Who would have thought hybrid work would become so prominent so fast? Do we even really know what it is?
For most people, their understanding of a hybrid workplace experience is whatever their company tells them. What they don’t fully comprehend is the wide spectrum of hybrid work. Some companies encourage employees to work in the office more than others, while some provide a physical workspace on an as-needed basis.
Essentially, a hybrid work model is a configuration where employees work in the office some days and remotely during others. Remote employees connect virtually over email and a conferencing platform such as Zoom or Slack.
4 types of hybrid work schedules
1. Employee’s choice
Like a choose-your-own-adventure novel, an “employee’s choice” model supports flexible schedules, allowing individuals to create their own workweek. These hybrid office spaces are particularly beneficial for employees who rely on childcare or have pets at home, supporting a greater work-life balance
In this model, one employee might come in on a Monday, another on a Wednesday, and so on. The biggest roadblock to this setup is that teams are rarely in the office on the same day. Most collaboration is still conducted virtually, unless employees, by choice, go into the office on the same day as their teammates. Desk hotelling is usually common in this flexible workplace, saving team members the stress of finding an available workstation every day.
2. Team’s choice
The “team’s choice” model is a great middle-ground that helps hybrid teams get the most out of their in-office time. With the entire team on board, every in-person workday will be keyed for face-to-face collaboration, brainstorming, and getting the most out of moments that matter.
With this setup, companies need to either have a great desk booking system in place or need to make sure they have enough space to accommodate teams flocking into the office. Some days of the week are naturally more popular than others. For example, Wednesdays are typically 10% more popular than other days of the week. The ratio of employees per day can be unpredictable and fluctuate with a team’s choice configuration.
3. Manager’s choice
Manager’s choice is one step further from employees getting to choose which days they’re in the office. In this case, managers set a schedule for which weekdays the entire team will be working onsite and which are remote days. What’s more, managers might coordinate in-office days with other managers. This configuration supports interdepartmental project management, helping companies get the most out of in-office days.
For example, the Dev team might be in the office the same day as the QA team, which would help iron out product bugs and shortcomings. Unfortunately, this setup can be restrictive for employees who require a higher work-life balance.
4. Company’s choice
For some companies, a more hands-on approach might be the ticket. The “company’s choice” model is dictated by the company full-time: whatever the higher-ups say goes, goes. Typically, companies coordinate a work policy with staggered schedules, having teammates come into the office on the same days. To capitalize on real estate, desk sharing is usually common with this setup.
By scheduling which days each team comes in, the company can save on real estate with confidence, knowing the office will never be overrun. However, this model not only hinders employee work-life balance but also restricts interdepartmental interactions.
Next step: Booking assets!
Every hybrid model has one thing in common: all employees are never, or rarely, in the office on the same day. Because of this varying nature, many companies are opting to save money by investing in sharable assets rather than having one per employee.
Instead of having a designated desk per employee, companies are turning to desk hotelling. Rather than having two monitors at every workstation, companies are setting up a checkout system. The same goes for all company assets.
These days, organizations are reassessing their investments, wondering which assets they can invest more in and which to invest less in. To follow through on their cutbacks, companies need a reliable way for employees to get the resources they need when they need them.
Joan: All-in-one workplace management solution
The idea behind a hybrid workforce is simple, but the execution can be… messy. Desk hotelling might be attractive, but how will it be executed? A signup sheet employees can only read on location? A makeshift booking setup in Microsoft 365 that no one checks? How do managers make sure teams get desks in the same zone?
Luckily for hybrid companies, Joan has kept up with the times. Our number one goal has been to lighten the load of office management. While our solution began as a meeting room management system, we soon realized that Joan technology and software could be used for so much more.
With the Joan app’s office wayfinding, employees can easily track down and reserve a desk before even arriving at the office. What’s more, office managers can apply rules to desk booking, restricting which departments or specific teams can book which desks on a given day. These conditions help teams sit together when they’re working onsite.
While desk booking was a perfect addition to the Joan room booking solution, why stop there? The Joan team kept innovating, hellbent on making the Joan app an all-in-one workplace management system.
Need a desk? Want to reserve the company car? Want to book a private room at the gym? Joan is the one app that covers all your company assets.
With hybrid on the rise, organizations need one solution that covers every aspect of the office. These days, companies can make any asset bookable through the Joan app from parking stalls to spare monitors. All changes update in real-time over the cloud-based system.
No two companies are the same, which is why Joan has made the app infinitely configurable — there’s no limit to the type of company resources that can be added to it. For a glimpse of how Joan can enhance your office, check out A day in the life: hybrid workplaces with Joan.
Reserving parking
Most companies don’t realize that company parking is essentially the same as company desks. Just like desks, parking spaces are usually designated or allotted to individual employees. So, if you can use an app to book desks, why not use it to reserve parking spots? Many hybrid companies are cutting back on real estate, opting for desk hotelling instead of designated workstations. The same goes for parking. Companies that pay per parking stall are realizing they no longer need one stall per employee.
However, cutting back on parking spaces breeds a level of uncertainty. It’s one thing for an employee to be without a desk — they can set up in the lunchroom if they need to. It’s another thing for them to not have a parking spot when they arrive at the office. Off-site parking can be costly or risky, causing unnecessary stress. With the Joan app, employees can reserve a parking spot before even leaving the comfort of their homes.
Create the best workplace for your team
Converting to a hybrid workspace is a balancing act. Employees who are uncertain about the transition are stressed. Without the right system in place, a lot of collective time is wasted as employees amble uncertainly around the office, trying to find a vacant workspace, available second monitor, unbooked meeting room, and more.
The biggest perk is, the Joan office management solution has every asset covered, enhancing the employee experience and helping offices run more efficiently than ever.
Ready to improve productivity and collaboration at your workplace?
