Posted on Oct 29, 2021
Job adverts are increasingly offering hybrid working patterns, with roles now blending the benefits of working from home and in the office.
A study from Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) in July revealed more than half of employees (55%) expected an increase in requests for staff to work from the office for part of the week and remotely for the rest. In addition, ONS (Office for National Statistics) also found that 85% of people working from home wanted to use a hybrid approach in the future.
All systems go
Do you have the processes in place to allow everyone to work seamlessly regardless of location? Microsoft Teams or Zoom, digital document management systems and VPN drives and folders can all help your workers hit the ground running and work collaboratively.
Keep your people in the loop
If you’ve got employees working from home, while others are in the office, you may want to think about creating a team calendar. That way, everyone knows who will be where on which days, so they can schedule any meetings and jobs to fit around everybody’s diary.
Set clear expectations
What are your business goals and how do you expect your people to help you achieve this? Set clear expectations with your team, so everyone knows what their responsibilities are. This will allow them to feel valued, show them where they fit into your company and how their work is making an impact. It also allows them to create an action plan and schedule their weeks, whether they’re in the office or working remotely, so they can complete their tasks.
Make everyone feel included
Be wary of segregation between on-site and remote workers, you don’t want people to feel like there is an ‘us’ and ‘them’ culture. Make sure there are clear lines of communication between everyone in your company, regardless of where they are working.
If you offer office perks, such as Friday treats, you may want to think about sending a little something to your home workers as well, so they don’t feel left out.
Be adaptable
Gone are the rigid nine to five days. If your people are working more flexibly, some employees may want to start earlier because of family or other commitments in the evenings, while others may be better suited to starting and finishing later.
You could look at creating core hours, communicating to your workers that you expect them to be working during this time, whether that is remotely or in your business premises. The rest of their hours can then be split across the week in a schedule that is agreed with their line manager.
Flexible working could become the default
The Government is proposing to give everyone the right to request flexible working on their first day at a new job. In its consultation ‘Making Flexible Working the Default’, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy sets out five proposals for flexible working:
The consultation ends on 1st December. If the proposals are given the green light, businesses will have to respond to requests quicker than the current three-month limit. They’ll also need to have robust evidence as to why any applications are refused.
Flexible working can include, but is not limited to:
Protect your digital assets
While VPNs can protect your data and secure your people’s networks, they’re not completely immune to cyber hacks. It can take just one phishing email to ground your business to a halt; Cyber Insurance can be there to help you get back on your feet if you’re a victim of cybercrime.
To discuss your unique Business Insurance needs, get in touch with the Watkin Davies Insurance Consultants Ltd team on 02920 626 226, who will be happy to help.
"Very efficient, always friendly and helpful. I have used Watkin Davies for years, and they have always been competitive. I received great support recently when I had to make a claim, so I'd highly recommend them."
"I was very impressed with the quality of the service - it was outstanding. The advisor, Ms Spear went above and beyond to give me the best driving insurance policy. The policy I have received is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much Ms Spear!"
"I've used Instructorcover Plus for my driving instructor insurance for a number of years. Not only are prices competitive, even at renewal, but customer service is fantastic. Call operators are always cheerful and incredibly helpful. Everything is always sorted in a single call, saving valuable time. Highly recommend."
"Absolutely superb service from the team, particularly Natalie. Very easy and simple process"
"As aways very efficient"
"I have used InstructorcoverPlus for my driving tuition insurance for a number of years. Their prices are always competitive and everyone I speak to is friendly and helpful."
"Ceri was very helpful and knowledgeable on the phone"
"Karrie Brewer was so helpful today, especially as one insurance company would not quote, so had to shop around for us, many thanks"
"Kelly is amazing. Very helpful and friendly, did a great job today with helping me out to get insured. Amazing service!"
"Great service. Got my first driving instructor insurance with this firm. Price was competitive and customer service provided by Jane was great. I will definitely recommend the service."
"Team were very helpful when it came time to renew my policy, taking the time to check and make any amendments needed. Would highly recommend."
"5 stars!"
"Excellent service from Watkin Davies as per usual. I love the way they do all the hard work researching best quotes and provide you with your options. All the staff are very friendly and professional, I have to highlight Ceri who always does a fantastic job for me and my family."
"Really helpful and efficient customer service, friendly and knowledgeable too. I would highly recommend InstructorcoverPlus."
"I m a returning customer and what a wonderful experience. Emma is new to her role but she was very helpful and polite throughout. She got the quote done very quickly and managed to beat all my other quotations. I therefore didn't have to waste any more time. Further she offered me three instalments at 0% which is helpful in this current economic climate. The paperwork was sent straight away. Highly recommended."
"Once again, could not have been more helpful! Still a pleasure to speak to a 'real person' who knew what they were talking about!"