How to Get the Best Out of Hybrid Working Life
Whilst adaptability has been a must the past two years, the new hybrid working environment, rather than out of necessity, is now a planned choice for many employers.
Hybrid working models offer location and schedule flexibility. Arrangements are usually set by the employer and some models give full flexibility to the employees, whereas some are more rotation-based or office-centric.
Depending on how many days a week you are in the office, or at home, adjusting to hybrid work can be a little different for everyone. Here are our tips that could help make the most of hybrid work!
Think about when your team needs you
Teams can lose a little bit of cohesiveness when given autonomy over their office schedules. Figuring out the best days for everyone to be in the office together can be a hassle, especially for large teams.
Setting up your own fixed office schedule in advance over the next month will also help your teammates to plan ahead if they need to see you. You can also suggest having the whole team together in the office one day per week/bi-weekly to keep up social morale and face-to-face interaction.
If you have full control of your schedule, then you could pencil in important face-to-face meetings with both clients and internal staff on the days you plan to be in the office.
On the other hand, think about what’s been working for your family
At the same time, think about the way your work-from-home schedule has changed the way you interact with your family. Many working parents have adjusted to new routines that benefit the whole family and are able to be present for moments that they previously could not be there for.
Keeping a good work-life balance is important. While most will focus on the life aspect, it’s equally important to make sure your work performance is not affected negatively. Figure out what parts of your new routine are important to maintain and consider this when deciding on your days at home and in the office.
Learn what tasks are more suited for the office
Make a list of the tasks you prefer to do in the office. Some people feel more productive in the office whereas others can feel distracted but are more efficient when it comes to meeting and collaborating with people on certain projects.
Make the most of your productivity when you are in the office or at home. Knowing what works for you in the office will help with the next tip.
Prioritise and organise!
Once you’ve figured out where you prefer to do certain tasks, you’ll be able to plan your weeks accordingly.
You will also have to prioritise which tasks are most important, which could help you decide how many days you want to be in the office and how many days you’d prefer to be working from home. For example, if collaboration is a huge part of your job, you may need to be in the office more days than at home.
However, it is noted that not all hybrid working models have equal autonomy or flexibility. Your employer may have enforced a fixed schedule for everyone, but you can still set tasks (taking note of priority of tasks too) to be done on certain days when you are in the office.