Hybrid work is on the rise! According to the Accenture Future of Work Study of more than 9,000 workers around the world, most people (83%) want a hybrid work model. This is likely because a hybrid work model often enables people to have a better work-life balance.
When the global pandemic hit, many businesses moved to a hybrid work schedule to give their employees more freedom and flexibility and protect their health and well-being.
The trend toward hybrid work may have been considered a stopgap measure originally, but many businesses found they were able to reduce overhead costs by not using offices and were surprised by how much more productive their remote workforce was. In fact, 50% of US workers would take a pay cut to work remotely.
One survey found that 40% of people believe they can be productive and healthy from anywhere—whether fully remote, onsite, or a combination of the two.
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What is a hybrid work schedule?
A hybrid work schedule is a combination of two or more different work schedules. It can be a mix of full-time, part-time, and flextime hours, or it can be a combination of in-office and remote work. A hybrid work schedule can be a good way to get the best of both worlds—the flexibility of part-time hours with the stability of full-time work.
Before you get started
If you’re ready to build a hybrid work schedule, the first thing you need to do is talk to your team and evaluate their needs. You need to know:
- How many people want to work part-time
- How many want to work remotely
- How many want to continue working the same hours in a traditional office setting
- Which projects can be moved to remote work and which ones need to be done in the office
Once you have this data, you can start creating a hybrid work schedule that will work for your business and your employees. Evaluate how to build a rotation so everyone on the team feels included. You may find that you need to adjust the schedule a few times before it’s perfect, but with the right planning, a hybrid work schedule can be a great way to improve productivity and flexibility in the workplace.
How to set up a hybrid work schedule
Setting up a hybrid work schedule can be tricky, and accountability is key. Here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Define the parameters of your hybrid work schedule
What hours will employees be working? Are they allowed to work from home? What are the expectations for attendance in the office?
These are important questions you’ll want to answer for your employees so they understand your expectations. You can also help them outline ways in which they can be more successful working a hybrid schedule, like dividing up tasks by location or time of day.
Collaborative events like meetings, networking, and brainstorming may be best held in the office while individual work can be done at home.
2. Communicate the new schedule to employees
Make sure employees understand what you expect from them. They’ll be able to plan their days more effectively when they know where they’re supposed to be and when.
3. Set up accountability measures
Employees should be held accountable for their commitments, both in the office and from home. This may look different for every employee based on how they work best, and it may take time to find your groove.
Using tools that keep you connected is one of the most important things you can do as a team. This will ensure weekly meetings don’t fall through the cracks and that the collaborative culture you have built stays intact.
4. Start small
Jumping immediately into a hybrid work schedule may be too much for some employees. Start with a trial period to see how it goes. This will help you and your team evaluate how well the new schedule is working and make changes as needed.
5. Celebrate successes
A hybrid work schedule can be a great way for employees to balance their work and personal lives. Celebrate successes and encourage employees to find the right balance.
Set up ways in which your employees can get together for virtual happy hours, get to know each other better outside of work, and build a foundation of trust so they enjoy “coming” to work every day.
6. Connect, communicate, and collaborate
One of the most important things you need for a hybrid work schedule is effective communications tools. Increased communication can help prevent misunderstandings and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
By using phone, team messaging, and videoconferencing, you can keep employees connected and informed. This is especially important for remote workers who may not be able to attend face-to-face meetings.
RingCentral can help you with all your communication needs. With our cloud-based communications platform, you can easily stay connected with your team via phone, messaging, and videoconferencing—no matter where they are.
In addition, with RingCentral’s seven layers of enterprise-grade security and dynamic end-to-end encryption, you can rest assured that your data and communications are always protected.
Why not remove the communications hurdle from the equation when you’re building out your hybrid work schedule? RingCentral is standing by to help you transition from strictly on-premise solutions to a cloud-based communications solution that fully supports a hybrid work strategy. Request a demo today to see how it works.
Originally published Apr 22, 2022, updated Nov 03, 2023
