The Future of Work: On-site Work vs Remote Work vs Hybrid Work

Enterprises are discovering new avenues for growth and opportunity because of digital transformation. More industries are adopting digital workplaces and hybrid models to create a more flexible and self-sufficient workforce.  

Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, digital workplaces have transformed the way people collaborate and experience work. More companies are heavily reliant on technology for remote collaboration and operational efficiency. 

According to a study by Deloitte, implementing digital technologies augments the progress towards company goals by 22%. In a rapidly evolving technology-driven ecosystem, digital initiatives are also responsible for creating more sustainable workplaces in 2021 and beyond. 

However, the debate is still going on about whether remote work is better than on-site work, or whether a hybrid workplace model is the best fit for modern enterprises. 

What does the future of work look like? 

In a survey conducted by Accenture, it was identified that 63% of high-revenue companies embrace the concept of hybrid workforce models. This states that most enterprises are keen on streamlining processes using technology that enables more efficient on-site work as well as remote work. 

Ultimately digital transformation is driving industries to adopt new ways of working and upskilling their current workforce to meet future demands. Yet many businesses still rely on on-site workforces which is gradually changing with the introduction of new equipment, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. 

So, what is the difference between on-site work, remote work, and hybrid work? What are the pros and cons? Which workplace solution will determine the future of work? 

To answer these questions, let us understand the pros and cons of each workplace ecosystem.  

1. On-site work 

Working at a location, a worksite or an office can provide a unified experience for the entire workforce. This can foster a physical sense of awareness, discipline, and unity. Most of us are familiar with this type of work as the set standard.  

While some people exclusively prefer on-site work, there are others who find remote work more advantageous. Each type of work has its own pros and cons. 

Pros of on-site work:

• Less distractions from family affairs
• More communication and interaction with colleagues
• Cohesive organizational culture which fosters a sense of purpose
• Access to company assets, facilities, and equipment
• Common, structured routine that enables discipline and productivity

Cons of on-site work:

• Stressful, costly and lengthy commute times 
• Increased overheads for the organization 
• Higher energy costs for the organization and individual 
• Frequent distractions from colleagues and coworkers 
• An exclusive business ecosystem that some may find unfavorable

While on-site work is slowly phasing out in various industries, there is still a large proportion of workers who are required to be on-site to perform certain tasks and functions of the business. Digital disruption will benefit the companies investing in developing technologies to automate strenuous processes.

2. Remote work 

Digital innovation has introduced digital workplaces, which highlights a lot of drawbacks of on-site workplace models. With the rise of technology, it became easier for people to work and collaborate remotely. 

Research by Owl Labs revealed that 16%of the companies globally are already 100% remote. Another study by CoSo Cloud recorded that 77%of remote workers report being more productive when they work from home. 

A parallel survey by Intuition also revealed that 47% of employers surveyed will permit employees to work remotely post-pandemic.  

Remote work is gaining prominence in numerous industries across various business verticals.  

Pros of remote work: 

• Higher levels of productivity
• Freedom to work anywhere and at any time
• Save time and costs on commute More family time and personal time
• Less distractions from coworkers Virtual collaboration 

Cons of remote work: 

• Social isolation and related problems
• Lack of interaction with the outside world
• Often results in communication gaps between teams

Remote work trends picked up during the global pandemic of COVID-19, where many companies introduced remote work practices and policies.  

3. Hybrid work 

Notably, key players in the IT and FinServ industries are determined to continue remote work post the pandemic. However, operations reliant on on-site workers will have to find a new and inventive workplace solution. That’s why hybrid workplaces can revolutionize the future of work. 

In a survey by Stanford, 55% of workers prefer to spend some time at office and some time at home during work. 25% preferred working from home permanently, while only 20% said they want to work on-site full-time. 

Hybrid work models vary from company to company. In many cases, employees are offered flexible work hours and remote work opportunities while a percentage of the workforce works on-site. This system is alternated depending on the business requirements. 

Pros of hybrid working: 

• Employees have the freedom of remote work
• During on-site workdays, employees can get to know their coworkers better
• Companies can curb overhead costs by deploying hybrid workplace solutions

Cons of hybrid working: 

• Division between on-site and remote workers in the same organization
• Collaboration between two teams may be negatively impacted
• Managers and leaders may prefer teams they work with often, rather than a cohesive work culture

The hybrid work model includes the many advantages of both on-site and remote workplace solutions. Yet every enterprise has its own goals. A hybrid model works best when the solution is designed for business-specific outcomes.  

Are Hybrid Workplaces the Future of Work? 

To materialize the hype around what the modern workplace will be like, experts at Technovert conducted an independent study on LinkedIn. 

The poll asked respondents to pick their preferred type of work. 47% of voters opted for Hybrid work while 36% chose Remote work and 17% preferred Working from office. 

LinkedIn Poll results

Realizing that hybrid workplaces are a top preference by most voters, reflects changing employee expectations and their recent experiences.

Majority of the voters who prefer a hybrid workplace understand the benefits of on-site work and vouch for the flexibility of remote work. Combining the two workplaces is the logical solution. The impact of hybrid workplaces will speed up innovation at every level of enterprise in the coming years. This will change the way we work and thus our perception of work as a whole. 

Digital transformation is reinventing the way we work

Digital transformation has made way for technology that enables seamless workplace experiences that are flexible, adaptable and highly scalable. 

According to Gartner, 87% of senior executives believe that digitalization is an organizational priority. Digital initiatives will determine the progressive nature of technology adoption in every office across the world.  

For businesses to make better decisions, it is important to understand how various types of workplace solutions can impact their operational efficiency, and organization’s culture. Digital workplace solutions that are tailored to the unique demands of enterprises can map the growth and opportunity for companies of all sizes. 

The future of work is tech-driven workflow and flexible workplace policies, widely sought after by conglomerates and SMBs alike.