CB, MCO, RMCO, CMCO are more than just acronyms for people living in Southeast Asia who have endured on-again, off-again restrictions since the pandemic struck. Although many employees continue to enjoy the benefits of remote work, they’ve also experienced disruptions at home, a lack of face time with their colleagues, and for some, it is even diminished work-life balance.

In fact, a Stanford economist warns that an extended period of working from home will not only impede productivity but can lead to mental health issues. 

The unfortunate reality is that until COVID-19 enters some type of endemic stage, business leaders will continuously need to adjust their working arrangements to meet evolving restrictions—but as more people get vaccinated, companies are looking ahead at what comes next.

And, for many, that means embracing a hybrid model where employees have the ability to work in different spaces, including offices, coworking spaces, and from home.

Any first step towards hybrid entails putting employees’ needs first.

Address employee needs

Despite the emergence of a hybrid model, most organisations are still trying to identify and articulate what that means, as well as how it translates into something more permanent once the pandemic wanes.

One survey done by EY in Southeast Asia found that only 15 per cent of employees surveyed would prefer to work from home full-time.

The majority want to work anywhere (32 per cent), work remotely full time (29 per cent), or in a hybrid work arrangement, i.e. a mix of in-office and remote working (23 per cent).

Because there isn’t a one-size-fits-all hybrid work model, many companies are carrying out their own employee surveys to understand what their employees want. A regular feedback loop allows companies to understand what works and how they can improve.

Also Read: Why the future of work at Adobe is hybrid and how we are building it

WeWork’s own ‘Back to the office survey’ demonstrates how people’s answers change over time, and the need to refine strategies to meet employee expectations is crucial.

Adopt the hybrid model that is right for your business needs

When it comes to hybrid working, there’s no cookie-cutter approach to getting it right. It is up to businesses to implement a model that works best for their business and employees. Some companies are finding success in offering limited remote options with a traditional office space serving as headquarters, while others are adopting limited remote options and multiple satellite offices away from the HQ.

And one emerging cohort has gone primarily remote with flexible workspace options. 

Choosing the hybrid model that is right for your business enables employees to bring their A-game to work while being happy and fulfilled. We have seen global tech companies such as Slack and Dropbox offer employees more flexibility by embracing the benefits of an optional workspace through WeWork all-access membership.

Doing this has empowered employees to live and work wherever it is best for them while enjoying the perks of physical work and collaboration spaces. Meanwhile, the startup community in SEA also leverages shared workspaces and initiatives such as WeWork Growth Campus to help them scale their businesses with an agile approach. 

Create a safe workspace for your employees

One of the most important factors for success in bringing people back to the workplace is instilling confidence in employees. A safe working environment gives employees peace of mind to work and be productive even at a physical office.

To achieve that, companies will need to take proactive steps to ensure that they are able to provide a safe and conducive work environment.

 A global WeWork study shows that an unsafe environment produced a nine per cent drop in individual productivity. While complying with the safety restrictions of COVID-19 in the office can be difficult, employees expressed that it has an overall positive effect knowing that their companies are doing the right thing to ensure that they are protected.

For example, PayPay, a Japanese cashless payment service, leverages WeWork’s expertise to ensure employee safety and well-being with a design layout that facilitates social distancing.

To prevent overcrowding, the company now deploys Beacon technology to send out alerts when maximum capacity is reached in specific areas.

Also Read: How the rise of the hybrid workforce is reshaping the office space

As we emerge from an unprecedented year of change, it’s clear that work as we know it has been forever transformed.  While remote working has been largely successful to keep business going, there are nuanced benefits offered by physical offices that simply cannot be replicated in the home environment.

Companies will now need to pave the way and offer the right spaces, tools, and resources to help employees make the transition possible.

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