Hybrid work model to continue in 2022

Remote work was once considered a luxury to many and some workers were able to thrive in a remote setting, while others felt isolated and struggled to keep up a balance between their work and home lives. Now hybrid working is the current challenge for employers and employees – figuring out the right mix of in-person and remote work to meet the needs of a wide group of stakeholders.

Flexible work is a key need for employees today, and just what that flexibility looks like is complex. Moving into 2022, ways of working and interacting are continuing to evolve as organisations adapt to the ongoing changes brought about by a wide range of factors influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
 

Thus, two years after the world abruptly shifted to widespread adoption of remote work, declaring 2022 “The Year of Hybrid Work,” as workers and companies attempt to regain some sense of normalcy, improve work/life balance, and reconnect with co-workers while still retaining some of the benefits of hybrid work. There are a lot of benefits to remote work — no commute, more flexibility in the day, fewer distractions and interruptions — but for many there are also a lot of downsides, like social isolation, lack of motivation, and difficulty maintaining a good balance between their work and personal lives.

The main benefit of hybrid work is that it offers employees the flexibility to work in the style that suits them best. People who thrive in an office setting could go into the office every day, people who really do well working at home can continue doing that, or people could opt for a mix of the two which can result in greater creativity and happier employees.

Now the challenge is a great number of resignations has seen employees demand more humanistic policies and practices and employers recognise that to retain their people they need to become truly people-centric – employees want to see real changes around diversity and inclusion, flexible working, ethical behaviours, and sustainable workplaces. The advantage of flexibility is that recruiting efforts can be opened up because geographical constraints can be removed and companies can appeal to people with different working needs, such as working parents or caregivers. This opens up your talent pool to a wider, more diverse group.

Dr. Deepak Kumar Sahu, President & CEO, VARINDIA