Hybrid Working vs Remote Working: What Model Is Better For You?

While remote and hybrid work models are becoming increasingly popular, there is still confusion surrounding how to choose the best option for your business.

In this guide, we’ll take a close look at hybrid and remote working, analyzing the main pros and cons of each and exploring which might work best for you based on key considerations.

What Is Remote Working?

The remote work model is where employees can work outside of the office. This could technically be from anywhere, even overseas, but it normally means working from home.

In a fully remote setup, there is no office or shared workspace, and everyone works from different places. As such, there is a complete reliance on technology, like video conferencing equipment, to stay in touch and get work done.

Pros and Cons of Remote Work

Pros:

• Remote work is the most flexible type of work model.
• Many employees enjoy working remotely and the freedom it brings.
• Employees can often set their own schedules, such as working in the morning or evening, so they can get work done when they are most productive.
• Reduce office costs or eliminate them entirely because there is no need to rent an office.
• Access a larger talent pool by hiring employees from anywhere, even in other countries.

Cons:

• You may face collaboration challenges because people cannot visit the office and talk in person.
• Lack of spontaneous conversations, which can impact creativity and affect the work culture.
• Some people may not want to work remotely and they might prefer the structure of working in an office and regular working hours.
• Data security can be a problem, so you will have to decide how employees should access sensitive company information.

What Is Hybrid Working?

The hybrid work model is where employees work both from the office and remotely. It could be more office-centric (more days in the office) or a remote-first policy (most days working remotely).

You can be quite rigid with hybrid work by setting the specific days that people must work from the office. Or you can be more flexible, where employees make this decision for themselves.

Just like fully remote working, it requires extensive use of technology to ensure all team members can keep in touch.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Provides a good balance where employees can enjoy the best of both worlds.
• More face-to-face interaction with team members leads to better collaboration. Many organizations still want their employees to meet in person, and hybrid work allows for this.
• More in-person communication encourages spontaneous meetings where ideas are shared, rather than always relying on planned meetings.
• It provides a way to test out the benefits of remote work without having a fully remote work model.

Cons

• Getting the balance right can be challenging. Some employees might want more remote work while others may want more office time.
• You still need an office space to work from, which is not necessary with remote work. You may even end up renting an office without using it much.
• If you have a mix of remote and office-based work, it may make it harder for remote employees to participate, and remote workers may feel more pressure to come into the office.

How to Choose the Right Option for Your Business

So, which is best for you? There are many differences between remote and hybrid work, and there is no right and wrong work model, so it all depends on your unique situation.

Both remote and hybrid work could work well for your business, but there are a few important considerations to keep in mind when making your decision.

What Do Your Employees Want?

It should all start with your employees and what they actually want. The best way to find out is by asking them.

Tell them that you want them to work in the way that suits them best, then ask them for their feedback. Talk to them individually and find out what they would prefer.

You may be surprised. While you might assume that they want to work remotely, you may find that this isn’t the case. Or you may find out that most of them want to work at least a day or two from the office each week.

Until you know what your employees want, choosing the right model for your business will be a greater challenge, and you could end up making the wrong decision.

Company & Culture

When determining the right option over implementing remote work vs a hybrid model, you should consider the specifics of your company, its culture, and the industry you work in.

The fact is, remote work can make more sense for companies in some industries than in others. 

Some companies may need more time spent together in the office, either because of the type of work they do or the company culture, in which case a hybrid model may be the only realistic option.

Current Situation

Your current situation will play a large role in determining which work model is right for you.

You may already rent an office in a good location, and having a base where people can come in and work, even just once a week, is something you might not want to give up.

If you decide to keep your office, make sure you invest in equipment that allows you to communicate with everyone on your team, wherever they are, whether they are in the office or working remotely.

That means high-quality video conferencing screens as well as interactive displays so it feels like everyone is in the same room wherever they are based.

Talent Pool

The physical location of your business and the talent pool available can have a big impact on the type of work model you want to implement.

With the growth of remote work, anyone can run an international business from their home these days. They can hire people in different countries, and it doesn’t matter where they are based.

If you are currently based in a busy town or city, you likely have plenty of access to skilled candidates. But if you are based in a small town, you may struggle to find the right people to fill your roles.

In this situation, remote work allows you to branch out and hire the best people, wherever they are based. That doesn’t mean you need to go fully remote, but offering some people remote work could be a good way to attract better candidates from a wider area.

Budget

If you want to save money, choosing the remote work model could be the best option because you can save on needing an office and equipment.

But it depends on how comfortable you feel with this arrangement. Managing a remote team is a very different task compared to managing everyone in the office, and you might prefer to offer one day remotely in a hybrid work environment first.

Make Hybrid or Remote Working Work for You

When considering a work-from-home vs a hybrid model, whatever you end up choosing, be clear with the rules and what you expect from your employees. This includes how often they should visit the office and the hours they should work when they are working remotely.

Get feedback regularly to find out how it’s working out so you can make changes if you need to. And make sure you invest in the tools and equipment you need, like high-quality video conferencing screens.

Most importantly, keep changing and evolving. Review your setup regularly, and if you have a hybrid plan and decide to offer more remote work, don’t be afraid to change it back if it does not work out.

There are pros and cons to each option, so consider your options carefully, implement changes slowly, and increase the chances that you make the transition a success.