Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work has significantly impacted our professional lives, with many of us adopting alternative working arrangements, such as working from home.

While some still exclusively operate in a remote work setup, others have gradually returned to the office. However, a substantial portion of the workforce is now embracing a blend of office and remote work, commonly referred to as ‘Hybrid Working’

Some favor it for increased flexibility and productivity, while others worry about teamwork and communication. Solutions like virtual “watercooler” channels have emerged to address these concerns. But how beneficial has this set-up been for employers and employees alike, and what are the significant challenges?

With all of these concerns in hand, Real Research, an online survey app, conducted a survey on challenges and potential of hybrid working to gauge a clearer understanding of what people think about hybrid working schedules. Let’s dive in to learn more about people’s perceptions of this practice.

Highlights

  • Nearly 55% have experience with a hybrid working schedule.
  • Four in ten favor the hybrid work schedule, allowing them to pick their workdays.
  • Hybrid working was chosen over traditional schedules and remote setups by 42.48%.

Embracing Hybrid Work

The survey findings suggest that 54.28% of the respondents have experience with a hybrid working setup, while 45.72% confessed that they have never experienced this type of work schedule.

hybrid-working-model
Fig. 1: Have you worked in the hybrid working model?

This data effectively demonstrates that most respondents have experience in a hybrid working environment. This can be largely attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors.

The Perks and Benefits

Several studies have proven that hybrid work has many benefits for employees. Drawing on this fact, the survey asked its respondents about the significant benefits of hybrid work.

36.29% acknowledged that enhanced productivity stands as the foremost advantage for employees. Conversely, 29.63% argued that for employers, the primary benefit lies in reduced operational costs, encompassing expenses like rent and utilities.

Other hybrid working advantages that employees get from a hybrid working schedule include improved work-life balance (25.41%), heightened job satisfaction (16.18%), cost savings (9.66%), and enhanced mental well-being (9.37%). A small fraction, 3.09%, expressed uncertainty regarding these benefits.

On the other hand, benefits for employers include the opportunity to hire talent from across the globe (25.4%), improved employer-employee trust (16.55%), enhanced productivity from employees (11.43%), achieving a diverse workforce (7.26%), and increased agility and adaptability (6.86%). 2.86% were unsure of the benefits that employers gain from a hybrid working environment.

The Concerns and Challenges

Speaking of the challenges related to hybrid working schedules, the respondents held varying viewpoints. 27.48% highlighted the struggle employers face in overseeing fully remote teams. However, 25.67% of participants identified collaboration difficulties among team members as a primary concern for employees.

The challenges of hybrid working for employees encompass reduced access to resources (22.76%), job profile suitability (16.41%), blurred boundaries (5.92%), cybersecurity risks (5.58%), overwork (5.55%), isolation (4.02%), and reduced productivity (3.36%), with 2.24% citing other concerns.

The employers’ challenges include communication constraints (22.01%), reduced team productivity (20.82%), trust and accountability issues over employees (16.01%), and cybersecurity concerns (10.18%). The remaining 3.49% stated other challenges.

Read Also: Notable Employee Work-Life Balance Findings

Optimizing Hybrid Work

After understanding the perks and challenges of the hybrid working model, the survey went on to gauge the most preferred hybrid working schedule. Out of the entirety of respondents, a majority of 40.08% supported a ‘Hybrid at-will’ work schedule wherein employees can choose the day(s) to come to the office.

most-preferred-hybrid-work-schedule
Fig. 2: Which is your most preferred hybrid work schedule?

Another 37.97% vouched for a ‘Hybrid split-week’ wherein the company assigns specific days for onsite and remote work for the employees. Another 14.11% suggested that their most preferred schedule is manager-scheduled hybrid working, in which the managers choose which day(s) the employees come to the office.

Lastly, 7.83% reckoned that they would prefer a mix of all of the above-mentioned schedules for their hybrid working model.

Read Also: 30% Feel Freelance Offers More Benefits than Gig or Traditional Work

Working Smarter, Not Harder!

When asked to choose between a hybrid work schedule or a traditional work schedule, an overwhelming 42.19% favored the hybrid option, while 29.65% preferred the traditional schedule. On the other hand, 28.16% of respondents were undecided about their preference.

Whats-your-most-preferred-method-of-working
Fig. 3: What’s your most preferred method of working?

Ultimately, participants were asked to choose their preferred work schedule from three options: traditional, work-from-home, and hybrid. The majority (42.48%) favored hybrid work, while 33.99% chose work-from-home. Meanwhile, 16.84% expressed a preference for the traditional schedule, and 6.5% remained uncertain about their choice.

Methodology

 
Survey TitleSurvey on Challenges and Potential of Hybrid Working
DurationAugust 26 – September 2, 2023
Number of Participants10,000
DemographicsMales and females, aged 21 to 99
Participating Countries Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bolivia,… Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, China (Hong Kong) China (Macao), China (Taiwan), Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Greanada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Maldives, Maluritania, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar [Burma], Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe.