Hybrid as the Future of Work: Imperatives to Reimagine the Workplace

Many of us can probably say we've adjusted to the workings of telecommuting, albeit gradually. After all, it has been almost two years since the COVID-19 pandemic came to the fore, nearly 24 months since the great exodus where we saw workers migrate from office spaces to the digital world.

We have seen the pandemic usher in a work-from-home revolution, but one that is not without its own flaws. How do we even continue to adapt to a rapidly changing workplace? As we observe other workplaces now switching to hybrid setups, we wonder if we would also see the same direction in our own.

Is hybrid the future of work? Dell Technologies, in an insight paper titled "Leading the Next Hybrid Workforce" published last November 2021, sought to investigate the elements needed to make this hybrid setup possible in workplaces by speaking to four experts, focusing primarily on the perspectives of employees in Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ).

Work from home does not just involve technical requirements, but also social and cultural factors to determine the overall health of a workplace. To sustain hybrid work, here are three imperatives outlined by Dell to keep in mind.

Imperative 1: Empathic and Compassionate Leadership

It is important now, more than ever, for leaders to lead with empathy and compassion. While companies can provide employees with the technology needed to work from home, companies must also ensure that "non-technical elements of hybrid work are considered – from culture and moral to productivity and wellbeing."

Apart from focusing on the output and not the input, Mallory Loone, co-founder of learning and engagement firm Work Inspires in Malaysia, recommended that organisations take after startups when it comes to showing care and empathy to employees.

"The start-up scene is setting a leading example of what empathetic leadership looks like. Although these small firms may not be generating the highest profits and revenues, we see many millennials gravitating towards these start-ups as they feel well taken care of as employees," Loone said.

Imperative 2: Flexible Structure

For a hybrid work model to work, a "one-size-fits-all" structure must be avoided. While some employees may prefer to work in an office setting, there will be those who would want to work at home. Companies must be able to consider the lifestyles of each employee to determine what would work best for them and give them a platform to share their own thoughts about the best hybrid setup for them.

"Companies can consider setting aside fixed days or hours of the week that are blocked for core meetings, team activities, and more, while keeping the rest of the time flexible for employees," Dr. Rashimah Rajah, lecturer at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School, recommended.

“If employers give their workers full flexibility, it will result in a disjointed workforce that will almost never meet or get the social interaction they crave. Organisations must therefore design a structure that is flexible, but not abused,” she added.

Imperative 3: Intentional and Meaningful Culture-Building Activities

Last is culture. Culture-building activities should no longer be relegated to the backseat, or something that is only optional. Culture, according to the insight paper, "is the soul and spirit of an organisation. It gives company character and personality, and helps employees feel excited about coming to and/or doing their work and engaging with one another."

So, how can a company build culture in a hybrid setup? One aspect of culture is learning and development. To make culture-building intentional, leaders must think of and facilitate opportunities for their employees to get creative, share ideas, and develop bonds with each other.

An example can be taking budget saved from daily office expenses and using this to invest in regular activities for social engagement of employees. These activities can range from team lunches to interactive training sessions or a new skills workshop.

Companies must come up with opportunities wherein the exchange of ideas is encouraged to build trust and strong relationships among its employees.