The global pandemic has taught us many lessons right from the first month itself. As a chairperson of Interlink, I am surprised by the resilience and innovation we have shown as an organization. Working from home due to the pandemic was new as well as challenging for us especially during the initial month, but it is interesting to note that even in such a situation, our growth never faltered. Surprisingly, switching to a virtual workplace, where all of us were working remotely, the efficiency and productivity increased.

The work from home scenario has changed my overall perspective, before this, I could never imagine going to my office only once a week and still getting the work done, nor could I imagine recruiting talents in a virtual interview. These are just a few examples of the changing trend. Furthermore, I believe that the upcoming generation and their inclination towards technology are one of the strongest assets that can be utilized productively.

Having said that, the path is not easy. Even though now the offices are gradually opening and the organizations are preferring a hybrid work model, its drawbacks are something to be considered, especially in the longer run.

In order for the organizational work pattern to be ready for the future, some key points need to be strategized upon:

1. Nurturing talent must take priority: Even though the hybrid work models are people-friendly, as the leaders, it is our responsibility to prioritize nurturing talent as the dynamics of communications have changed with the hybrid work model.
2. Future-ready: The future is heavily dependent on technology. A correct combination of future-driven organization policies and the usage of technology would enable businesses to sustain themselves in the longer run.
3. Role distribution: An ideal organization is one where all the members get equal opportunity for growth, challenges and rewards. To achieve this, proper distribution of the roles must be essential among the team members. Hybrid work models pose challenges since the interactions between the members vary. Hence, special attention should be required.

The hybrid work model can be a combination of working on-site as well as working remotely. Some of the reasons for increased acceptance for hybrid work models are as follows:

1. Work-life balance: It becomes easy for employees to balance their professional as well as their personal lives.
2. Enhanced performance: An employee gains a lot of opportunities such as reduced traveling time and flexibility in completing the tasks. This increases the organization’s productivity and boosts employees’ confidence.

The future of the hybrid working model

The hybrid working models are the need of the hour in today’s scenario. As it is quite evident from the fact that various multi-national companies have begun adopting this policy. What began as a necessity amidst a global pandemic has now changed the game of today’s working model. Moreover, the hybrid working model offers an edge in terms of saving expenses on real estate or increases the trust between an employer and an employee. The profitability of such a model indicates that it will not go anytime soon.