Hybrid model. So many terms and phrases came out of the pandemic. “Social distancing,” “lockdown,” “boosted” and “WFH” to name a few. First, it seemed that schools adopted the hybrid model as kids returned to school in cohorts… next many corporations adopted the hybrid office, which means different things to every organization. For some companies, it can mean working from home part-time and being in the office part time. The hybrid office is intended to be flexible, nimble and cost efficient – but for many workers, it doesn’t work. At any rate, gone are the days where professional workers sat in cubes waiting for the whistle to blow at 5:00… or 5:30… or 6:00… with the hybrid office comes a whole host of new responsibilities. And stresses.

CONS:

“If I’m in the office on Monday, and you’re in the office on Tuesday, we still have to call each other.”

“When I’m in the office I have to wear noise canceling headphones because the person in the next cube is on calls all day with his team-members who are remote.”

“My staff wants to be in the office Thursday and Friday, but Monday-Wednesday would work better for me.”

“My company closed all of our office space. Even though we’re on calls all day, I still feel isolated and sometimes disengaged.”

“I feel like my boss is always checking to see when my Zoom dot is green and when it’s red.”

PROS:

“On the days I work from home, I don’t spend an hour in the car commuting. I find I spend that hour working, and am more productive.”

“My team all agreed that we’d come into the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We save our team meetings for those days and get a lot accomplished.”

“On the days when we’re together in the office we book a conference room for coworking and collaboration space and get a lot done.”

“Working hybrid allows me to work very early in the morning so that I can be available for the kids when they get off the bus.”

Corporate leaders of today are still figuring out what the hybrid office workplace entails. Most of them agree that they want the ability to continue to evolve the way things work – allowing greater flexibility, and accountability for employees. If your office space has closed altogether – the solution could be booking “flex space” or flexible office space. Sobon & Associates offers flexible work space to professionals who are on a hybrid model. Choose from private individual offices – interior or with windows – or desk space only. We offer daily, weekly and monthly rates, as well as executive board rooms and training space for meetings and events. Centrally located at the junction of route 84 and 691 in Cheshire, we’ve been proudly serving the area for 30 years.