hp

Hybrid working: the best of both worlds

16 May 2022

Modern workplace

Knowledge workers – including new recruits – have been working from home nearly non-stop for the past two years, at least if their job function permitted it. Compulsory work-from-home requirements have recently come to an end. A relief for some, a torment for others. According to Lode Godderis, professor of Occupational Medicine at KU Leuven, CEO of IDEWE and member of the GEMS, it is important that organizations get ready for the future way of working: hybrid working.

How the seed of hybrid working was planted

We all remember it well: in March 2020, office doors were suddenly locked. Knowledge workers took their desktop computers, documents and other work materials home with them to – they thought – settle down at their kitchen table for a couple of weeks. Weeks, months and nearly two years went by, with many knowledge workers giving their best each and every workday, often at the same kitchen table with limited tools. High time for a change.

The impact of compulsory working from home

Research conducted by IDEWE shows that compulsory working from home and the improvised working conditions have an impact on physical and mental well-being. For example, 55% of the surveyed home-based workers complained of back and neck pain as a result of a non-ergonomic home workplace. And 50% felt exhausted because their screen time increased significantly (just think of all those video meetings). The good news? All these issues can be addressed and solved. This is essential for organizations that want to evolve towards hybrid working.

How to succeed with hybrid working

HP has been researching the office of the future for years.. HP is convinced – just like Lode Godderis – that hybrid working will become increasingly important. Employees and employers alike have recently discovered that there are other ways of doing things. In fact, certain tasks can be done just as easily – or perhaps even faster – at home. And we don't miss the daily hassle of commuting. What's more, we all yearn for the flexibility of being able to work anywhere – at home, in the office or on the road. After all, it gives us a greater sense of autonomy. As an employer, how do you make hybrid working a success?

Workplace as a Service: the ultimate personalized service from Inetum-Realdolmen

First of all, it is important to ensure that hybrid working is safe, ergonomic and productive in any workplace. For this, a personalized approach and personalized tools – fully compatible with the daily activities of each employee – are indispensable. This is exactly where Inetum-Realdolmen can help your organization with Workplace as a Service: premium hardware, software and services for the next-generation digital workplace in a simple service model. This means we not only provide your employees with the right tools, but also simplify workplace management. With Workplace as a Service, the municipality of Diepenbeek has switched to a new digital way of working.With the aim of efficient collaboration, communication and meetings, we also integrate numerous communication and audio-visual solutions. 

A different office layout

Offices will also have to be organized differently. We are now in a hybrid situation where some employees work from home and others in the office, so we have to combine remote sessions with local sessions. Using Teams in combination with specific calling and video conferencing solutions offers quite a few possibilities here. 

In the hybrid working environment, offices will support Activity Based Working (nl) and take on a new role defined by the 8 Cs. 

  • Connecting
  • Coaching
  • Co-creating
  • Communicating
  • Culture
  • Celebrating
  • Candid meetings
  • Concentration

For instance, employees will go to the office to work together and meet each other. 

A culture of trust

Perhaps the most challenging of all is moving from a command-and-control work culture to a results-oriented culture based on mutual trust. In this type of culture, the result is what counts, not how long someone works on a particular project (for example).

Interested in more information or a no-obligation conversation?

Ready to join us in working on the hybrid workplace? Contact us for more information or a no-obligation (virtual) meeting at +32 2 801 55 55 of info@inetum-realdolmen.world

 

To get there, together!

Let us know how we can help. We’ll happily take your ICT concerns off your hands and work together with you on your organisation’s future.

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