Will hybrid working last?

With the pandemic having opened us up to new styles of working, employees are increasingly asking their employers to consider adopting more flexible working policies - but as we reach the other side of the covid-tunnel, how long can we expect the hybrid model to last? Is this really the future of work? Well, we certainly think so (and the evidence already points in that direction).

When it comes to working styles, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. In a recent survey by Forbes that aimed to answer the question, ‘what motivates you at work?’, five key drivers were discovered; affiliation, achievement, power, security, and adventure. Of course, those with higher levels of ‘affiliation’ much preferred the sociability aspect of being with their teams or colleagues physically - but this only accounted for 32% of respondents. Those who scored higher in ‘achievement’ (also about 30%), for example, just wanted to be immersed in a task with minimal face-to-face interaction.

So how can all these needs be catered for by one model?

The beauty of hybrid working is that it doesn’t have to be a one-size-fits-all approach - at its very core, it’s all about choosing what works for you. This could look like working from a centralised office three days a week, then remotely for two; or it could mean there is no head office, with employees instead working from de-centralised ‘spokes’ (like the 400+ flexible desk spaces in the UK and internationally you can book through Narau). No matter what drives you, hybrid working can be your perfect fit.

Plenty of big hitters have already made the switch - some notable names include Apple, Amazon, Uber, Microsoft, Twitter, KPMG, and Spotify. But as we know, the hybrid model can vary massively from company to company.

For example, while at Apple employees will be required to be in the office three days a week (despite some very public protests), Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey, has said that staff can continue to work remotely “forever” if they wish to. However, the role that ‘third workplaces’ will play in these company’s policies is yet to be seen.

But plenty of our clients are already loving the freedom of having the additional option of working-near-home. One such user is Lola Randles from Influencer Marketing agency, Fanbytes; “I share a house with two other people and working from home during the pandemic was challenging at times due to space and lack of privacy for confidential meetings,” she told us. “So Fanbytes told me about Narau, and I used it to find workspaces where I could meet up with my new workmates… I feel much more aligned with the company now!”

You can read more about her experience with us here.

We know we’re pretty biased, but we have reason to be! The evidence all points in the direction of hybrid working (in whatever form it might take) being the future of work.

But if you need more convincing, why not check out some of our previous articles? Like this one, all about how the hybrid model could help us avert a climate crisis, or this one, about how flexible work policies can help you attract global talent.

As always, Narau is here to make hybrid working as simple as possible. You can download our app via the App Store or Google Play and try it out for yourself (or your staff) today. No sneaky subscriptions. No overheads. Just pay-as-you-go.