This Week in Hybrid (April 1, 2022)

Hi 👋 Happy Friday!

One of the questions we often get asked, is how should we rethink office locations and logistics now that we are shifting to a hybrid work model?

There are a few things companies can do: Keep the HQ, give hybrid teams access to co-working spaces with multiple locations in the US and internationally, open multiple small office hubs depending on where most people are located... But it can sometimes be hard to decide which model would work best for you and your team.

The answer? It depends. It depends on your company culture, team preference, your industry, the nature of tasks, and so much more. So this week, we bring you an article by HBR that dives into the different variants you should factor in your decision and how to build the perfect hybrid office strategy based on how your company operates.

Rym ⚡️

This Week in Hybrid

• Salesforce is starting to implement their "Success from Anywhere" plan and is providing employees with three new ways to work: Office-Flexible, Home-Based or Office-Based. Their goal is to empower teams to decide how, when, and where they work.
• TCS, Infosys, Wipro and additional tech service providers are restructuring their offices to adapt to hybrid work as their employees are starting to come back to the office.
• Manulife, the Canadian insurance and investment solutions giant, is planning to fully reopen its Canadian offices next month and embrace hybrid work.
• Saul Wing Arnstein & Lehr said it will no longer mandate that its 803 lawyers and staff work in the office. Instead the law firm will encourage all employees to work in the office every Wednesday and another four days of their choosing each month.

HBR Article

Which Hybrid Work Model Is Best for Your Business?

As more and more employees have shown that they can successfully work remotely, leaders of large international organizations are rethinking how much work needs to be done in offices and how much can be done remotely. And while hybrid work opens up new possibilities for a competitive advantage, it also can have shortcomings depending on your firm's goals. To better understand whether your business should take up a new hybrid organizational model, and how, first consider two factors: the core tasks that need to get done and the importance of having employees in international markets. Once you've outlined these factors, consider how they fit into four models: large hubs, hubs and satellites, distributed, and global virtual. Read more.

New Tech

An Open Doorway for Your Hybrid Team

The technology to fuse together two rooms in two locations anywhere in the world already exists, but it often fails to go beyond underwhelming conference systems. Tonari aims to make its users feel like the rooms they are in have been fused into one. When their devices are installed, entire walls disappear and their advance video and audio systems enhance the illusion that two physical locations have merged into one. The company also provides shared digital whiteboards, notification systems and collaboration tools for hybrid teams. Learn more about Tonari.

Research by AT&T Business and Dubber

State of the Industry: Future of Work

"The State of the Industry: Future of Work" survey was designed to gain insights from senior executives regarding current and future work models, challenges posed under new working models, and technology accelerants to aid change in the way that businesses conduct work out to 2024. The research shows hybrid work will become the standard operating model across industries by 2024. Striking results included: 81% of executives believe hybrid work will be the foremost working model by 2024, with 56% of work done offsite, 72% lack a detailed strategy and 76% don't have the right KPIs to support hybrid work models. 100% of the respondents believe a hybrid work model will help attract young talent. Read the full research.