Flexible work has been popular for several years, but the pandemic changed everything. When lockdowns were introduced, many employees were forced to work remotely for several months or even years.
During this period, many people realized they preferred working remotely as opposed to coming into the office every day, and organizations started taking notice of the serious benefits of these non-traditional working models for them too. As a result, greater flexibility has become common practice.
Having said that, there is still a certain amount of confusion about flexible working. Different names like hybrid and remote work are thrown around, and sometimes it’s not clear exactly what these models entail.
In this guide, we take a closer look at hybrid and flexible working models, exploring the key differences and some of their similarities, so that you can decide which option constitutes the best system for your organization.
Flexible work is a general description of any type of work that does not involve working full-time in the office. In this sense, hybrid work is a type of flexible work.
However, a flexible working model usually provides a large amount of autonomy for employees over not only where they work from, but also the hours that they work.
Examples of flexible work could include working in a fully remote way, working some of the time in the office, or working different hours each day. It could also simply consist of working part-time hours, or working condensed hours with different start and finish times each day.
Flexible working can mean different things to different people. Two employees with different priorities and preferences may both enjoy flexible work, even if one works primarily from the office while the other works completely remotely.
This particular model is all about guiding employees to find their own personal balance and enjoy the maximum amount of freedom and flexibility.
Hybrid working, also called agile working, is a model that allows employees to work a portion of their time remotely and the rest of their time on-site. This often translates into working some days in the office and some at home.
There is no set amount of time that an employee must work on-site or remotely that defines how the hybrid work agreement functions. Instead, the amount of time spent working from different locations depends on the organization.
There are different examples of hybrid work that your organization could consider adopting, but they always focus on where the work is carried out. For example, one business may offer four days in the office and one day at home, while another may offer four days at home and one in the office. Both would be considered a hybrid work model despite how much the numbers might vary.
While flexible work can mean many different things, hybrid work tends to have a more rigid definition. With hybrid working, employees work at least some of the time in the office while also enjoying the flexibility to work from home the rest of the time. It’s a more fixed schedule than the flexible work model.
There are usually clear guidelines in place regarding when employees need to attend the workplace, so employers know exactly when employees are working from home each week.
The main difference is that the company decides which location employees work from and the days that they work remotely. The employer will set schedules with clear expectations, and there is not much flexibility around this, at least not as much as the flexible working model offers.
There are clearly many similarities between these types of work models, but there are several important differences too:
The biggest difference between hybrid and flexible working involves the physical location where work is carried out.
With hybrid working, it is a given that employees will work some days at the office and some days from home. Flexible work, however, is more broad. It takes into account not just the place of work, but also the number of working hours, the times that employees work during the day, and more.
With hybrid working, the company sets the rules on the location of work and the schedule for particular days. This may include some remote work, but it can be limited.
With flexible working, employees have greater freedom to make decisions based on their own needs.
With flexible working, the goal is to ensure that employees are working as efficiently as possible. Employees are given the freedom to work in the way that suits them best, and the aim is that this will lead to greater productivity and increased morale.
With hybrid working, employers want to provide greater flexibility, but with limits. There is usually a belief that part of the work must be carried out from the office, and employees may feel they should be physically present in the office more often.
Hybrid working puts the focus on the physical workplace, and this means the workplace must be maintained, including the addition of hot desks and ensuring meeting rooms have video conferencing equipment.
Flexible working puts less focus on the actual office and more focus on alternative working spaces, like coworking hubs. Essentially, all work could be carried out remotely in a flexible working model, with occasional physical meetings in a rented space.
Both flexible and hybrid working have numerous benefits, and there is no right or wrong choice. Instead, it’s about choosing the right option for your business, and this depends on several factors.
For a start, the type of work you carry out will play a role. Some types of work must be carried out on-site, at least partly, while others can be carried out fully remotely.
For instance, manufacturing and laboratory research are types of work that typically require on-site presence due to the need for specialized equipment, physical products, or hands-on experimentation. In such cases, a hybrid work model might be more suitable, allowing employees to spend part of their time on-site for tasks that require physical presence, while handling administrative or planning work remotely.
On the other hand, software development or digital marketing roles can often be carried out fully remotely since the work is primarily computer-based and can be done from anywhere with a stable internet connection.
In these scenarios, a flexible working model might be ideal, providing employees with the freedom to choose their working hours and location, which could lead to increased productivity and satisfaction.
Costs also come into play. Transitioning to a flexible working model can lead to significant savings on office rental, utilities, and equipment. If your entire team works remotely, you may be able to downsize or even eliminate the need for a physical office altogether, which could drastically reduce overhead expenses.
Additionally, with fewer employees on-site, costs related to office supplies, maintenance, and commuting allowances can also be minimized.
These potential savings can be a strong incentive to adopt a flexible working model, especially for businesses looking to optimize their budget.
However, it's essential to balance these savings with investments in technology and tools that support remote work, such as secure cloud services, reliable communication platforms, and ergonomic home office setups for employees.
Communication is essential and must be seamless. You can’t have meetings where people cannot connect properly or see and hear colleagues clearly. As such, if you maintain a physical office, you will have to consider the equipment and setup you have in place.
With hybrid work, you will need to have a physical meeting room that is set up with video conferencing equipment, like screens and virtual whiteboards. With flexible work, this may be more optional because you might not need an office at all.
When you're just getting started, a practical approach is to introduce a hybrid work model, perhaps starting with one day a week where employees work remotely. This allows you to evaluate how well your team adapts to the new arrangement and identify any potential challenges.
Over time, you can gradually increase the level of flexibility based on the results and employee feedback.
It's also important to consult with your employees early in the process. While you might assume that everyone prefers remote work, it's possible that some team members value the structure and social interaction of office days.
Engaging in open conversations with your employees will help you understand their preferences and tailor the working model to better suit both individual needs and overall team productivity.
The world of work has changed forever, and many would say for the better. Now, whether you decide on flexible or hybrid working, some form of flexibility is becoming expected.
Most businesses now need to embrace a more flexible working model in some form, whether that’s a fully flexible model, a hybrid model, or one that includes elements of both.
Offering flexible hours or the option of working remotely can help you attract the best talent and retain it, boost productivity, and lead to an overall happier workforce.
People want more flexibility, but that may mean different things to different people. It’s up to you to work with your employees and find out what they want so you can provide them with the right balance that gets the most out of your employees.
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