The short answer to this question is no, hybrid work isn’t just the future, it is the present and it’s likely here to stay.
So, what is hybrid work and why is it all the buzz?
Following the world’s sudden transition to remote working as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the benefits and drawbacks of the home office and the physical office have become more prominent.
As businesses rethink what “return to work” looks like living with a global pandemic, employers are beginning to recognize that remote work doesn’t reduce worker productivity and that many employees don’t want to give up the perks of remote work. But at the same time, as social beings most employees still crave community and collaborative interaction which they lack when working remotely, and the resulting isolation has had adverse effects on workers mental health and overall wellbeing.
A hybrid work model thus offers a solution that allows employees, business owners and entrepreneurs to enjoy the best of both worlds.
The hybrid work model refers to the combination of working at the office and remote work, whether remote means working from home, or working from a third-party location such as your local café or a coworking space. The division of time between remote work and working from an office location varies with every individual and organization. For instance, some organizations require employees work in the office a set number of days per week or month or may require their employees to work from the office in the morning, and work at home in the afternoon.
With the option to work from a commercial office, one benefits from structure, fewer interruptions relative to working from a home office, a professional setting to meet clients, and a physical workspace to collaborate and network. While the option to work remotely allows employees to enjoy the flexibility and solo productivity.
If your line of work allows for job location flexibility—for example web designers, knowledge workers, NGOs, accountants, digital nomads, and freelancers—you can choose to work from a home office or from a coworking space.
If you are considering transitioning your business’ work model into a hybrid one, then a great place to start is to look for a coworking space that is right for you.
Coworking spaces are the perfect ecosystem for Hybrid work models
Coworking spaces can offer hybrid work solutions for almost every scenario.
If you favor working within the creature comforts of a home office, but need a more professional-facing front, such as a business and mailing address, then a virtual membership at a coworking space may be exactly what you need.
On the other hand, if working from home isn’t for you but you want to avoid stress, capital intensive investment and long-term commitment of leasing your own commercial office space, then a coworking spacemight be the solution.
A major perk of coworking spaces is that they provide the much-needed social interaction and environment for collaboration that so many have lost as a result of having to work remotely from home.
This doesn’t mean that you must completely abandon your own commercial office space. In fact, it is quite the contrary; you may find that adopting a hybrid work model may be the solution behind maintaining your own office space in uncertain economic times. How? you may ask, assuming that you aren’t using your commercial office space at full capacity due to social distancing and remote working mandates, a good idea may include enrolling your employees for a communal membership at a coworking space to facilitate collaboration while simultaneously scaling down your commercial office space, which can then be dedicated for more confidential business engagements such as client meeting and team strategy sessions.
“But what if I don’t have a commercial office space to begin with, how can I adopt a hybrid model?”
The great thing that sets coworking spaces apart from commercial office spaces is the versatility and flexibility. Coworking spaces such as Ikigai Nairobi not only offer a flexible and wide range of memberships from communal work areas, dedicated desks in a shared office, to private offices, they also offer versatility when it comes to the type of workspaces environment, offering its member a chance to experience both corporate and garden locations.
At Ikigai Nairobi’s garden locations, situated in Westlands and Lower Kabete, you and your team can be creatively inspired or enjoy calm focus while working in our outdoor meeting rooms surrounded by plush greenery and soothing sounds of nature. In such locations, one can escape to the office – enjoying the “essence” of working from home, without the disruptions while still gaining from the amenities of an office space and an image of professionalism and structure. And if an indoor space is more up your lane, then you also have the option of working from one of our corporate locations, situated in Lavington and Riverside.
It can be overwhelming identifying the type of hybrid model that will work best for you. But fortunately, through coworking solutions, choosing where you work doesn’t have to a permanent decision. As an entrepreneur, small, or large business owner, you have the flexibility to design a hybrid work model best suited to your specific needs that will allow you to embrace the advantages of a home office or the perks of a coworking space.
If you are interested in adopting a hybrid work model, we would love to walk you through the ways in which Ikigai Nairobi can help you realize this transition.
Book a tour with us today to visit any of our locations.
Leave a Reply