Major Obstacles in the Way of Creating an Ideal Hybrid Work Plan

Ever since the lockdowns got eased globally, businesses have come up with a challenge to create a long-term action plan where they have to decide the mode of work they would continue with in the future. Several companies that embraced the hybrid work technology support the hybrid work plan. Why they shouldn't do it, this plan is something that was liked by a majority of employees worldwide, making it a win-win situation for businesses.

If you are among those office workers who think that going hybrid is better than an entirely remote or an entirely traditional workplace arrangement, you are right. Going hybrid is a futuristic approach and would help you in the longer run. However, this work plan has its own challenges; the earlier you know them, the better.

That’s why we have briefly discussed all those obstacles you might come across in your journey to create some ideal hybrid plans. But before that, it is critical to understand what is a hybrid plan in the first place.

What is a Hybrid Work Plan?

A hybrid work model is basically a combination of two different work plans; one is the traditional workplace, and the other is remote work. If you create the right balance between the two, upon evaluating your office worker's roles and other factors akin to it, you will end up with an ideal hybrid workplan.

Previously, employees were unwilling to add remote work in their business' operational models, but the pandemic made them realize the importance of a hybrid workplace. There are myriads of benefits that a hybrid work model can bring.

The greatest perk that the hybrid workforce avails is the liberty to choose their work hours. You are not bound by the traditional nine-to-five work hour boundaries. Instead, you can choose the time slot that you believe you are most productive in.

It is seen that if you overcome the common hurdles coming in your way when you try setting up this work plan, you will end up creating a more productive and satisfied workforce.

Identifying Early Obstacles to Get an Ideal Hybrid Work Plan

The hybrid plans sound pretty fancy; nevertheless, if you fail to overcome the possible obstacles, you will fail to create the ideal hybrid work model for your company. Since now you have a clear mind about the basic idea of a hybrid work plan, you are prepared to know these common challenges. So, let’s dig deeper and understand these obstacles in detail to prepare yourself well.

1. Possible Cyber Security Breaches

Cyber security challenges were not much of a concern in a traditional workplace because you shared most of the sensitive information in person. However, in the modern hybrid workplace, you will face this risk more often. The reason is that you will be using the internet as a major medium of communication with your remote teams.

There are multiple hackers out there in the cyber world who desperately look for any loopholes in your connections so that they can gain access to your company's sensitive information and use it for their benefit.

Phishing and vishing are also quite common. So, it is better that you ensure your team has a safe and secure network and their devices are encrypted to safeguard your data.

2. Dilution of Workplace Culture

The hybrid work plan has opened new avenues for businesses. Since your company has a remote wing as well, you have access to the global job market. But this perk comes with its challenges. People coming from different parts around the globe means they have different cultural backgrounds.

It is good to have diversity in your workforce, but this also means that there will be a dilution of cultures at your workplace. Eventually, this can affect your workplace culture, and your traditional workplace culture would suffer. Therefore, you have to keep a single neutral target culture at your workplace to ensure all employees get a uniform and unbiased work environment.

3. Employees' Well-being

The pandemic has impacted the mental health and well-being of several employees. There are many employees who are not satisfied working from home, and experiencing stress and burnout is pretty common for them. This can impact their productivity and eventually will stagger your team’s progress.

Therefore, organizations should invest more in taking care of the mental well-being of their employees so that they stay active and satisfied. Introducing icebreakers and the concept of breaks like no-meeting Fridays can help you with this. In addition, adequate work schedule planning can come in handy too.

4. Maintaining Effective Communication

It is pretty tough to maintain sound communication with your employees and colleagues during these uncertain times. Since remote teams are part of the hybrid plans, maintaining proper communication would become significantly more than ever.

Communicating clear instructions to your remote team and on-ground teams is critical to avoid any misunderstandings. You can take the assistance of a well-established multimedia setup to help you in this regard, but this procedure will require more effort. Taking feedbacks actively would also be among the foremost requirements.

Bottom Line

Wrapping it up, overcoming these obstacles, and the common hybrid work challenges will bail you out of this situation and help you create the ideal hybrid work plan. Ensure that you keep your employees and colleagues constantly engaged in all meetings to take their feedback and views to make this procedure smoother.