Before discussing the future of work, let’s get to know the concept.
Work From Home was first introduced in 1970 because of the Increase in Gasoline prices in the US.
Later on, many other companies adopted this concept after realizing the benefits. However, this concept rapidly grew worldwide after the spread of COVID-19, and it was hugely successful.
Employees can maintain their personal work-life balance and avoid getting in contact with other people.
Who Preferred the WFH Module?
Gender plays a significant role in remote work preference. On average, 26% of women prefer WFH more than men apply for WFH jobs.
It can benefit them in many ways, including flexibility, spending time with babies (in case of mothers), managing both personal and professional work, safety, saving money, investing more time in work, and more.
The report stated that more than 60% of women want WFH rather than men. As women have more responsibilities in the family, sometimes working from home can be ideal for those women.
Benefits of Giving WFH to Employees
- Time and Cost Saving – Employees can shorten their commute time.
- Maintain Work-Life Balance – Employees can balance both their personal and professional lives.
- Flexibility – Employees can submit their projects according to their preferred time.
- Improved Health – Employees can focus on their health at home.
- Reduces Stress – Stress can be minimized for employees.
- Customized Work Environment – Employees can create their own work environment, which may not be possible in the office.
- Improved Employee Retention – Employees don’t need to worry about location issues or leaving their job because of relocation.
- Solved the Location Issue for Employees – They don’t need to spend much money on traveling to the workplace.
- Cost Saving for Employers – For employers, costs for building maintenance, electricity, and other office-used products will be minimized.
- Talented Employees Within a Comfortable Budget – Due to WFH, many employees are ready to join companies with a lower salary, whereas they would expect a higher salary if commuting was required.
- Women Inclined to WFH – Sometimes talented women need to resign or decline job offers due to location issues. If offered WFH, they can work without a long commute and avoid harassment (which many females face during travel).
Companies also benefit from decreased electricity bills and other operational costs. Additionally, employees are less likely to leave the company due to timing or location issues.
Challenges of WFH That Should Also Be Highlighted
While the benefits of WFH are considerable, we must also address its drawbacks:
- Isolation – Employees sometimes feel isolated while working from home.
- Distraction – Family problems can be a major source of distraction.
- Communication Gap – Due to network or other issues, communication gaps can occur and are a common downside of WFH.
- Data Security – If employees use their own laptops or even office-provided ones, they may steal or share data.
- Network or Technical Issues – During meetings or urgent calls, poor internet performance can cause disruptions.
- Work Can Be Hampered by Various Issues – It may be due to family, children, or poor network connectivity. Sometimes, there’s no one to track how much time an employee is spending on work.
Now let’s discuss the traditional way of working, where employees need to devote 8–9 hours and be physically present in the organization.
Advantages of Working in an In-Office Work Culture
- Strong Team Collaboration – Employees can work together and share their ideas in the office.
- Improved Communication – Face-to-face communication with colleagues and managers helps eliminate communication gaps.
- Mentorship and Training – On-the-job training in the office leads to better results.
- Reduced Cybersecurity Risk – Employees use the office network and systems, which are more secure and can be monitored to prevent data leaks.
- Enhanced Company Culture – Employees can participate in cultural programs, leading to better bonding.
- Performance Monitoring – It’s easier for management to track employees’ performance in the office.
Challenges of Traditional In-Office Jobs
- Limited Flexibility – Employees often experience stressful working hours.
- Increased Commute Time – Sometimes, it takes 2 to 2.5 hours to commute to and from the office, which is very tiring.
- Higher Maintenance Costs for Employers – Employers bear significant costs for maintaining office buildings.
- Increased Risk of Illness Exposure – As seen during COVID-19, illness can easily spread through contact in office environments.
- Limited Access to Talent Due to Location or Commute Issues – Many companies lose potential candidates or employees due to long commutes or undesirable office locations.
Current Working Trends
As per the data for 2023, 13% of employees are working full-time from home, while 28% are working in a hybrid mode. This data indicates significant changes in working patterns.
Industries That Can Adopt WFH Benefits
According to studies, IT companies in India have significantly adopted WFH or hybrid work models. As of January 2024, 17% of IT companies have adopted 100% WFH.
Industries That Cannot Adopt WFH Benefits
Some industries require physical presence and thus cannot adopt WFH models:
- Construction & Engineering – Includes laborers and staff engaged in building projects.
- Hospital & Healthcare Services – Medical staff need to be physically present in hospitals 24/7.
- Research Centers – Research often requires access to specific laboratories.
- Emergency Services – Firefighters, ambulance staff, and other emergency personnel must be on-site.
- Manufacturing Industry – Production requires hands-on presence in factories or plants.
- Hotel Industry – Staff from reception to management must be on-site to serve customers.
- Warehouses – Material loading and unloading must be managed by staff on location.
- Factories – Physical manufacturing of goods cannot be done remotely.
- Banking – Money handling and customer service require in-person interaction.
- Transport Industry – Drivers and logistics personnel must be present to operate vehicles.
- Public Services – Services like police and other essential departments must function on-site.
A Future of Work – The Hybrid Approach
After various research, it has been observed that many companies are not very willing to allow full work-from-home arrangements, as it may hamper the overall quality of business.
Additionally, it is sometimes not possible to track employee performance. On the other hand, employees also feel bored and distracted while working from home for a long time.
It may affect communication and collaboration. Working together in the office premises and working together over the internet are quite different.
Employees may not feel encouraged in an online setup, whereas they may feel more engaged when they see colleagues working together. Hence, the hybrid model is the best or most suitable option for both parties to maintain a positive work culture.
Globally, 16% of companies are fully work-from-home, but 44% of companies do not allow it. A whopping 83% of the global workforce considers the hybrid model to be the most suitable. According to a study of 121 UK companies, 41% of employees adopted the hybrid model as of 2023 data.
As stated in The Hindu magazine published in September 2024, nearly 97% of employees and 98% of employers surveyed by Unispace expressed satisfaction with hybrid working arrangements, compared to the global average of 87%.
According to a study in 2023, 13% of employees were working from home, while 26% were in hybrid mode. In 2024, the percentage in hybrid mode increased to 27%.
As per a survey conducted by CBSE South Asia, 73% of Indian companies considered hybrid working models post-COVID-19.
According to available data, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chennai, and Telangana are working with hybrid modules. Sectors such as IT, new tech startups, and telecommunication have widely adopted this approach.
List of Designations That Can Benefit from the Hybrid Model
- Marketing Professionals – Content Writers, Digital Marketers, Social Media Managers
- IT Professionals – Software Developers, Web Developers and Designers, Data Analysts
- Creative Professionals – UX/UI Designers, Graphic Designers, Video Editors
- Sales Representatives – Account Managers, Business Development Managers
- Finance Professionals – Finance Analysts, Budget Analysts
- Project Managers – Project Leads and Coordinators
- CRM Professionals – Technical Support Specialists
The Future of Work: Why Hybrid is Here to Stay
The future of work is likely to be hybrid, benefitting both employees and employers. This model offers flexibility for employees and advantages for businesses. While full work-from-home may not be feasible for every company, offering both WFH and in-office options is expected to bring positive results. It increases productivity by helping employees balance work-life responsibilities, reduce stress, and avoid daily long commutes.
Benefits of the Hybrid Model
- Flexible Work Arrangement
Hybrid models provide employees with flexibility in their work environment. This approach offers a flexible and positive framework that meets the evolving needs of both employees and businesses. - Enhanced Employee Experience
The hybrid model can create a more engaging and fulfilling work experience by combining the benefits of both working from home and working from the office. - Increased Innovation
The hybrid model can enhance innovation and productivity by allowing employees adequate time and reducing the pressure of rigid schedules. - Attracting and Retaining Top Talent
Hybrid models help businesses attract and retain top talent by offering flexible work arrangements. Employees benefit by not having to commute daily, saving time and reducing stress, which can be redirected toward creativity and productivity.Challenges of the Hybrid Work Model - Managing Equality – It must be implemented in a way that ensures equality and fairness among all employees regardless of their gender, location, and working style.
- Cybersecurity Risk – Businesses have to implement proper cybersecurity systems and adopt robust new technologies to support the hybrid model.
- Adapting to New Technologies – Employers must adopt continuously evolving technologies and tools to support hybrid work modules.
Top Companies’ Strategies for Adopting the Hybrid Model
- Tech Mahindra – Introduced a hybrid model that allows employees to work from both home and office. Employees work from the office only 3 days a week.
- FLEX WaaS – Uses virtualization, enterprise mobility, and context-aware security.
- Korean.AI – Monitors employee productivity and safety without compromising privacy.
This module helps employees feel happy and motivated, with increased productivity.
Along with Tech Mahindra, many more companies have adopted the hybrid mode, including:
- KPMG – Minimum 2–3 working days from the office.
- Deloitte India – Employees can work from home when needed.
- Coca-Cola India – Initiated remote work arrangements, flexible hours, etc.
- Colgate India – 2–3 days from the office.
- ITC – 2 days a week in the office.
HR’s Role in the Hybrid Work Model
Companies adopting the hybrid mode require their HR departments to develop and implement new sets of HR policies to ensure a flexible and hassle-free work environment for all.
HR must adopt new technologies and update their skills to manage hybrid teams efficiently. Enroll in an HR certification program to stay ahead.
- New Policy Creation – Policies should outline remote work schedules, guidelines for using technology, communication expectations, working hours, dress codes for online meetings, etc.
- Employee Engagement – Strategies should help employees engage in activities even while remote, such as participating in online meetings or sharing their artwork, hobbies, etc.
- Performance Management – HR must adopt new technologies to ensure proper assessment for both remote and in-office employees.
- Compliance – HR must stay updated with knowledge regarding remote work laws, data privacy, and labor regulations.
Conclusion
After studying the market, we can conclude that not every industry can adopt the WFH or hybrid mode. Especially laborious work, medical work, banking, emergency services, and research require full-time jobs due to their urgency. However, we also see the growing tendency of many companies adopting the hybrid model when feasible.
This variation depends on the company and industry. For example, IT or software development companies may not need to operate from an office every day; instead, they can provide hybrid models so developers can work on projects freely while having the option for face-to-face meetings when needed. But even in the future, some industries may never adopt WFH or hybrid modules.
So, it’s actually not possible for the world to shift entirely from regular office setups to WFH or hybrid models. Maybe in the future, companies will adopt new tools and technologies to ease workloads, but full abandonment of office culture is not likely.
The future might differ from today, but full-time WFH or hybrid adoption for all industries is unlikely. However, the percentage of hybrid work adoption will definitely increase.
The future is a combination of both work-from-home and in-office work, as both have significant characteristics essential to running a business. The future of work depends on the needs of both the employer and employee. Successful companies will adopt changes that support creativity and productivity while also prioritizing personal well-being.
As a suggestion, a 5-day workweek with 1 or 2 days of WFH could be the most suitable model in the corporate sector—excluding emergency services—offering a balanced advantage for both employers and employees.
