By

Catherine Ngo

Senior Editor and Content Writer – My Business

COVID-19 has brought in a new age of hybrid working with out of city co-working spaces, ergonomic at-home work setups and virtual water cooler moments.

There is an opportunity for businesses to challenge current thinking and shape a new future of work. It will be all about hybrid working and flexible working across multiple locations, with immersive, productive workspaces that consider and accommodates the work style of every employee.

Redefining what ‘work’ really means

Businesses have the opportunity to challenge convention and redefine what ‘work’ really means. Hybrid working will introduce:

  • New working patterns – new working policies that bring employees flexibility on when and where they work.
  • Outcome-based working – taking the focus from set hours and location to being productive and delivering results.
  • Optimised investment – looking beyond the company office to create collaborative, technology-enabled personal workspaces anywhere.

Even before the pandemic, the nature of work was changing because the nature of business is changing. Today, few can claim technology is a barrier to changing practices. The lockdown has highlighted the need for investment into the cultural and behavioural components of flexible work.

The future is a flexible working environment that caters to the needs of all employees, giving them the most fulfilling work experience and in return allowing them to maximise the value, they return to the organisation.

What do hybrid working spaces look like?

The key global trends for hybrid working spaces that will emerge in 2020 and beyond:

  • Home offices will be given as much attention as the kitchen – ergonomically organised and crafted into places that inspire.
  • A prevalence of co-working – organisations will invest in co-working spaces in the outskirts of expensive cities to attract talent. Group collaboration and social connections with colleagues and others will lead to the cross-fertilisation of ideas, with resulting innovation.
  • Office buildings will change –  office towers as we know them will most likely become a thing of the past. 

How to manage the change

For teams to be agile, innovative, ethical and compassionate, work cultures need to be:

  • Inclusive – diverse teams do better, but you must be able to harness and appreciate difference.
  • Inquisitive – 'one-size' management doesn’t fit all. Employees will respond differently to hybrid working and managers must learn the skills to inquire, be curious and ask questions.
  • Purpose-driven – we are seeing a well-overdue widening of purpose and this focus on impact will serve as a compass in times of change and make for a more meaningful workplace.

Technology-enabled change

Technology has a big role to play in creating the new normal, powering new workflows between people and places and enabling seamless communication and collaboration so virtual teams are motivated and engaged.

For more information, check out the Hybrid Working: Creating the “next normal” in work practices, spaces and culture report here.

Looking for more information on working from home? My Business Workplace has a library of over 200 documents to ensure you’re compliant with workplace legislation. 

Catherine Ngo

Senior Editor and Content Writer – My Business

Catherine is passionate about unravelling the latest news and insights to help entrepreneurs, small business owners and employers.