The Joker has an iconic line in the movie, The Dark Knight: “I know the truth. There’s no going back. You’ve changed things. Forever.”

Weird reference? Maybe. But, much like the characters in the movie, we’re living in bizarre and turbulent times, so it’s also oddly fitting.

And that line applies pretty fittingly to the pandemic's impact on the working world.

As the dust settles and the world goes back to work, it's left a lot of people wondering what the new normal looks like.

By many estimates, we’re moving towards a hybrid work model.

Here’s what you need to know. 

What is the Hybrid Working Model?

Pre-pandemic, the standard operating model for office work was that everyone was expected to be in the office, on the clock, from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

The pandemic came along and shook up the status quo. In the course of a few short months, COVID-19 threw that old model out the window.

Because, where many organizations and professionals had long been reluctant to embrace any sort of remote employment, all of a sudden they had no choice.

Remote work mandates meant that organizations of all sizes were forced to pivot, update their processes and systems, and send employees home into a strange and uncertain new working world.

And a funny thing happened: many organizations did in three months what it might otherwise have taken five years to implement, and it actually worked.

In fact, productivity stayed level across the board and even improved in many cases. More than 80% of organizations now say the shift to remote work has been successful. And (hold onto your seats!) less than one in five executives want to return to the office the way it was pre-pandemic.

The facts are clear: there’s no going back. The pandemic has changed things forever. And looking ahead, you can expect to see a hybrid work model that focuses less on rigid work schedules and more on flexibility for employees to work when, where, and how they’re most productive. 

This might mean working from home some days, having an office to go to on other days, and operating in a way that prioritizes work-life balance, and this is incredible news for both organizations and employees.

How Organizations Benefit from a Hybrid Work Model

Globally, the fear of remote work seems to be evaporating. Massive organizations like Amazon, Facebook, Hubspot, Adobe, Microsoft, Capital One, and many, many others have made the switch to permanent remote or hybrid work.

And it’s all because they stand to benefit in a ton of ways, including:

• Reduced overhead costs associated with operating one (or many) large-scale offices
• The ability to tap into top talent without being hindered by geographical boundaries
• Equal or improved productivity among staff and teams
• Higher levels of employee satisfaction reducing employee turnover costs

And that last point is crucial because the connection between happy employees and strong business performance have been well-documented.

Why Hybrid Work is a Game-Changer for Employees

In the minds of many people, the rigidity of the traditional office model sucked. Plain and simple.

For one thing, it often meant work dominated life. And for another, it didn’t necessarily cater to when and how people worked best.

That’s why, for a lot of employees, the hybrid work model is a game-changer because it’s all about:

• Cutting back on commute times and getting more of their personal lives back
• Having the ability to be in a social, inspiring, collaborative environment when they need it and having the option to work from home when it’s convenient 
• Building stronger trust between them and their employers
• Reducing their potential exposure to workplace illnesses--a common concern in today’s climate
• Being able to work in a way that’s focused on output rather than hours spent in the office
• Having the flexibility to handle personal tasks during business hours when they need to

The ultimate outcome of these benefits? Workers are more inspired to help support the success of their organization because they feel valued and trusted. 

And that’s a win-win.

The truth is there’s no going back. The pandemic has changed things. Forever.

And while it's had significant negative impacts across the world, at least there's one potential silver lining: the professional world may have undergone a much needed and long-overdue evolution in its wake.

Why Coworking Spaces are the Perfect Hybrid Solution

If there's one thing the pandemic taught us, clear as day, it's that working from home simply does not work for everyone.

If you live by yourself in a spacious home, with a productive workspace, reliable wifi and no distractions (and you happen to not care too much about human interaction), then you might thoroughly enjoy it.

But for a large number of people, especially those living in dense urban centres like Toronto, working from home, frankly, sucks.

And there are countless reasons why this might be the case:

• Not having enough space to setup a proper office
• Distractions like partners, roommates or pets
• Unreliable, slow or shared wifi
• Lack of community or social interaction
• Lack of meaningful routine (bed to desk lifestyle)

All of these factors can lead to reduced productivity, a lack of motivation, damage to personal relationships and even mental health issues.

Simply put, you want your employees to be happy, have a routine they enjoy and, ultimately, be performing their job to the best of their ability.

And that's where coworking comes in.

Maybe some employees need to access a workspace every day. Maybe some just once or twice per week. Everyone is different, and coworking spaces can offer this kind of extreme flexibility, typically on friendly month-to-month terms. On top of that, by plugging your employee into an active community of supportive, like-minded people, you're keeping them happy and, by extension, performing at their best.

So, if you’re an employee and you’ve found yourself in a newly-hybrid work scenario, or if you’re an employer with a newly-remote team and you’re looking for ways to support this hybrid way of working, you might want to consider finding a local coworking space for them to work at. 

In other words: Be the employer your team deserves... and the one they need right now.

At Project Spaces, we've crafted our Community Memberships to be a perfect solution for hybrid teams! You can choose from 2, 5, 10 or 20 day passes per month (not every employee needs to be on the same plan). Those day passes can be used 24/7 at both our King West and Camden Street locations.

If you’re interested to learn more, get in touch today!

We’d love to show you around.