The importance of flexibility at work has become only second to salary for job seekers.
Since more and more people can work from home nowadays, many applicants intentionally seek out hybrid-type positions. When your job allows you to work hybrid, it helps separate your work and personal life. This allows you to pursue your personal goals more easily, so job seekers today desire hybrid positions. If this is you and you’re currently looking for a job, here are some things to look for when you want a hybrid position.
Is their take on hybrid working published?
When you find an interesting position, and it claims to be hybrid, check out the company that posted the job. Research their website and social media to see if they’ve posted anything about their hybrid work environment. Do they seem excited about it? Do they implement strategies for production? Also, look at if any information is posted about them online or if they’ve had any news articles written about their work environment.
What is their idea of a hybrid position?
Even though the general definition of a hybrid position is to work some days in the office and some from home, every company has a different policy regarding this kind of work setup. When applying for a position, you should look for the company’s approach to hybrid working. For example, do they do a split-week schedule where some employees work in-office one part of the week while others work the other hours? Or do they follow a flex-time model where as an employee, you get to choose which days you work in-office?
What technologies do they use?
Technology is key to a company’s success when it comes to a hybrid work schedule. If you’re applying for a position that says it’s remote, look for what they say about what software and apps they use to ease communication among employees. In fact, tune into how important workplace collaboration is in general. How often do team members check in with each other? Are these meetings required or optional? Companies with good policies will have a plan when it comes to how employees interact and work together, rather than leaving each employee to fend for themselves.
Bottom line, you don’t want to assume what an employer means by the term “hybrid working.”
What you’re looking for in this kind of setup could be entirely different than how the company operates. Do as much research as you can online and see if you can find any current or previous employees who can give you firsthand experiences. Then, come prepared when you are interviewed with specific questions that tell you whether or not the work environment is right for you.
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