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The Future of Work: Hybrid, WFH or in Office, Which is Better?

With the latest news of Amazon asking its employees to return to the office five times a week, a wave of companies have also come forward, like WIPRO and Dell Technologies, and more, who are tightening their work-from-home policy. A wave of studies has been initiated to understand which model is best for employees. There is no correct answer since companies have work models that fit their profiles. 

With COVID-19 changing the world's scenario and how companies used to operate, transitioning from an office model to working from home was certainly a different ball game. It was initially a hurdle to jump, but everyone got used to it. Cut to 2024, where the coronavirus is becoming a memory of the distant past, many companies are resorting to their pre-covid work models. Here is an in-depth look at the pros and cons of the various working models.

 

Employees in Office: A Collaborative Space

The concept of an office has evolved, especially in recent years when the start-up culture took off. Earlier, in traditional offices where strictness was the norm, only work wear was allowed, and no holistic engagement outside work was the system, it has now become a thing of the past. The younger generation, who seek a fruitful balance between work, fun, and life, have redefined the meaning of an office. Now, more laid-back and employee-friendly policies are at play, where the team's well-being is given quantitative weightage. With many offices adopting the same, the narrative changes that offices are a dull and dreary place to spend 8 hours for 5 days every week. 

 

Pros

  • The biggest advantage of an office space is the increase in work productivity. Since the space is built to produce maximum focus, it helps eliminate all the distractions of outside forces. 
  • A more collaborative effort as communication can flow more swiftly and efficiently since all the team members are present under one roof. 
  • Work can be done more systematically with brainstorming sessions in one place. 
  • Offices also have people from all walks of life and different departments, which one cannot meet and interact with when working from home. This opens new avenues and improves one's worldview.

 

Cons

  • Commuting is a major issue for many people if they come from faraway places. Employees can take up to 2-4 hours daily to travel to their workplace, which could be utilized more efficiently. 
  • There is less flexibility in offices, and there can be many distractions, such as office gossip, politics, and difficult teammates. 
  • Maintaining a work-life balance can be challenging because working in an office and commuting takes so much time. 

 

Work from Home: The Future or the Past?

One of COVID's gifts to the world was work from home or remote work, allowing employees to work in the comfort of their homes. Though initially, this posed a challenge, eventually, with trial and error, a lot was perfected with the upgradation of policies. A recent study by Forbes found that employees working from home were around 20% happier than those working in an office. Another study found that people with the flexibility of working remotely had 24% higher happiness and productivity levels. 

 

Pros

  • WFH's biggest positive aspects are its flexibility, better time management, and work-life balance. It also allows for effective management of many personal responsibilities.
  • Cost reduction is another aspect that companies feel is beneficial for WFH. For example, the company can save on office rent, electricity, water bills, etc. 
  • The commute time, which otherwise could be a lot, can be used for more fruitful activities and stress reduction.
  • Access to a broader talent pool as geographical constraints is not an issue. 

 

Cons

  • Loneliness is one of the biggest risks in WFH, as people who live alone can spend their entire day without physically meeting anyone or stepping outside, which can have a negative mental impact. 
  • Often, employees feel that since it's WFH, they are always available, making it difficult to set boundaries. 
  • Limited communication can also hamper the overall personality development of the employees.

 

 

Hybrid Model: One of the Most Beloved Modes of Work

In a hybrid model, the employees are asked to come to the physical office 2-3 times a week. Fridays are usually given WFH for more ease and a greater sense of freedom, which has also become a norm in many European organizations. While many companies are transitioning towards this, it is still an ongoing process since it combines the best of both worlds: WFH and office workspace. 

 

Pros

  • The option of coming to the office only a few days a week reduces the stress of the commute and enables a greater sense of fulfillment among employees. 
  • In the office, employees can collaborate and seek creativity with their teammates while working on a given task from the comfort of their homes. 
  • This model can help achieve increased work-life balance, as work days can be adjusted according to one's energy level.

 

Cons

  • Sometimes, employees don't come on the designated office days and work according to their whims, which hampers the company's productivity. 
  • Communication among colleagues can get challenging, leading to lower levels of creativity and team collaboration. 
  • Not all organizations can opt for the hybrid model, as physically being present in the workplace is imperative. 

 

Conclusion

These three work models work perfectly fine for organizations with different profiles and can be tweaked according to the overall well-being of the employees. WFH is quite suitable and cost-effective for some organizations that use digitalized work. While healthcare, manufacturing, and other such practices require physical presence, coming to the office is ideal. For the best of both worlds, hybrid is the clear winner, and it thrives on the positives of WFH and in-office.