What does hybrid work look like?

A hybrid work model supports a blend of in-office and remote workers who may work at all levels in the organization. They might work onsite or offsite, with many employees switching between those environments regularly, depending on their needs.

Hybrid work helps equip people to choose where and how they will work. Wherever and whenever they decide to work, people have confidence that they can collaborate safely and securely with others and be productive. Flexibility to work offsite or onsite, and how often, depends on the organization and the nature of the employee's work and their job responsibilities.

Why are companies shifting to hybrid work?

The transition to a hybrid work model has been underway in many organizations for several years. Advances in technology, from smartphones to cloud computing, have made it possible to work and collaborate from anywhere.

Employees expect flexibility in where and how they work. New business models, work processes, and technology investments made since the start of the global health crisis can make it difficult for companies to even consider returning to their previous status quo. Many businesses are evolving to a hybrid work model to help them compete and succeed in the future.

Another motivation for companies embracing a hybrid work model is retaining top talent. In a global workforce survey sponsored by Cisco, only 9 percent of workers said they expect to return to the office 100 percent of the time after their office reopens. Not supporting a hybrid work model could prevent companies from attracting and retaining the talent they need to succeed in the future.

Is a hybrid workspace different from a hybrid workplace?

Hybrid workspace and hybrid workplace mean different things. The hybrid work model is driving an evolution from a location-centric view of where work is done (workplace) to a more human-centric view of where work is done (workspace). 

• Hybrid workplace: Historically, a workplace has been a company's physical office location, where employees may work onsite all or part of the time.
• Hybrid workspace: A workspace is anywhere an employee works at any given time. 

A hybrid workspace could be a workstation at the company's physical office, or it could be an employee's home office. It might even describe a desk in a hotel room, where an employee is working from and connecting to the company network while traveling. 

Technology, including both software and hardware, supports secure collaboration and communication, regardless of where a hybrid workspace is located.

Does hybrid work require less office space?

Many businesses that shift to a hybrid work model will find they need to maintain less office space. In fact, the global workforce survey Cisco recently sponsored found that more than half (53 percent) of organizations plan to reduce their office footprint.

However, the office, as one of many different hybrid workspaces, serves a critical role in supporting a hybrid work model. It becomes a central hub for workers to engage in rich collaboration experiences, build rapport with their colleagues, connect with the workplace culture, and more.

While many businesses can optimize their real-estate expenses because they have a hybrid work environment, they'll need to invest in transforming the offices they keep. Those investments, physical and technological, will help enhance the worker experience by promoting employee safety, well-being, collaboration, and productivity. For example, companies may need to modify or even redesign their in-office work environment to promote social distancing. Or they may need to embrace a secure access services edge (SASE) architecture to support secure and seamless access from anywhere.

Hummingbird Networks can assist with your hybrid work needs

As Cisco Partner, Hummingbird Networks can provide you with a wide array of products and services that will enable you to run a safe and efficient hybrid work environment. Contact us today to discuss free trials to several Cisco hybrid services.

* This Q&A was originally featured on Cisco's website: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/hybrid-work/what-is-hybrid-work.html