COVID-19 has showcased the benefits of a hybrid work schedule, both for employers AND employees. The new financial year is a great time to negotiate a split schedule, one that involves both working from home and in the office. While some bosses might be reluctant to allow their employees to
work from home, there are many benefits, and we’ve put together some of the reasons why a hybrid work schedule can work for everyone.
How can I negotiate working from home with my boss?
When discussing why you’re
looking to work from home with your boss,
it’s important to highlight why the arrangement suits everyone. Working from home can save employees time on commuting to and from the office, but some bosses may feel like it removes some of the ability to collaborate with their employees. Some of the things you can do include:
- Researching your business’ remote working policies, and familiarise yourself with what was put in place both pre-COVID-19, and during the pandemic
- Outlining the benefits of a hybrid working schedule (more on that later)
- Presenting the idea in a formal meeting, rather than in passing
- Putting in place processes for checking-in while working from home, as well as any KPIs relating to working from home
- Researching and presenting software that will help you keep in touch with your colleagues, such as Slack, Zoom etc.
- Undertake a trial period, and document the results to create evidence for making the arrangement permanent
What are the benefits of flexible working hours?
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One positive of the pandemic is that flexible working hours have benefitted employees and employers thanks to the
improvements to many areas of people’s lives. Some of the benefits include:
1. Happier employees.
A study from SEEK found that
59% of Australian employees considered flexible working arrangements their
favourite work perk, so it’s no surprise that a flexible working arrangement is desirable to workers everywhere. A hybrid working arrangement is a great way to keep employees happy and enjoying their work.
A happy employee is also desirable for employers, as it means that those employees are more likely to be a positive influence on their colleagues. It’s important for any business to have a healthy and positive work culture, and that starts with doing everything possible to keep employees feeling good about their work!
2. Everyone saves money.
Depending on the arrangement, both employees and employers can save money by switching to a hybrid working schedule. For employees, working from home allows them to
save money on travelling to and from the office, meaning that money can be spent elsewhere. For employers, if they stagger the days on which employees come into the office, they can save money on office space, allowing them to put more money back into building the business.
How can I make the most of my flexible working hours?
When you’re no longer commuting to and from the office,
there’s more time in the day to spend doing things that matter most to you! Some of the things you can do to make the most of flexible working arrangements include:
- Going for regular walks when you’re on break to help improve your mental health
- Spending set time communicating with your colleagues to help build camaraderie within your workforce
- Studying a course with Upskilled and upskill from the comfort of your own home!
How can a hybrid work schedule help the organisation?
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We’ve spoken a lot about how a hybrid working schedule can benefit employees, but
there are some great benefits for employers as well! Some of these benefits include:
1. Improved productivity.
While it might seem surprising at first glance, working from home actually allows employees to be more productive.
A Stanford study showed that working from home can increase productivity by
47%, because employees are in an environment that best suits them. Working from home means employees are able to be in an environment that allows them to be the best version of themselves, which benefits both employees and employers!
2. Fewer sick days.
While offices can be great places to collaborate, they can also lead to sickness spreading throughout the office, as well as distractions popping up while employees are ‘in the zone’. When employees work from home, they’re more likely to be able to work through a cold that might otherwise see them stay home, because there’s no risk of spreading it to other employees.
What are the steps to adopt a hybrid work schedule in the organisation?
In order for a business to make the most of a hybrid work schedule,
there are a few steps that they can take. Things to consider when adopting a hybrid work schedule include:
- Having set days where everyone works from home, so you can keep track of where everyone is at any one time.
- Have daily/weekly remote catch ups with employees, so they’re still getting to interact with their colleagues.
- Look into what software will work for your business, such as Slack, Asana, Zoom, Monday and more.
- Ensure everyone is on a hybrid work schedule that suits them, so everyone is working the way they’d like!
Stay connected with online study
When you study with Upskilled, it’s a great way to show your employers the benefit of working from home.
Learn new skills from the comfort of your home, while continuing to work. It’s a win-win. Alternatively, studying can open up new career pathways – ones that offer flexibility to set your hours. If you’re looking to learn more, visit our website
here, or get in touch with our education consultants on 1300 009 924 to learn more!
Ben Madden
Ben Madden is a Melbourne-based writer, who loves all things music and sport. He’s a long-time and long-suffering Essendon supporter, and if you’re looking for any music recommendations, he’s your guy.