Trends: COVID-19 Gives Impetus to Hybrid Working

One of the impacts from the global COVID-19 pandemic is the rise of hybrid working, the new normal for businesses and organisations around the world.

* The slides in this article are extracted from Poly’s new report on how hybrid working will be the new collaborative imperative.

What to expect in the new normal of hybrid working.

What to expect in the new normal of hybrid working. Click on image to enlarge.

Working from home had always languished as the catch phrase for businesses aspiring to provide employees with a better work-life balance whilst maintaining a high level of performance.

Even though the requisite technology has been around and available for years now, the main stumbling block to greater adoption of working from home has been predominantly a cultural issue.

Four technology trends enabling hybrid working. Click on image to enlarge.

Four technology trends enabling hybrid working. Click on image to enlarge.

Companies are concerned that employees may not work as hard when left to their own devices at home, while employees worry that it is more difficult to get things done if they’re not physically working at the office.

Detractors cite the lack of physical contact and spontaneity and the shortfalls of business communications tools as stumbling blocks.

COVID-19 has forced governments and businesses to rush out work-from-home arrangements at short notice, because of the need for social distancing to reduce spread of the disease.

Three steps to creating hybrid working practices. Click on image to enlarge.

Three steps to creating hybrid working practices. Click on image to enlarge.

As a result, companies and employees have been thrown into the deep end at short notice, only to discover that working from home is not such an impossibility after all.

After COVID-19 subsides, businesses will begin letting employees back to the office.

It is unlikely that all will be keen to return, just as it is unlikely that all will want to continue working from home.

The result will be hybrid working.

Three ways that hybrid workspaces will evolve. Click on image to enlarge.

Three ways that hybrid workspaces will evolve. Click on image to enlarge.

A greater proportion of employees will choose to work from home, compared to before.

What is more important is that, regardless of whether the primary “base” of an employee is at home or in the office, the individual employee will now have a greater flexibility of choosing when he/she wants to work at home or in the office – as the situation and occasions demands.

Poly has just published a new report on how hybrid working will be the new collaborative imperative.

Poly’s chief strategy officer, Darrius Jones, shared the company’s vision on creating the “next normal” in work practices, spaces and culture.

Poly solutions that help businesses navigate the “next normal”. Click on image to enlarge.

Poly solutions that help businesses navigate the “next normal”. Click on image to enlarge.

Formed in 2019 through the merger of Polycom and Plantronics, the new company combines the audio expertise of Plantronics with the video and screen sharing capabilities of Polycom to produce hybrid working solutions that take the friction out of collaboration – independent of physical location.

I was treated to a showcase of Poly’s latest solutions and things look optimistic for businesses and organisations looking to embrace hybrid working.

I’ll feature some of the solutions in the days to come. Stay tuned.

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6 Responses to “Trends: COVID-19 Gives Impetus to Hybrid Working”

  1. Pat Williamson says:

    COVID-19 has forced companies to forego their reservations and “liberate” their employees to work from home. One of the few positive effects of the pandemic.

    • tech4tea says:

      A bit of a pandora’s box. Once work-from-home has been shown to be feasible and once employees taste the benefits/convenience of working from home, it’ll be difficult for companies to “tighten” and force employees to return to the office.

  2. Lee How says:

    I’ve been working from home since the start of COVID. It’s so much better than working in the office. I DON’T WANT to work from office even after COVID!

    • tech4tea says:

      I’m sure you’re not alone. Don’t need to waste time, energy and money for that daily commute to and from work. That alone is impetus enough for many employees to love working from home!

      • Lee how says:

        The stress from the peak hour congestion (on the roads and on public transport) alone – twice a day! I can save almost three hours EVERY day.

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