Originally written by Dan Matthews on Small Business
March 2020 represented a turning point for British organisations. For many employers, what started years ago as a gradual shift towards remote working became a legal requirement overnight, as a stay-at-home order was introduced by the government.
Businesses adapted quickly and many set-up structures for employees to work from home, while others created measures to protect workers with social distancing and more stringent cleaning regimes.
Fast-forward to today and a hybrid workspace, in which employees are sometimes present in the workplace and on other occasions do their jobs from home, is commonplace.
Hybrid working on the rise
A survey of 600 business leaders published by the Institute of Directors (IoD) in May 2021 found that almost two thirds are shifting their organisationto between one and four days of remote working per week.
“As the economy re-opens, business leaders are grappling with the best working models going forward,” said Joe Fitzsimons, Senior Policy Adviser at the IoD.
“The flexibility of remote working has improved work-life balance for employees and cut down commuting expenses. In many cases it has also boosted inclusivity and hiring from different parts of the country.
“The IoD further stated that hybrid working, provides the optimum balance for