, productive, and focused on their job.

• Create a clear scheduling system⁶ for employees to easily be able to see who is on-site to avoid miscommunication

‍

What Work Model Should Your Company Implement?

Workplace leaders should work closely with their employees to determine which work model is best for their company. It could be a matter of surveying employees and testing out the preferred model with a small number of teams. Once the model runs smoothly, implementing the system throughout the whole company.  

‍

‍

Between on-site and remote, the employees’ needs that are being addressed vary quite a lot. If your company is based on highly collaborative work, deals with confidential information, and works to achieve common tasks then going back to on-site work is the best option. On the other hand, companies who have many independent jobs and smaller budgets might find remote to be a better fit.

If your company falls in between the two models, consider implementing a hybrid work model to address the needs of all your employees. As discussed, making this model work in your business requires finding the right software for your company that can address your industry’s specific challenges. For example, Litespace is an all-in-one platform that offers scheduling and booking to help empower teams to collaborate. We offer desk and room reservations, visitor management, health surveys, and many other key features. Implementing management software is key to keeping employees connected, organized, and focused on the right things.

‍