Which hybrid lifestyle is right for you? – Joanne Bushell, MD, IWG, South Africa

Hybrid working allows people to personalise their work schedules to suit their needs, demands, homelives and capabilities. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense: some people struggle to get into an office at 9 am but are far more productive in the evening; new parents may not be able to commute into a city centre office but could spend a few hours a day in a local co-working space; while young recruits may find the cost of commuting to a city centre every day a drain on their finances.

The beauty of hybrid working is that it doesn’t have to be the same for everyone. You can find out what work style is best for you and which method best supports your productivity, mental health and well-being…

Which hybrid lifestyle best suits you?

1. Structured and predictable

A popular option among many professionals is to split the week up ‘3-2’ so that three days are spent ‘off-site’ at home or in a local flex space and two days are spent ‘on-site’ working in a central HQ. Many companies are setting expectations to show up at least a couple of days a week and allowing employees to choose when, allowing the individual to design their week, which is empowering.

For example, a pre-set structure is also useful for teammates, who can plan weekly in-person meetings on a Monday or Tuesday. Meanwhile, employees know that on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, they can fit in a gym workout before going to a nearby flex space to get through their emails and focus on ‘deep work’. The model can even benefit freelancers and entrepreneurs who need more structure in their lives.

2. Week-by-week routines

In some cases, it can be simpler for teams to take a ‘week-by-week’ approach to hybrid working, whereby everyone operates remotely from home or from a flex space near where they live for the first five days, and then the following five days, they all regroup in the company office. This means everyone is together simultaneously and benefits from direct face-to-face time and a chance to catch up on projects and workflow without compromising too much on flexibility and reduced commutes.

3. Ad hoc and reactive

For some people, every day is different, so an ad hoc and reactive approach to hybrid working will suit them best. This is also known as the ‘at will’ model, whereby people choose when and where to work in a way that suits them and with little forward planning.

It’s a good idea for employees to devise a strategy to maximise visibility while minimising stress. Finding an effective way of checking in and letting teammates and employers know where they’ll be, makes this much more achievable.

For a small company, it could be as simple as sending an email or updating a shared calendar; while for bigger organisations, a more formal way of logging people’s whereabouts will be required. Team Tracker is a good platform – allowing everyone to update when they are on holiday, see who is travelling for work or manage hot desk allocations.

4. Asynchronous shifts and sprints

Working 9-5, five days a week, has been the traditional way of working for more than 100 years, but this isn't viable for a good portion of the population. Whether someone is a parent trying to juggle childcare or an entrepreneur developing a side hustle alongside a full-time job, fitting in an early morning sprint, evening shift, and even nights can be opportunities to progress on a project or fit in some tasks on their ‘to-do’ list.

5. Long-distance and fragmented

Professionals have hit the road again and may travel for extended periods rather than taking many carbon-heavy flights yearly. In this case, hybrid working could take the form of more fragmented use of a dedicated company office space (check-ins might be once a month), complemented by multiple co-working spaces in locations worldwide, wherever they happen to be.

Making the transition easier, IWG offers access to more than 3,000 co-working sites worldwide, which is ideal for the long-distance hybrid worker because you know you’ll always find a comfortable and professional environment with super-fast wifi, and a good cup of coffee, wherever you are. It’s reassuring to touch down in a new city, knowing where you will spend your working days.

About IWG PLC ​

IWG is the global leader in hybrid work solutions and workspace brands. We create personal, financial, and strategic value for businesses of every size, from some of the most exciting companies and well-known organizations on the planet to individuals and the next generation of industry leaders.

They all harness the power of IWG's hybrid working platform to increase their productivity, efficiency, agility, and market proximity. IWG’s unrivalled network coverage includes approximately 3,500 locations across more than 120 countries, and 83% of Fortune 500 companies are amongst our growing customer base.

Through our brands, including Regus, Spaces, HQ and Signature, we help millions of people and their businesses to work more productively. We provide the world's leading hybrid work platform with professional, inspiring and collaborative workspaces and digital services, all available via the IWG app.

For more information:

Visit www.iwgplc.com and for more information on partnering with IWG, see:

https://www.iwgplc.com/develop-a-location