Recent surveys suggest that the majority of employers prefer hybrid work arrangements.
Hybrid work gives employees more flexibility in terms of working in or out of the office.
Some of the best ways to prepare for hybrid work include providing home office stipends, work devices, video conferencing technology and a Google Meet virtual background, virtual office background for Microsoft Teams or background for Zoom.
What Does Hybrid Work Look Like
Hybrid workforces report to the office some of the time and also work from home.
Certain positions may always be in-office, while other positions could be remote most or all of the time.
Video conferences are a common feature of hybrid work. Workers in the office may use separate cameras or a setup that captures video and audio of multiple users in the same location.
Workers outside of the office can use integrated or external webcams and microphones to participate in virtual meetings.
A Teams background can ensure that hybrid workers look as professional as their coworkers in the office.
Virtual office backgrounds eliminate the need for team members to stage an area of their home or seek out locations that will not distract other participants.
How To Prepare For This
The best way to get ready for the rise in hybrid work arrangements is to provide employees with the technology they need to be productive while out of the office.
Work devices with up-to-date antivirus software and subscriptions to a Virtual Private Network can increase the security of remote connections with company servers or cloud services.
Information Technology coordinators and other professionals should also consider the best platforms for workers in and out of the office.
Systems that work well in the office may be less useful for hybrid arrangements.
Look for a solution that combines video conferencing capabilities with support for real-time collaboration.
A Zoom virtual office background can also be beneficial for hybrid workers.
While workers in the office can choose to show their surroundings or use a virtual office background, workers at home will have an option that protects the privacy of their home workspaces and ensures that they appear professional at all times.
Why To Build Stronger Hybrid Teams
Hybrid teams can be less close-knit than teams that work in the same location day in and day out.
Planning virtual team-building activities can help foster stronger connections between co-workers and enhance team communication.
Putting effort into building hybrid teams can also pay off in terms of retention.
When employees feel confident that they can use software and communication platforms to collaborate with team members in the office, hybrid arrangements can be more appealing than other types of positions.
With a little preparation, hybrid work arrangements can allow employees and employers to experience the best of both worlds.
The close connections and one-off conversations that are more likely to occur in the office can still take place, and employees can enjoy the perk of flexibility for increased job satisfaction and retention.
