Ever since the pandemic has hit us, a significant chunk of the businesses has shifted to online, digital, or work from home models. This new ‘change’ was challenging to adapt to at first, but now it has become a norm, and it is predicted that the post-pandemic will allow employees to work remotely in the longer run.
Although the old orthodox culture of working from office from 9-5 was systematic and everything was intact, it was also becoming exhausting for most employees. Working from home is a new norm; however, it comes with many pros and cons for both employees and employers. Let’s dig in!
Pros of Work From Home:
Offers Flexibility:
Employees get to enjoy flexibility in their work. There is no one to micromanage them physically. This flexibility will enhance them to do the designated task more productively.
Saves finances:
For the company, it is beneficial as it cuts down the costs of electricity, stationery, and staff. If most of the team is working from home, the office is idle, saving up the prices.
Con of Work From Home:
Absenteeism:
Physically maintaining attendance is simply by using a thumb impression, but working from home can be tricky since employees perform at their comfort. A cloud-based attendance tracking system could be installed and used in this scenario.
Work-life balance:
Most employees find it difficult to draw a line between their work and life. They run their errands during working hours and vice versa. Employees should develop a time management calendar to maintain their work-life balance.
Hybrid Work Model: Understanding Nuances and Pitfalls
Apart from completely working remotely or from the office, the employer can find a grey area by transitioning into a hybrid work model. A certain percentage of the people will work from home, and the rest will work from the office. However, this another ‘change’ can again be difficult to adapt, so the top manager should take the following steps to make sure the process runs smoothly.
Conduct an assessment:
A survey should be passed down to all the employees to mention their needs and wants. This will help the managers shape the hybrid model and know the requirements needed.
Tech advancement:
Living in this era, technological advancement is evolving. Employees working from home will need hands-on experience on modern technology such as zoom, cloud-based attendance system, google meet, etc.; short training should be given to all the employees from an expert.
Involve team:
All the employees should have an opinion. Their intake should be considered while making an important decision for the business. Give them autonomy to choose the model which suits them the best.
Pilot running:
All the new software should be run for the trial. A day should be dedicated for a pilot run, and if any issues occur, they should be catered to ASAP.
Closing Thoughts:
This is a new norm, whether working from home entirely or a hybrid model. There are perks and disadvantages to both models. If you are given a choice to choose, we’ll advise you to research both the models thoroughly and choose wisely.
