Beyond the hasty switch of the earlier days of the pandemic, organizations worldwide are attempting to embrace hybrid work models with more care that combines remote and in-office work to maintain productivity, employee engagement, and business continuity.

Hybrid work consultant services have emerged as a critical service, helping businesses navigate this transitional period and effectively mitigate the risks associated with these new ways of working. It is, after all, a specialized domain that requires knowledge of multiple areas as well as how each area relates to every other.

Consulting experts need to be well-versed in the challenges and opportunities presented by this new working landscape to offer valuable insights and practical solutions to help businesses adapt to the future of work, rebuild their internal processes to suit hybrid work and build a more resilient workplace cum workforce. We detail some of the top strategies for effective risk management in hybrid work environments. But first let’s get the basics out of the way.

Flexibility is a wide term

Flexibility may refer to the time when you work. 

Flexibility may refer to the space where you work from.

Flexibility may refer to how you deliver.

Time-based flexibility may exist either within defined limits or it may be fully discretionary.

Space-based flexibility (i.e. where do you work) may similarly exist within defined limits or may be fully discretionary.

To be sure, the term flexibility may even refer to the fact that you may provide the agreed outcome or work-product using any process of your choosing but without the freedom to choose the space or the time in which you carry out the said process (think about 9 to 5 research labs)

Thus, Hybrid work models, the way typically referred to, are just one form of flexibility and typically refers to flexibility in terms of the space where you work rather than the time when you work. Hybrid work arrangements are thus flexible working arrangements that enable employees to work from various locations, including the office, home, or other remote locations rather than at various times of their choosing.

This approach empowers employees with the autonomy (fully discretionary or within defined boundaries) to choose their work environment based on their preferences and job requirements.

Hybrid work models can take several forms, such as splitting time between remote work, being in the primary office, or being at satellite offices closer to employees’ homes.

Adopting a hybrid work model offers several benefits, including increased employee satisfaction, reduced overhead costs, and access to a broader talent pool. However, it also presents certain challenges, such as managing remote and distributed teams, maintaining effective communication, and ensuring data security. As a result, businesses have needed to develop robust risk management strategies to navigate the complexities of hybrid work successfully. Unfortunately, this has not proven easy and businesses continue to struggle.

The importance of risk management in hybrid work environments

Risk management is a crucial aspect of any business operation, but it becomes even more critical in hybrid work environments. The shift to remote work has introduced new risks and amplified existing ones.

These include process breakdowns, communication lapses and delays, cybersecurity threats and weakened cohesion either impacts product output or timelines or both.

Thus, organizations must identify, assess, and mitigate these risks to ensure business continuity and maintain a healthy hybrid work environment.

Effective risk management in hybrid work environments requires a proactive approach that anticipates potential challenges and addresses them before they escalate. By keeping a pulse on the evolving landscape, organizations can adapt and respond to emerging risks and opportunities, fostering a resilient and adaptable workforce.

Top strategies for effective risk management in hybrid work

a. Identifying potential Hybrid work and workplace risks

The first step in effective risk management is identifying the potential risks associated with hybrid work environments. Some common risks include team cohesion, communication breakdown, weakened discipline, data breaches, loss of productivity, communication challenges, and employee disengagement. Conducting a comprehensive risk assessment to identify these risks and their potential impact on the organization.

This assessment should involve input from various stakeholders, including employees, managers, and IT teams, to ensure a thorough understanding of potential risks. Organizations should also stay informed about industry trends and best practices to anticipate and address emerging risks proactively.

b. Implementing preventative measures

Once potential risks have been identified, organizations must develop and implement preventative measures to mitigate their impact. This may include establishing and updating IT infrastructure and security protocols, identifying and restructuring critical processes, setting a hybrid work policy, establishing clear communication and work guidelines, establishing clear contact points and responsibilities and, crucially, adaptation training for change management.

It is critical to have a proactive approach to risk management of hybrid work, continuously reviewing and updating preventative measures in response to changing circumstances. This requires one to stay informed about best practices, industry trends, and emerging technologies that can help mitigate risks effectively.

c. Continuously monitoring and assessing Hybrid workplace risks for distributed teams

Risk management is an ongoing process that requires continuous monitoring and assessment. Organizations need to establish regular risk assessment schedules, ensuring that all stakeholders are involved in the process. This helps maintain a comprehensive understanding of the organization’s risk landscape and enables timely responses to emerging risks.

In addition to routine assessments, organizations should establish a policy (backed by channels) for employees to report potential risks or concerns. This promotes a culture of risk awareness and empowers employees to contribute to the organization’s risk management efforts.

Advice on communication and collaboration in hybrid work and distributed team structures

Effective communication and collaboration are vital for maintaining productivity and employee engagement in hybrid work environments. Hybrid work consulting experts recommend several strategies to facilitate communication and collaboration, such as:

• Establishing clear communication guidelines and expectations.
• Preferred communication channels, response times
• Meeting protocols including preferred mediums.
• Check-ins structures and team meetings to maintain connections .
• Identifying and securing the right collaboration tools and platforms for the right workflows.

By fostering a culture of effective communication and collaboration, organizations can mitigate the risks associated with remote work and maintain a cohesive, engaged workforce.

Leveraging technology for risk management in hybrid workspaces

Technology plays a crucial role in managing risks associated with hybrid work environments. From collaboration platforms and communication tools to advanced cybersecurity measures, organizations must leverage the right technology solutions to support their hybrid work models effectively.

Most importantly, Hybrid work needs a central command structure that manages the crucial ‘work’ element along with the workplace element. While tools vary by need, intent and output required, the central structure needs to hold it all together.

Unfortunately, in most cases, this role is performed by seat-booking apps, which are really poor substitutes that provide the illusion of structure.

Training and development for remote/ hybrid employees and distributed teams

Employee training and development are vital components of risk management in hybrid work environments. By providing employees with the necessary skills and knowledge, organizations can better equip them to navigate the challenges of remote work and contribute to the organization’s risk management efforts.

Hybrid work consulting experts recommend the following training and development strategies for employees in a hybrid work environment:

• Providing regular adaptation training on how remote, hybrid or distributed teams work and relate to each other.
• Training and development programs to supervisors to manage a distributed workforce.
• Understanding what changes and why to equip employees to find solutions better
• Providing cybersecurity best practices to help employees safeguard sensitive data and prevent breaches.
• Training sessions on effective communication and collaboration techniques in a distributed environment, ensuring employees can work together efficiently.
• Providing resources and support for employees to manage their work, home, finances and to maintain balance

How hybrid work consulting services can help your business

Hybrid work consultant services can provide invaluable support to businesses navigating the complexities of the future of work. Experts offer tailored solutions and strategies using systems thinking to help organizations manage risks effectively, implement successful hybrid work models, and build a resilient and adaptable workforce. Some of the key benefits of engaging hybrid work consulting services include:

• Access to expert knowledge and insights on the latest trends and best practices in hybrid work.
• Asking the right questions before arriving at the solutions and risk management strategies.
• Customized risk management strategies designed to address the unique challenges and risks facing your organization.
• Assistance in selecting and implementing the right technology solutions to support your hybrid work model.
• Guidance on developing and implementing effective communication and collaboration strategies to maintain productivity and employee engagement.

Partnering with hybrid work consulting experts enables organizations can confidently embrace the future of work and its challenges, ensuring productivity, continuity and success in the evolving landscape.

Conclusion: Embracing the future of work and its challenges with confidence

The future of work is undeniably complex, with hybrid work models presenting both opportunities and challenges for businesses worldwide. By leveraging the expertise of hybrid work consulting experts and implementing robust risk management strategies, organizations can confidently navigate this new landscape, ensuring business continuity and success. By identifying potential risks, implementing preventative measures, continuously monitoring and assessing risks, and fostering effective communication and collaboration, organizations can mitigate the risks associated with hybrid work environments.

In addition, organizations must prioritize employee training and development, building a resilient and adaptable workforce that can respond to change and navigate challenges effectively. By partnering with hybrid work consulting services, businesses can access expert knowledge and insights, customized risk management strategies, and guidance on selecting and implementing the right technology solutions and communication and collaboration strategies.

While the future of work is undoubtedly challenging, with the right strategies in place, businesses can embrace this new landscape with confidence, build a more resilient and adaptable work structure and ensure long-term success in the evolving business landscape.

If you are looking to navigate the complexities of hybrid work environments and build a more resilient and adaptable workforce, contact our team of hybrid work consulting experts today. We offer tailored solutions and strategies to help your organization mitigate risks, implement successful hybrid work models, and thrive in the future of work.

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The inventions and advancements were certain to make work faster, remote, and more boundless – but the Covid-19 pandemic simply accelerated the adoption of the modern way of working.

While remote work and hybrid work was the key development driven by technology, the now celebrated aspects of not just remote work but also the new consciousness around work seemed bound to happen. The Covid-19 pandemic simply left the world with no option but to come to terms with a revised work and lifestyle more urgently. Risk-managed well for the hasty-switch made in the pandemic, it is hard to argue against Hybrid or remote work.

Let us now examine each aspect separately.

Hybrid Work and Remote Work

As discussed in the previous blogs, remote work is not a new phenomenon.

IBM was, in many ways, one of the pioneers in designing a remote work strategy and letting 5 employees work remotely in 1979, as a part of an experiment.

By 1987, 1.5 million Americans were telecommuting.

Later, Governments made it mandatory for companies to allow remote work for employees who were ‘eligible.’

Yes, the number of people working remotely was never huge, but it was a cause many people were championing for a long time.

For instance, people with disabilities have been requesting remote work for decades.

Work-Life Balance

Many factory workers in the United States had 18-hour-long shifts, six days a week. While some people certainly struggled, others looked down upon the ones that didn’t contribute as much.

In 1817, Robert Owens, an industrialist, was the first person to introduce and popularize the approach of “eight hours labour, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest.”

It took a while for everyone to adopt this model, even in the face of mounting pressure from labour organizers.

Later, in 1920, Henry Ford made the ‘9 to 5’ workday a mainstream concept.

But come 2000 and the digitization that the years that followed accompanied, certain ‘jobs’ and ‘gigs’ emerged that didn’t require a strict 8-hour productivity day.

For instance, bloggers, Youtubers, cameramen, videographers, and freelancers.

Soon enough, people began to question the inflexibility that office jobs came with.

A direct response to these things was also companies coming up with plans to allow recreation time (think smoke breaks, snooker breaks) during a regular work day.

But when the pandemic pushed everyone to begin working from home, flexibility very quickly became something that workers around the world always deserved but got to experience only now.

This is also why remote work is eventually evolving into hybrid work – flexibility has become a major prerequisite to employee productivity, efficiency and well-being. A full return to office is not on the cards.

Better Compensation

To protect workers during the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt passed the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938.

By 1956, the U.S. Congress raised the minimum wage many times.

But it wasn’t enough.

Over the years that followed, workers began investing in organized efforts towards pushing the Government to raise the minimum wage.

Protests for the same began early on. It was in 2015 that the “Fight for $15” started as a Fast Food Forward Movement and quickly became a national labour movement.

The pandemic, however, gave more momentum to such protests.

It was as recent as 2021 that workers rallied for pushing the Government to increase the minimum wage to $15/hour.

In 2022, from Swiggy workers in India to Starbucks workers in the United States – everyone protested for increased monthly payments and better working conditions.

2022 also saw a surge in union activity, in many sectors. Employees went on strikes and walkouts in large numbers. Teachers, nurses, doctors, railway workers, and baristas demonstrated work stoppages. Employees and workers in companies like Amazon and Apple filed thousands of petitions to form unions.

Remote and Hybrid work along-with balance and fair compensation seem to be a part of a set of long-term employee asks intensified by the pandemic.

While fair compensation is likely to remain contentious for the long-term, the future of work with remote and hybrid work, and its implication on work-life seem set in the consciousness. The recession following the pandemic has seem businesses adapt to this future. Not just for the employee benefit but also because of the massive boost to their bottom-line by expenditure saved from the second biggest expenditure item – premises and maintenance.

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Every day, more and more benefits or Remote & Hybrid Work are discovered even as more and more problems cropped up.

We were immensely struck by the way in which these problems prevented business’ from harnessing the power of remote and hybrid work.

Some considered Remote and Hybrid Work as an HR issue, some a Technology issue, others an Administrative issue and yet others considered it a Real Estate issue. Remote Work and Hybrid work is all of these yet none of these.

Some organisations set up multi-departmental committees but landed up suffering fractured policies with gaps and inefficiencies cropping up daily.

In reality, most thought of Remote or Hybrid as a description for workplaces. However, it’s more than where you work – it’s how you work.

The departmental structure that most businesses have evolved has served us well. The unfortunate truth, however, is that this structure simply does not allow for cohesive thinking. It is, by design, intended to be segmented by expertise.

As the saying goes, “there had to be a better way”. The Right Way.

With a vision to enable businesses to leverage the vast benefits of Remote and Hybrid Work, we set about making tremendous investments in research and development.

We have identified and studied each of the admittedly many problems of remote and hybrid work (some will surprise you).

Our Re.Motion consulting stack (the first of its kind in the world) is born from this vision to transition companies to Remote & Hybrid Work, the Right Way…

Profitably.

Productively.

Sustainably.

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Myths cause anxiety and paralysis. We must often unlearn so as to dispel anxiety. We start unlearning by dispelling some underlying myths of Remote Work.

Link to article – https://www.financialexpress.com/jobs/remote-working-is-the-same-as-work-from-home-this-and-other-myths-explained/2331355/

The year 2020 has changed the course of modern history but one of its primary outcomes. i.e., the broad adoption of remote work is being held back to some extent by anxiety about how the transition will work out long term. We must learn to identify these specific causes of anxiety, but to learn, we must often start with unlearning. To that end, we dispel some underlying myths of Remote Work.

Myth – Providing employees hardware and a good connection is enough…

Hundreds of typical organizational processes were designed for ‘in-office, cross-desk’ scenarios. Existing transitions simply force-fit these to a remote environment. Hardware does little to smoothen the frustrations this causes and it often feels like having a great car with no road to drive on. A good transition redesigns processes to thrive cohesively and work better in a remote environment.

Myth – Employers are doing a favour to employees…

Businesses save costs, gain multiple profitability boosts, flexibility and speed even as employees use their own resources (from power to hardware to facilities to connectivity to workspace). Employers are not doing a favour.

Myth – Employees are doing a favour to employers…

Employees gain personal time, reduced effort, improved health and quality of life. Disposable incomes improve and health management costs reduce. Employees are not doing a favour.

Employers and employees are simply negotiating a new set of rights and obligations that are mutually beneficial to both parties. No favours involved.

Myth – Remote transitions can be managed internally.

A well-designed remote work transition cuts across finance, statutory law, technology, risk management, process reengineering and automation, people management, readaptation training, law, real estate, space design, labour law, professional licensing, international work visa requirements

Hiring multiple independent professionals may not be ideal because (1) it is costly, (2) they are unlikely to have relevant expertise and (3) they unlikely to be able to work cohesively or see how each piece of the puzzle impacts the other (4) by the time the team is in place, millions have already been lost.

Managing internally is not only risky but likely to prove far more expensive. Businesses should consider hiring a domain expert in remote work to assist in this critical transition.

Myth – Remote Work is the same as Work from Home

 ‘Remote Work’ is an infrastructure that a company invests. ‘Working from Home’ is how most employees have leveraged that infrastructure during the pandemic. Remote Work is a much larger concept. When set up correctly, it supports low-cost and flexible presence across multiple cities, states or countries based on where the right market or customers or even employees are.

Myth – Existing remote work strategy of will continue to work for the future…

The remote work strategy adopted by most organizations in the pandemic was designed around one central aspect – survival.

This aspect was supported in large part by hundreds of dispensations and accommodations from regulators, customers, employees, auditors, statutory authorities, creditors, courts, shareholders and even other businesses. These dispensations will stop. The bar to continue operating in the post-pandemic world will be much higher and existing remote work strategies may not be adequate.

Myth – Some businesses just cannot function remotely…

Some elements of each business are ‘portable’, others aren’t. A factory floor or assembly line cannot be remote but procurement, product design, sales, finance, payroll and customer service teams certainly can. In fact, attempting to co-locate these latter departments with a factory facility may result in the worst of both worlds.

Myth – The main benefit of transition to Remote Work is flexibility for employees …

In addition to immediate profitability improvements, companies get a longer-term profitability boost from increased adaptability, flexibility and ‘improved time to market’.

A business’ strength lies in its people’s talent. When a business is able to source talent from anywhere instead of being stuck to the surrounding 30 odd kilometres, it’s a win-win. A good remote work program must be designed to be state-agnostic to maximize benefits.

Myth – Data security can be managed remotely the same way as earlier…

Data of the business and its customer typically lies on thousands of pieces of hardware. Physical offices provide much security here which will be otherwise absent in a remote environment. Further, a whole class of cyber criminals target this data maliciously. Eventually, governments will also have no choice but to impose fearsome penalties, a trend already quite prevalent.  A well-designed transition program formulates security policies and practices appropriate for Remote Work.

We hope this helps dispel some myths that prevent adaptation to Remote Work. With the inevitability and ubiquity of remote work, businesses will need to transition professional and expertly because the alternatives are

(1) loss of market and cost competitiveness

(2) handing talent poaching power to the competition on a platter

(3) being the target of shareholder ire.

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The uniqueness of the expertise set developed by the firm is fascinating and apt for the times. We met with their Managing Partner, Mr. Nishant Shah

Big benefits await employers and employees in the near future. Remote work has gone from a ‘natural reaction’ in the pandemic times to a ‘natural preference’ for normal times.

But companies are finding that it’s not as easy as simply allowing some of the staff to work from home some of the time. Since companies initially moved to remote work in a hurry, old processes, policies, and expectations often cause issues. Since companies continue to pay for infrastructure existing before the pandemic, some want to revert to old ways to get around these issues. Plus, there is the fear that the forbearance from regulators because of the pandemic will not persist, and gaps will be costly.

That is where firms like Jackstien Practices & Consulting International come in. Jackstien Practices helps companies transition holistically to remote work, reducing cost and risks while increasing profitability and employee retention.

The uniqueness of the expertise set developed by the firm is fascinating and apt for the times. We met with their Managing Partner, Mr. Nishant Shah.

What are some of the variables that a company /normal onlooker would overlook when switching to a remote work model but Jackstien Practices would not?

Some companies have adapted well to using newer technologies, but many aspects are typically missed.

A few of many such aspects that we look into are (a) mix and sustainability of technologies (b) comprehensive organizational framework that accounts for legal, regulatory and statutory issues (c) redesign of processes to suit remote work (d) re-adapting, training and sensitizing people to the new environment (e) an enabling framework to promote collaboration and teamwork in remote environments (f) hardware procurement policies and strategies that are cost, risk, security and taxation friendly

Don’t companies normally adopt a ‘Bring Your Own Device’ policy?

Businesses opting for a use-your-own-device policy typically need to accept the security and productivity risks that come with it. Many businesses, especially in regulated or sensitive areas, don’t accept these risks and instead provide secure, fully managed devices to the employees. These tend to be costly and lead to massively wasted capacity at the same time. In essence, profitability or utility or security is sacrificed at the altar of practicality.

Over time, these costs add up and will start hurting in an industry that will be used to a lower cost base. As we have repeatedly seen, shareholders eventually reward the companies that have shown high levels of cost sensitivity.

Jackstien Practices works in all these elements so that employers and employees get the best of both worlds in terms of cost, utility and productivity.

How is taxation affected?

Since internal policies and controls, employment contracts, expense management policies and procurement policies aren’t geared appropriately, large chunks of legitimate tax benefits are lost by one or both parties in the process. Jackstien Practices restructures and streamlines these aspects.

Can you talk a bit more about the legal, regulatory and statutory aspects?

Regulators and statutory authorities like RBI, SEBI, local municipal corporations and labour law authorities will start reviewing every aspect in the future to ensure that gaps don’t creep into compliance requirements because of the shift to remote work.

For example, think for a moment about locational regulations and controls of RBI and SEBI, shops & establishment licenses of local municipal corporations or labour law compliances of staff working remotely.

Can you expand on the processes and people areas?

Many processes were initially designed for cross-desk environments and even remained manual. Jackstien Practices redesigns whole or part of these processes to suit them to Remote Work, including digitizing or automating certain aspects.

On the people front, while there is incredible flexibility, work-life balance and health benefits, sometimes discipline and professionalism are negatively affected. People also miss the human connection. Businesses, too, need that team spirit for creative thought and collaborative tasks.

Jackstien Practices has designed detailed and scientifically driven change management programs to train and adapt people to the new normal. At the same time, we also structure programs and training to ensure that the human element and team spirit is retained and becomes stronger than ever. We even structure in need for the all-too-important random chance interactions.

Given the extensive remit, how do Jackstien Practices coordinate the transition?

We map and plan transitions over the period of a few weeks to a few months, including dry runs and parallel runs. The transition plan itself is based on the size, preferences, cost structure and talent pool. Detailed transition plans are agreed upon with the senior management before we start the transition.

While we have multiple specialists, clients may also prefer their internal talent pool is integrated into every aspect of the transition.

I personally love the fitment and interplay of the many moving parts, so I remain a part of every transition, irrespective of size.

A senior banker from the complex global markets space, Mr. Nishant Shah has worked for more than two decades across multi-national banks, last at JPMorgan Chase, before taking over as Managing Partner of Jackstien Practices. A Chartered Accountant by education, he has won several prestigious awards during his career.

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