EDITORS QUESTION

THEY MUST RECOGNISE THAT WORK IS NO LONGER ABOUT WHERE IT HAPPENS , BUT HOW EFFECTIVELY , EFFICIENTLY AND SECURELY IT IS EXECUTED .

To be clear , hybrid working provides employees with the independence to customise their surroundings beyond just a cubicle or office and allows them to work in an environment that is comfortable for their lifestyle . This assumes they have the self-discipline to balance working from home with their personal lives . This concept is what many executives call in to question and this duality is critical for organisations aiming to attract top talent where flexibility is often as valuable as compensation . Organisations have to assume that employees can perform this balancing act as opposed to a minimal few that would take advantage of the situation . Those that do take advantage would be subject to the same disciplinary actions as employees that are chronically late or have poor productivity . Measuring the difference is a business challenge rather than a reason to change the remote work paradigm . More importantly , for future consideration , remote capabilities enable businesses to maintain operations during any sustained crises , from pandemics to extreme weather events and geo-political instability that might impact a centralised workforce .

Hybrid working is not without its challenges , however . Organisations must invest in secure , scalable technology to support secure remote access and collaboration to protect the rising tide of cybersecurity threats targeting remote workforces . Executive teams need to redefine how they measure success , productivity and security and focus on outcomes rather than hours logged in , cold calls performed , lines of code written , etc . in order to build a culture of trust and accountability . And , when appropriate , these teams can be physically brought together to build relationships , trust and camaraderie . For example , quarterly off-site meetings give team members something to look forward to and avoid virtual meeting burnout .

When organisations force employees into a one-size-fits-all solution for working they are encouraging an out-dated business model from when large office buildings and 9am to 5pm were the norm . In my professional opinion , the future belongs to organisations that adapt to the needs of a modern workforce , recognising that hybrid models can unlock productivity , reduce burnout and deepen employee engagement and overall quality of life . The business question is not whether hybrid working can succeed , but whether organisations have the vision to embrace its potential versus reverting back to older business and employment models . For those that do , the rewards could be substantial . For those organisations that don ’ t , the cost may be measured in employee retention , innovation and the simple lack of sustainable business growth .

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