Flexible / hybrid working models might be here to stay post-COVID, research suggests

Flexible, hybrid or combined working models will likely be the way forward for the majority of companies moving forward in the post-COVID world, recent research has been able to suggest.

Under the current government guidance, it is very likely that work-from-home (WFH) will continue at least until the summer of 2021. However, even past that, a full "back to the office" approach is unlikely for most companies, with the vast majority opting for rota-based systems or hybrid models in order to enforce staff's social distancing on the premises.

In fact, preliminary data from the Harvey Nash Tech Survey 2021 found technology companies may need to hugely roll back on office spaces as the majority of workers surveyed had said they preferred to WFH.

Specifically, 79% of tech workers wanted to continue working three to five days from home after the pandemic, and up to 95% when asked about working two to five days from home.

Ultimately, numerous companies have been drawing up plans for future working practices, but many are yet to actually set a date for when employees can return to site. The majority also seem to favour a shift from being in the office full time to a hybrid model where staff split their time between working from home and working in the office.

Tensor — Supplying You All the Tools You Need for Remote Workforce Management

Tensor's attendance management software can aid businesses in maintaining social distancing.

Arrival times can be staggered to avoid crowding in entranceways and long queues. The shift selection system can assign fixed or flexible shifts as required to employees as they clock in.

Shift assignment allows rostering of staff based on skills and headcounts within a shift, section, cost centre or department. The software will advise if you will drop below your preferred level of cover and this is configurable on any given day.

Employee lunch and break patterns can be monitored and reported on using Tensor.NET, enabling administrators and managers to spot any potential 'hot spots' and act accordingly.

Entering and exiting the site can also be made contactless. Automatic door openers can be controlled by contactless exit buttons, and clocking can be carried out via by radio-frequency smartcards.

Health Monitoring

Fifty-two percent of workers surveyed by Salesforce said that they were comfortable sharing their health data and contact information with employers to keep their workplace safe.

Tensor.NET software offers administrator functionality to keep track of all hybrid employees' status and keep them safe. Options include "Self-isolating," "In Lockdown," "Tested Positive/Negative." Click here for a detailed guide on how to forbid site access for specific absence reasons.

The Tensor remote clocking app also has a setting where any employees who are travelling abroad can notify the company. This enables managers and health and safety staff to make informed decisions. There is more information about that here.

Daily health checks can be carried out in the form of a facial recognition system with contactless temperature monitoring.

This software conducts rapid, contactless preliminary temperature screenings which are accurate to within half a degree. Any results higher than the set threshold temperature generate an audio and/or visual alert.

This can prevent the person's continued access on site as well as notify the health & safety officers within the organisation.

If you are looking at creating a hybrid workplace, either in the short-term or the long-term, and would like to know more about any of our products, please get in touch.

We provide online product demos, as well as online training once products are purchased, so that no unnecessary physical contact will take place. Our engineers are following a strict social distancing policy during the COVID19 pandemic.