Transition from remote work to hybrid work
Due to the global outbreak of the new coronavirus, many companies have introduced full-scale remote work (telework) as an emergency measure. While this unprecedented experiment brought benefits such as reduced commuting time and improved work-life balance, it also highlighted issues such as a lack of communication among employees, increased feelings of loneliness, and a decreased sense of belonging to the company.
As the pandemic appears to be calming down, the current trend is neither a full return to the office'' nor fully remote,’’ but a shift toward ``hybrid work,’’ which combines the benefits of both. Hybrid work is a way of working that allows employees to flexibly choose between working in an office and working remotely to suit their work content and personal lifestyle. This flexibility is an extremely important factor in attracting and retaining top talent.
Successful hybrid work design and IT environment
In order to make hybrid work work, it is essential not only to introduce a system but also to redesign the office environment and IT infrastructure. The role of the office is changing from being a place for individuals to work to becoming a place for team collaboration and innovation. The mainstream is the idea of ``ABW (Activity Based Working),’’ which abolishes fixed seats and uses a free-address system and enriches meeting spaces for specific purposes (such as huddle rooms).
In terms of IT infrastructure, there is an urgent need to create an environment where people can work safely and comfortably no matter where they work. This requires building a network environment based on a zero trust security model and making advanced use of cloud-based communication tools (Microsoft Teams, Slack, etc.). In particular, for hybrid meetings where members are both in the office and remote, it is effective to introduce a high-quality web conferencing system and digital whiteboard to eliminate information asymmetry.
Additionally, management methods need to be updated. Leaders in the era of hybrid work are required to foster an organizational culture that allows for the building of trusting relationships despite physical distance, such as shifting to a system that evaluates employees based on their “results” rather than “hours” and intentionally setting up online chats (virtual water coolers).