Hybrid working might be good for the bottom line – but it’s good for you too

Hybrid working has firmly established itself as the standard for modern businesses, with momentum continuing to grow across industries, small businesses and start-ups are seeing a positive impact on their bottom line. But what about you? Here’s how the individual can reap the rewards too.

The workplace has undergone a seismic shift over the past few years, with flexible work models redefining how businesses operate and utilise office spaces. The migration to hybrid working is one of the most significant forces at play in the world today, as workers increasingly embrace the opportunity to work closer to home in workspaces and communities that meet their needs, fostering a better work-life balance. They want a choice.

It’s also an opportunity to think of yourself for a change and many businesses have already made a permanent switch to hybrid, and others are embracing it in some form or another. As a manager or team leader in a small business, you’ve been at pains to protect both business productivity as well as employee wellbeing. But what about you: how does hybrid suit you, personally and professionally?

Better balance means better business

Growing a new business is exhausting. Having pulled the business through these last few years, you sure don’t want all that effort to go to waste now. But flexible working doesn’t have to mean taking your eye off the prize – it might actually make success more achievable.

Long hours and late nights in the office can quickly lead to exhaustion. And when you are home, you’re often too tired to engage properly with hobbies, family or friends. You lose, professionally and personally. Even if it works in the short term, how sustainable is it really?

Working from home won’t necessarily make growing a business easier, but it might make it less tiring and therefore more sustainable. Flexible working makes it possible to give yourself a work-life balance ‘reset’ and could be the start of a new, rewarding way of life, where you get to nurture the business and your personal life too.

So what does balance look like for you?

The shift to hybrid has been compared to other seminal moments in workplace history, such as the industrial and digital revolutions. It presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape the world of work around your own motivations. But how will you shape it?

You’ve probably spent time understanding what motivates people in your team, but here’s your chance to ask what motivates you:

Family: If you want to prioritise more family time and less commuting, you’re not alone. Many employees now want to work from home at least three days a week and would consider switching employers if their organisation returned to fully on-site work.

Team: If your motivation lies in managing a healthy, happy, fulfilled workforce or team, hybrid/remote working certainly supports goals around wellbeing and a stronger sense of human connection.

Diversity & Inclusion: If your motivation lies in building a fairer, more inclusive culture, then hybrid working can help there too. If executed well, the hybrid model has the power to transform working life for many, opening up employment opportunities for those who previously faced barriers to traditional work settings.

Sustainability: If your motivation lies in sustainability, there’s a strong argument to support a flexible working pattern. Hybrid helps lower your carbon footprint: fewer commutes, less lighting, heating and air conditioning required. Sustainability initiatives such as recycling and waste reduction all reinforcing a commitment to greener living and working.

Growth: As a start-up ready to scale, you might be looking to take your business to the next level this year with a hiring push. Hybrid working gives you broader access to talent, fewer geographical limits, and a better chance at attracting and retaining top performers.

Stop wondering if hybrid will work

The time is past for wondering whether hybrid working is good for business (it is), better for the bottom line (that too) or about whether staff prefer it (they do). For business leaders with teams to manage and targets to meet – it’s time to look at what hybrid can do for you.

Want to discover how to integrate hybrid working in your life? Check out www.spaceworks.com and discover our Joburg network including our newest location Spaces, Steyn City, providing flexible, with world-class facilities, office space solutions for professionals and businesses.