“Despite the original enthusiasm towards remote work, the majority of candidates are now looking for hybrid opportunities rather than 100% home office. They usually express the need for separated spaces for work and personal life, and promise improved focus in exchange”- said Dóra Világosi, our Business Unit Manager, and this made us think about all the changes the Covid-19 pandemic caused when it comes to the traditional office, home office, and remote opportunities. Talking about the space in which one works, the expectations and demands are clearly evolving by the season. But why is that, and how can employers keep up with the swift pace of changes? Read on to find out!

The pandemic’s effects on the traditional office and remote work

The pandemic caused the quickest transition the working generations have seen in their lives so far: they were forced to merge their homes into a working environment from one day to another. Everyone was acting in a rush, employees trying to work out how to keep their businesses profitable, employees worrying about their jobs and future. What we anticipated to be gone in a matter of weeks eventually stretched for months, even years, and gradually became the new normal. The panic slowly went away, leaving people to find joy in a new world, start to enjoy their newly established routines, and adapt to an environment in which the virus and work co-exist.

Switching to remote changed employee’s preferences too

The new standard of living called for new priorities: quality time with family, improved work-life balance, more time for hobbies… the list goes on. Employers had to do the math of keeping performance indicators high, while also caring for their teams. Improved bonus packages, devices and new evaluation systems had to be implemented. But just as they got established, safety measures that allow office work were introduced. The decision had to be made: either give up the new priorities and return to the old customs or keep them and improve them further. The response of the majority was the latter- and new waves of Covid-19 helped to make sure it was the right one.

Remote work’s effect on the recruitment industry

The recruitment industry had to adjust as well: in the eyes of candidates the promise of possible remote work went from a need to a preference, then into an advantage, then into a crucial, determining factor of job search and switch. Only a few were willing to give up the freedom they got accustomed to, forcing the average employer to keep up with the demands. Employers had no choice but to improve their systems, provide more convenient methods and update their values to be more people-centric.

You only realize the value of the office when you stop visiting it

Little did they know that preferences are about to change. We are only human, and the century-long custom that isolates our workplaces from our homes is no coincidence. Many people live in big cities, where apartment sizes were not calculated to 24/7 presence, limiting tenants and owners in their mobility. Families also had to learn to be in each other’s presence night and day, which often led to conflicts evoked by situations that were only rarely experienced before. Many found it harder and harder to focus, concentrate on tasks and eliminate distractions. People started wishing for alone time, a separate environment free from constant interruptions and interference. Many started to wish for an office.

They always say that you only realize value when you lose the thing it was attached to. Some people started to see the beauty in commuting again, seeing their colleagues each day, conversing with them and re-establishing old routines. They wanted to be able to return to the office, maybe even every day of the week. On the other hand, the value of the freedom of choice skyrocketed. Employees were grateful for the trust and faithful approach of their leaders and thanked them with outstanding results due to the increase in motivation. They realized that they could be given more than one option, regarding their working environment too. Many wanted to be able to choose, and it created a shift in attention from work and results to humans, their nature and their well-being. Even if they were not the happiest about it, employers tended to grant that choice, even if it came with more expenses and duties.

The rise of hybrid work

This is how hybrid work was born. In today’s concept it means an arrangement, a system in which a company’s crew sometimes works together in a physical office and sometimes works remotely. It is rather a scale than a fixed, determined setting. Some find it best to have set office days, some entirely base it on choice. Sometimes it means more office days, sometimes less, depending on what works best for the given teams. By all means, it offers more flexibility, goal-oriented target setting and a people-first management style. It is mostly suitable for businesses not scared from improvement and innovation, with the ability of quick adaptation and implementation.

The benefits? Improved focus, higher performance and a healthier culture. Once it is applied systematically, it offers employers the space and opportunity of flexibility, and creates an organizational culture that allows a quicker reaction to uncertainty. If thought out well, it’s beneficial for both management and employees, and creates a resilient atmosphere ready for all versions of the future.

What the future holds for hybrid working?

Hybrid culture is created by the people not fighting against their human nature but embracing it. It preaches the abolition of perfectionism, and celebrates a world where work is not solely a source of money, but a place for personal growth as well. Hybrid is the representation of the newly emerging priority system induced by the pandemic, but created by communities living in harmony with their basic needs. As far as we know in 2022 April, all forms of hybrid are definitely the future. And we couldn’t be more excited to experience how it evolves further in the upcoming years.