5 reasons why hybrid work is a win-win for employers and employees

October 17, 2022 2:01 PM

While the pandemic encouraged companies to turn to remote work, it seems the new year will see a sharp decline in work-from-home opportunities — but is that the best course of action?

By January 2023, 54% of workers are expected to be in the office on any given weekday, according to the business leadership organization Partnership for New York City. While this may include hybrid workers who may be in the office three to four times a week, the trend does point to employers stepping further away from remote work.

Even if fully remote options become less common, it may be wise to keep the digital workplace up and running so employees don't feel limited, says Frank Weishaupt, CEO of videoconferencing solutions company Owl Labs.

"Flexibility is the key to providing workers with the right environment for productivity, as employees thrive when they feel empowered to work where it suits them best," says Weishaupt. "Owl Labs has been a remote and hybrid team since even before the pandemic and we never require anyone to come to the office in person. This model has worked really well for us."

Owl Labs surveyed over 100,000 hybrid organizations, examining if remote options held value for other companies as well as the trajectory of hybrid work. Here's what they found.

Going to the office is pricey

According to Owl Labs' survey, employees spend twice as much money when at the office, on things like their commute and meals, as compared to working remotely. This is an estimated $863 per month versus $432.

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While Weishaupt notes that remote work is especially impactful in an era of unprecedented inflation rates and price gouging, remote workers still demand competitive compensation. In fact, 57% of employees surveyed said they should be paid equally regardless of where they work. In other words, savings from remote work is a bonus — not a reason to lower the compensation bar, says Weishaupt.

Some work is better done alone

About half of workers surveyed felt that they were more creative, focused and better at meeting deadlines while working from home. However, workers did tend to prefer that activities like meeting new people and team collaborations happen in person.

"People are arranging their schedules and their work locations based on what kinds of work they need to do and when they need to do it," says Weishaupt. "It's important to allow your team members to change up their location based on whether they need to do some independent creative thinking, meet a deadline, or focus alone in a remote space, or if they want to go to the office to collaborate with others in person."

Weishaupt underlines how crucial it is for employers to allow workers this level of agency. And if nearly a majority of workers view remote work as a tool for productivity and success, working from home may be a win-win for employers and employees alike.

Employees are looking to coworking spaces

Even if employers are dead set on transitioning fully back to the office, workers may have a different "in-person" environment in mind. Twenty-six percent of workers feel they are most productive, even when it comes to collaborating, in a coworking space; 22% feel similarly about brainstorming. Weishaupt predicts this interest will only grow, as it can benefit employers and employees.

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"Since hybrid companies can employ people from all over the world, a third space, like a coworking space, can be best for those who want the flexibility of working close to home, with the benefits of an in-office environment," he says. "This is also beneficial for companies that don't want to commit to years-long office leases or are cutting their real estate budgets due to economic uncertainty."

Proximity bias has to be confronted

Proximity bias puts hybrid work in a precarious position. Owl Labs found that more than half of workers believe that being in the office leads to a higher likelihood of promotions and career advancements. Meanwhile, more than half of workers admitted they preferred to manage others in person. Weishaupt points out that this line of thinking sets employees up for a false sense of choice, since remote work seems likely to doom their standing in the company.

"Eliminating proximity bias needs to be part of an employer's hybrid strategy from the very beginning to ensure remote employees are not feeling left behind," says Weishaupt. "At Owl Labs, we establish hybrid equity by ensuring that both in-person and remote employees receive equal opportunities to lead meetings and that they are promoted based on the quality of their work, regardless of location."

Remote work and work-life balance go hand in hand

Nearly 60% of employees agree that remote work leads to improved work-life balance, according to Owl Labs. Weishaupt advises employers to take the values behind remote work — namely flexibility and agency — and extend it beyond the digital workspace to PTO and work culture.

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"One of the best ways to ensure work-life balance is to lead by example," he says. "As a parent myself, I understand the importance of flexible and supportive workplace policies that allow Owl Labs' employees and their families to thrive beyond encouraging hybrid work."