As the working world continues to adjust and evolve with COVID-19, there has been a debate between office vs work from home vs hybrid working.

During COVID-19 alternative many work styles proved very productive. Those styles included a hybrid work style whereby people spend some time in the office and some time at home, and a completely remote set up.

Each business will have a different take on which one is best, depending on how the remote work style during COVID went for them, and the kind of work their business does. For those businesses that do have the choice between office vs work from home vs a hybrid work model, we’re summing up the best options.

Back to the office  

In a post COVID-19 world it’s actually very rare that businesses are going 100% back to the office. However, if you are in a country that has coped well with the virus and is able to allow people back into office spaces full-time, this can be an amazing option.

The pros of working in the office are the camaraderie, the collaborative nature of being face to face and the benefit of actually going somewhere different to work. After a year and a half where people have been cooped up in their own homes, the change of scenery is proving very favourable.

That said, of course it’s just not viable for many businesses to send everyone back into the office. As a compromise, many companies are offering back to the office schedules, so that they can work with a limited capacity but are able to keep the office open full time. Meanwhile, some businesses have shut their offices altogether after feeling like their money was wasted on a physical space when everything seems to be online these days.

Work from home/ remote work

Pre-COVID working from home was a rare luxury that came as a perk of the job. It was for the very fortunate, or for more senior members of the team but rarely for everyone. Now, however, working from home is probably the most common form of working.

Not only because of COVID-19 regulations, but because businesses have realised that they can run effectively without an office, so why pay for one? 

The pros of fully remote work is that you can work with talent from across the world. With an open marketplace of global talent, businesses are able to work with specialists at a fraction of the cost. Plus, some employees do prefer working from home and having a more flexible work life balance.

Meanwhile, the downsides of remote working are that people can become unmotivated, feel lonely or isolated in their homes, and miss the collaboration that comes with office work. On top of this, some employers find it harder to manage teams remotely. The investment in technology that connects you needs to be larger, and the entire business has to commit to staying in touch. If not, it can be a tricky work style to master.

Hybrid working

This seems to be the work style of choice for many businesses at the moment, as businesses get the benefits of having permanent in-office employees as well as remote talent. 

For staff members, the benefits are that they can choose between office working and remote work. This is ideal, and really does offer the balance that many employees crave. In terms of downsides, there aren’t many. The only thing that might hold companies back is that they have to pay for an office that might not be used quite as much. However, we’re seeing a trend of companies downsizing their offices and having a kind of miniature ‘HQ’ in co-working spaces or smaller offices as opposed to a massive office.

On top of this, a hybrid model allows businesses to access the global marketplace. With a combination of outsourcing and permanent staff, businesses are able to be much more agile and adaptable.

Still need some insights on the hybrid work model? Take a look at our recent article on the hybrid work style: the model of the future. Plus, reach out to discuss the potential to start outsourcing within your business.