Moving toward a hybrid work environment

Remote work is a model that is increasingly common thanks to having the necessary tools and connections to carry it out efficiently.

The pandemic accelerated this process, where teleworking became a necessity overnight, causing many companies to be forced to use a hybrid work model.

The great advantages of this work environment, where some workers are in person and others work remotely, make more and more companies bet on this model.

What is a hybrid work environment?

A hybrid work environment refers to the model in which a company’s workers are divided between face-to-face work and remote work from home. In this type of environment, some workers of the company are in the offices or facilities of the business, while others remain doing their work from home using different tools (computers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones …).

Hybrid work is in the middle of traditional face-to-face work, and the online model where no worker is in the same physical location when performing their usual tasks. The current trend is that most companies adopt this hybrid or mixed model, as it provides them with many more benefits.

What are the advantages of working in hybrid environments?

Let’s see what are the advantages of implementing work in hybrid environments for a company.

Cost savings

In hybrid environments, companies save costs in a variety of ways.

• Less need for space in offices or premises (savings in the cost of rent, for example).
• Less investment in hardware (it will not be necessary to have a large amount of equipment or a complex infrastructure in the company).
• Savings in other derived expenses such as transportation, employee parking…

Staff motivation

The motivation of workers in this type of environment is much greater because they can reconcile their personal life with work. The involvement of employees with the company in hybrid environments is superior, something that is reflected in an increase in their performance and productivity.

Greater enterprise flexibility

Signing in an office of 8 to 3 has become an obsolete model that encapsulates the company or gives it a degree of rigidity that does not adapt to the needs of today’s market.

Hybrid environments allow for schedule flexibility that helps the company find solutions and deliver services when needed, without having to be subject to strict business or work hours.

Attracting talent for the company

A very interesting benefit of this type of work environment is that it will attract the attention of qualified workers who seek that flexibility that allows them to have greater control of their time.

Young talent, more accustomed to new technologies and the digital world, is more attracted to this type of environment than to traditional face-to-face work. It is a great opportunity to attract young talents to the company allows a leap in quality and be more competitive in the market.

What are the associated risks of working in a hybrid environment?

Although there are many advantages offered by hybrid environments, both to companies and their workers, this model is also exposed to a series of risks. Knowing the drawbacks of a hybrid work environment will facilitate decision-making to prevent them from occurring.

Security risks

Security is one of the critical points of this work model because remote workers access the company’s information and systems through the internet. In this type of environment, it is important to implement the appropriate cybersecurity measures and policies to protect the company’s systems and information, such as:

• Access via VPN for teleworkers to securely access the company’s work platforms.
• Protection against the main attack risks (phishing, ransomware, DDoS…).
• Staff training on cybersecurity.
• Prevent unauthorized devices from accessing company systems.
• 24/7 monitoring and support.

Legal risks

One of the most controversial points in relation to hybrid environments is in labor legislation. In this type of work, it is necessary to implement the necessary tools for the control of the working day and thus comply with current regulations.

Signing a mixed employment contract with workers is the best alternative to avoid possible problems related to compliance with schedules established by law.

Identity risks

Hybrid environments can generate a degree of “disconnect” among workers with the philosophy of the company, and even among themselves. For this reason, it is very important to establish a good system of rotations between face-to-face and remote work, promote collaborative work tools, adequately lead work teams and have the appropriate platforms and devices that allow teleworking to coexist with face-to-face work.

Creating an efficient work environment, which combines face-to-face and remote work, is a challenge that companies face when maintaining their business model and philosophy.

Hybrid work environments are an ideal solution for companies to better adapt to current market needs. Saving costs, improving employee productivity, or providing greater flexibility and responsiveness to the company are some of the main benefits obtained with this work model.

Despite all their advantages, hybrid environments pose a challenge for any company because to be efficient it is necessary to face numerous risks, such as security threats, the loss of the corporate identity of workers, or possible breaches of current labor regulations.