Hybrid Work: A Winning Strategy

In 2020, the habits of a large majority of employees changed dramatically as they had to start working from home virtually overnight. Quebecers realized several things during this period of adaptation, from the surprising efficiency of working from home and the now superfluous office spaces, all the way to the precious extra minutes of sleep in the morning and the absence of time wasted commuting in traffic. Besides, let's be honest here, who doesn't like to work in their pajamas?

The pandemic has changed the way we think about work and has allowed many interesting ideas to emerge from the minds of employees and employers. According to an article in the French-language newspaper La Presse, 44% of people who started working from home during the pandemic, and who had at least one family member working from home with them, would choose to maintain a hybrid work schedule in the future. That's a lot of people!

Remote Work vs. Hybrid Work

Before we go any further, do you know the difference between remote and hybrid work? While remote work implies that you spend 100% of your time working remotely, hybrid work is more flexible.

“Hybrid work allows an employee to split their working hours between remote work and in-office work.”

This is therefore the best of both worlds. Quiet days at home AND team-building days at the office sound good to you? Read on.

The (Many) Advantages of Hybrid Work

If you're anything like us, hybrid work is the ideal solution to accommodate the changing needs of employees. With its flexible schedule and reduced travel requirements, this work style offers a great balance, saving you time and money while also allowing you to maintain social contact with your team every week.

More specifically, hybrid work allows you to take the time to drive your kids to school in the morning, to start a load of laundry at lunchtime, or to get a head start on your dinner prep. Ultimately, you get a better quality of life and you perform better at work. Because, let's face it, seeing your colleagues only a few days a week encourages you to share and use this quality time to move your projects forward, while work time at home is usually dedicated to focusing on tasks that require little or no interference.

The Key Benefits of Hybrid Work

Here's a quick overview of the many benefits of this modern lifestyle:

• More time in the morning and at night
• Less time spent commuting
• A lunch break, with food you can make fresh every day
• A better work/life balance
• The opportunity to create better connections with your team
• The chance to switch things up once in a while
• The practicality of making appointments on work-from-home days
• Overall, it means more flexibility on a daily basis!

Need we really say more?

What the Comunika Employees Think about Hybrid Work

At Comunika, we've implemented a hybrid work style for all our employees. Here's what they have to say about it.

Camille Gaumond, Junior Web Designer and Integrator

With this hybrid model, I was able to get to know my team, build relationships, and develop a sense of belonging within the company, all while feeling like my week was cut in half. I save a lot of time on days I don't travel, which allows me to be better rested, schedule classes/activities, etc. I love it!

François Provost, President of Comunika

I appreciate the days spent in the office: I get to see people! The synergy and efficiency is through the roof, but I also enjoy being able to focus on certain types of projects when I'm at home. It's a great mix.

We're now able to work in spite of any setback, whether it be a small cold, a storm, an appointment, or something else—we still manage to get everything done! Thanks to hybrid work, remote communications are also much more efficient, both with our clients and our freelancers.

Elyse, Account Manager

Hybrid work allows me to set aside time to do work that requires more concentration at home and time for teamwork on office days. I can sleep in a little later on days when I'm working from home and I always take time to work out during my lunch hour on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Mathieu Gauthier, Web Developer

I now spend way less time in traffic in the car, and I can schedule time to do my chores during work days at home. Hybrid work is a really great combination! Plus, I save a lot of money on gas and I can get out to enjoy some fresh air and stretch my legs during the day.

Hybrid Work: So Much Better than Remote Work

Finally, in addition to saving you time and money and providing you with focus sessions at home, hybrid work doesn't have the drawbacks of remote work.

We know that remote work is nice for many reasons, but there comes a time when you can't stand looking at the same four walls anymore. And that's not to mention the lack of human contact and social interaction! While we all love being at home, being able to brainstorm and chat with your colleagues in person—breaking the barrier of the computer screen and taking a break from virtual meetings—feels really good.

Hybrid work is definitely the best compromise as it offers all the benefits of office work and remote work without any of the drawbacks. In addition, each one of our employees can choose the balance that best suits them. And, as our President, François Provost, says, the team is much more resilient now and the unexpected no longer prevents us from doing what's on the agenda.

So, did we convince you that embracing hybrid work is the smart thing to do? 😉