While many organizations have started full-time onsite business operations, there are companies that choose a hybrid setup, according to the latest study of Sprout Solutions (Sprout). This, amid the rise in employees quitting their jobs amid the pandemic and the possible return-to-workplace orders.

According to a recent study titled “The Future of Work” by Sprout Solutions, a Filipino Software as a Service (SaaS) company, 47% of work-from-office leaders want to adopt the hybrid work model and 62% of work-from-office leaders see hybrid or remote work as the future. The 42% of work from office employees respondents are enthusiastic about adopting a hybrid working environment and in fact, 34% of them prefer hybrid over their current work from office setup.

“Built on the pillars of flexibility and support, the hybrid model gives employees the freedom to choose when and/or when they want to work,” said Atty. Arlene De Castro, chief people and customer officer, Sprout Solutions. “In order for the hybrid model to work in the Philippine setting, it must be inclusive, flexible, secure, and well-managed.”

Sprout Solutions empowers companies to create a hybrid workplace
HR team calls for support in hybrid work transition — Sprout Solutions study

Sprout said those who are on a work from home arrangement likewise see the value of going hybrid, with 52% of work from home employees saying that implementing a hybrid workplace is extremely important with 82% saying they love their setup because they save expenses on travel/commute. Of the respondents, only 36% of work-from-home employees feel excited to return to the office.

De Castro emphasized the importance of employee safety.

“If you give them a sense of stability and security, they will be grateful and happy, especially with the ongoing pandemic. Your employees will demand safety and would want to see protocols in place to help them work productively at the same time in a safe place. Implementing a hybrid workplace addresses this in the current world we live in, it enables them to have an option to work from home or work in the office, whichever they prefer.”

Transition tools

“The shift to a hybrid model isn’t as established within different organizations from different industries. What works best — especially for at-office teams — will still depend on various factors such as their sector, size, and structure,” said Atty. Lester Ople, head of Business Development, Sprout Solutions. “Most companies are on the same page when it comes to making the post-pandemic office as flexible and less burnout-prone as possible.”

Sprout Solutions said 64% of HR admins working in the office are seeing a hybrid workplace in the future even post-pandemic. They agree that the time spent at the office may end up being more productive, deliberate, and collaborative and this can be achieved with the right tools.

An organization with multiple offices or locations needs a Unified Communications Platform to help gather resources that their teams will need to do their job. A Project Management Software will offer the workforce complete visibility of their tasks, no matter where they’re working. This allows them to get a birds’ eye view of pending tasks and deliverables, making it easier to hit project goals. A People Management Software, on the other hand, is a cloud-based people management software that can drive better employee engagement and foster a more inclusive company culture.