THE NEW WORK ENVIRONMENT

Hybrid models of remote and office work could be the future – Gloria Spittel

Working in an office is so two years ago! Yes, it has been for a while from the perspective of work that did not require a secure location or specialised equipment. But in 2020, working remotely – i.e. not in an office – due to the coronavirus pandemic showed management how work adapts if policies are flexible.

Of course, being able to work from an office and moving that work remotely with adjustments (and probably personal strain to continue working) is an advantage that is not afforded to the entire labour force.

It is important to acknowledge that not all work can be performed remotely because last year, this caused unemployment for many, which led to anxiety, increased poverty, reduced social mobility, as well as physical, emotional, psychological and substance abuse among other factors.

For others who were deemed ‘essential workers’ during the pandemic, unsafe working conditions and unequal pay increased risks that may have outweighed any potential benefits to some.

This brings us to the two parameters within which this column is framed: the office is only obsolete for some jobs; and secondly, the office is only obsolete insofar as reliable technological infrastructure is available.

But can good and reliable technological infrastructure play the role of a watering hole, dining room or conference room? Can a video call create, maintain and nurture organisational cultures, relationships and collaboration?

Proponents of remote working may cite the capabilities of video technologies in filling the gaps but this may not necessarily be true. Video-conferencing – while it is better than phone calls – may provide some social cues for interaction but when most people in a group call are muted or do not have the video function switched on, sounds and facial expressions that provide important feedback aren’t available.

Certainly, some avenues may be structured into managing collaboration and office meetings – such as returning emails or waiting turns to speak – but what’s lost is the immediate reaction. And if feedback is required following the video call, what’s added is work and the opportunity for grievances to fester.


Furthermore, video-conferencing may seem to work well within already established relationships and work ethics but it appears to falter when new employees are added – the time taken to familiarise and build relationships with new members may be that much longer and awkward.

Many relationships in the workplace are built over time and more importantly, official interactions; but incidental personal information spills into space allocated for downtime. A video conference is not for downtime no matter how much one is scheduled as such – it is very solidly entrenched as work time!

Yet, there are benefits to working remotely.

For one, it has created more time – especially around axing taxing and frustrating commutes. Remote working has also possibly created better working environments where office spaces were dingy and had no natural light; working from naturally well-lit and aired spaces may provide a level of comfort that needed to be earned in an office setting. As a net result, remote working has improved the work-life balance as well as garnered savings.

The drawbacks of working remotely revolve around the propensity of managers to micro-manage, and capacities of employees to carve out space and time in which to work, as well as the missing social element.

Many were the analyses that women had it harder while working remotely or from home, where work, caregiving duties, household responsibilities and children studying remotely were juggled across the globe.

But office work was reinvented in 2020, and it will be a hard sell for employees who have by now mastered the art of working remotely and have access to all that they need to perform their duties.

According to Slack, based on a survey of 9,000 workers in the US, 72 percent would prefer a mix of remote and office work. The hybrid model is here to stay and taking it away from workers would be hypocritical at this juncture as they have performed under various conditions.

If the social element of work is what lacked the most, then maybe a new office work structure would only hold in-person meetings and collaborative teamwork, as well other social gatherings to build that organisational culture, and cohesiveness of workplaces and teams.

Furthermore, there are other advantages to persisting or changing to a hybrid model for companies. This includes reduced costs of maintaining office spaces, and probably less intervention in politically charged working environments that make diversity and inclusion a difficult goal to attain in an office setting.

So is the office obsolete?

Probably not; but the future of work at an office the way we know it, and how it was practised in the year 2019 with inflexibility and strict nine-to-fives, five days a week at a desk is!