Is the end of the pandemic close by? We don't know. We are very interested to see what the world will look like in a few years. We know that not everyone is ready yet. But some organisations are already working on it. How will work be done in the future? And especially where will work be done in the future. At the office? Or will we be working from home more and more? Hybrid working is the future! But is it indeed?
The new way of working
Who cares where you are, as long as your work is done well and on time, right? In two years, the new way of working became the new normal. We worked more from home than we did at the office. And according to a World Economic Forum survey, almost 98% wanted to continue working flexibly. Many see the benefits of working from home. But how do we stay connected when everyone is working from a different location? Hello, hybrid working! It’s the perfect mixture between working at home and working at the office.
Challenges
Suddenly, we weren't allowed to go to the office anymore. No more physical contact. Working together with colleagues? No idea how to manage that. We became dependent on digital networks and collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom. The new way of working also demanded a great deal of flexibility. The structure and routine of working at the office disappeared. It became working at home. Perhaps together with your partner, with children, or your pet. Of course, they also require the necessary attention. And what about staying productive and engaged. Geez, that too...
Fortunately, the technological possibilities were endless. We saw that companies were really looking for solutions to keep everyone together. And now, we know how to enable remote collaboration and keep teams together.
Where are we now?
We are slowly returning to the office. Whether we will be working there full-time again? It doesn’t look like it. But working remote completely? That’s not going to last either. According to a study by CBS, most companies expect hybrid working to stay. It’s clear: hybrid working is the future! Although it’s still a bit of a puzzle.
How do we hold decent meetings when part of the team is working at home? How do we stay connected? And which agreements do we make with each other? We now see that many organisations are in serious need of a hybrid work policy. But that can be difficult because everyone is unique. Customisation is, therefore, crucial to take into account. We are taking steps, but we are not quite there yet!
Remember, it’s all about trial and error. We all had to get used to working from home. Now it's time to get used to hybrid working.
What does the future hold?
We are on the way to the modern workplace, also known as the workplace of the future. What does it mean? It’s a workplace that must literally and figuratively offer space for all possible needs and developments. Planned, but also unplanned. No more straight rows behind and next to each other at the office. Instead of those straight rows, meeting places, co-working spaces, and huddle spaces will take their spot within the modern workplace.
We are also going to work smarter. Digitisation becomes crucial. Instead of more work in less time, we will create more value with less work. And finding the right balance between work and private life. But how? It may still be a long way off, but Artificial Intelligence can make everything more predictable and, therefore, better organised.
Ultimately, technology is going to help us. Some people think that technology is going to replace people. But we remain of essential value. In fact, according to KPN, technology enables people to flourish. We will be able to concentrate better on what really matters. Hybrid work environment? Here we come!