Hybrid working has been the saving grace for many of us, and fortunately, technology has given us the freedom to decide when, where, and how we connect.
Whilst some businesses operated using a hybrid model before the pandemic, COVID-19 accelerated the transition for most organizations.
From the offset, people felt like they had more options when working from home. They had the flexibility to live their life alongside work and the two sides of life didn’t seem to be, at times, so jarringly disconnected.
Currently, 58% of all US companies offer the opportunity for hybrid work which is equivalent to 92 million people from a cross section of jobs and employment types.
Arguably, this has been a revolutionary shift.
A new study has revealed that not only is hybrid working making us more productive and focussed but it is also making us healthier.
So, what does the research say?
A report published in March 2023 has unveiled that hybrid work is benefitting hybrid workers even more, making their overall mental and physical wellbeing better.
In the US alone, the average American was spending over 330 hours per year commuting to work which equates to nearly 14 days, or 2 whole weeks, spent commuting.
So, hybrid work has returned 330 hours of lost time back to the workforce. Based on this statistic it isn’t surprising that the idea of going back to work in an office isn’t as appealing as it once perhaps was.
The report has stated that on average, the hybrid worker is getting an extra 4.7 hours of exercise a week, compared to 3.4 hours before the pandemic. Whilst this might not seem like a lot, physical exercise is a crucial element for being healthier. Being physically active can help not only improve your brain health but also help to reduce risk of disease.
The study also revealed that people are getting more sleep, with roughly 72 hours gained each year. Sleep is arguably one of the most important factors of being healthy. Doctors and health professionals recommend that Adults are getting around 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
Sleep deficiency (reoccurring lack of sleep for example 4 hours of sleep a night) is linked to many chronic health problems, such as heart disease and depression, therefore making sure you are getting enough sleep is paramount.
Within the report, it was also concluded that hybrid workers are eating healthier, with 70% of hybrid workers saying that they have more time to prepare their own meals, with 54% of hybrid workers eating more nutritiously (fruit and vegetables).
How does this translate into the business landscape?
It is of no surprise that hybrid working makes hybrid workers healthier. With sleep, exercise, and nutrition better – what could be more ideal?
Whilst your employees might be healthier (which is important of course) many business leaders want to know how the individual benefits of hybrid work will translate into the business landscape.
Firstly, hybrid work has seen to deliver a massive boost in productivity. 79% of Hybrid workers have said that post pandemic they feel more productive because of less work-related stress and the ability to have down time to recover from the working day.
Whilst some workplaces might see stress as a good thing – higher levels of adrenaline, meaning higher boosts of energy – stress seriously impacts performance and productivity, and not in a good way. For example, it can lead to employees feeling tired, burnt out as well as anxious and depressed.
So, the ability for hybrid workers to have a boundary between life and work, the ability to get rid of the adrenaline build up by exercising, and the ability to rest even more after a stressful day has meant that companies have seen an increase in growth due to more productive employees.
Secondly, employees are feeling more aligned to their jobs and their companies. They are feeling more trusted at work which has seen, employees working more when they can. Overall, may companies have seen an increase in attrition and a boost in company culture.
Finally, companies are saving costs. With office spaces not being used as much due to hybrid work, companies have been able to downsize and re-budget. Meaning there is money left over for their employee benefit programmes and to invest in their company via different routes.
As CEO of IWG, Mark Dixon, states:
“This study confirms what we have been seeing for a while now – how hybrid working is building and maintaining a healthier and happier workforce by reducing the need for long daily commutes. Offering hybrid working is such an important and easy way for businesses to put their employees first by freeing up their time and giving them greater control over their schedules. Organizations that have adopted hybrid working are not only seeing healthier and happier workforces, but more engaged and productive teams.”
What solutions can help your team stay connected when hybrid working?
For business leaders, hybrid work can be a scary concept. How can I connect with my teams in a human way? How can I create and collaborate with my team when we’re not in person?
However, hybrid work doesn’t need to be that difficult to implement and execute. When using the right technology, it is possible to trust your staff. It is possible to connect human to human and, it is possible to create and collaborate.
This is where Jugo comes in.
Jugo builds spaces for virtual experiences that reimagine how people and teams connect, collaborate, and create. <
Jugo is on a mission to put the feeling of real, human engagement at the heart of every virtual connection, making everybody feel more connected, immersed, and inspired in the digital world than ever before.
To conclude, yes hybrid work makes your employees healthier. The science is fact and indisputable.
Not only will hybrid work make your employees wellbeing better, but it will also positively impact your business and the way it operates. However, it is imperative to make sure that your employees are equipped with the right technologies to be able to work from home and/or remotely.
Using Jugo bring the power of real human interaction back into the digital world. Click here for a demo and for us to show you how we can help you unlock the power of hybrid work.
