Cast your mind back to 2020. We were mostly all working from home, slipping into our slippers, pitching up at our kitchen tables, and half-home-schooling during every free moment we weren’t leaning into Chris Witty updates. Then came the great return to the office… with some excitement and equal amounts of trepidation.

In the time that had passed, things had changed. Businesses were forced to acknowledge that working from home couldactually be productive with the right home office set-up and mix of face-to-face contact thrown in. And so, hybrid working came to be the new norm – the blend of working from home and occasionally going into the office to enjoy the best of both worlds.

But even so, not everyone is convinced. Which is why we’ve put these eight life-affirming reasons together, why hybrid working is the workplace trend 2022 will be remembered for. Let’s go!

1. The data tells us so

Perhaps the most significant indication that hybrid working is here to stay is the latest statics.

Hybrid working post-covid is now so popular, that according to the government, 84% of workers who had to work from home during the pandemic planned to carry out hybrid working in the future.

2. It’s a lifestyle thing

Of course hybrid working from home is something parents, especially mothers, have been campaigning about for a while now. Flexible working to fit around school drop-offs and pick-ups allows parents to have a better home-life balance, and be there for precious moments that our own mums and dads missed out on. For many of us, there’s no turning back, it’s the change that we’ve long-wanted and needed. 

3. No-one wants to commute

Regardless of age or background, there seems to be one constant that unites us all: no-one wants to commute. Whether you’re a Baby Boomer or Gen-X , the thought of squashing onto a packed train, or being stuck in a traffic jam is something we’re glad to see the back of. Hybrid working still affords employees the opportunity to go into an office, with all the benefits that

working from home jobs present – like, not sitting in traffic or tolerating your co-worker’s daily leftovers. And frankly, we’re here for it! 

4. We’re home-office ready

Thanks to the pandemic, we’ve all had to take hybrid working from home seriously. This meant investing in decent office equipment. For most of us, it started with beautifying and upscaling our limited home space with essentials like large desk mats and ergonomic chairs. Today many of us are well-equipped with printers and monitor stands too, saving companies thousands of pounds in having to furnish the home-office. As such, there’s no excuse not to let home workers enjoy the benefits of hybrid working – we’re all set up for it.

5. The face of business is changing

As the old adage goes, in order to thrive businesses must adapt. This means changing with the times and responding to the market. The tide has turned, and today 80% of businesses have adopted hybrid working since it achieved a ‘sweet spot’ for workers – the greatest indication yet that hybrid working from home is here to stay.

6. Digital technology has come of age

Granted, hybrid working might not be a new concept, but the reason it has taken off now and not before, is because it’s finally possible to. Thanks to advances in hardware and software, as well as an uprising of stylish home office equipment, technology can recreate the office environment at home. In simple terms, the world is ready.

7. Because we need human interaction

Initially, in the wake of Covid-19, the industry thought that working from home jobs would be the new norm. They were wrong. While the two year office hiatus showed us that remote working is entirely do-able and productive, it also taught us the essential need to be amongst each other. Colleagues didn’t want to work at home exclusively, nor did they want to return to the nine-to-five. The fine balance struck by hybrid working emerged as the forerunner, and today remains the choice of working, serving the best of both in one handy hybrid model.

8. For the cost benefits

In these penny-pinching times, we’ve all had to be more conscious of spend. Hybrid working is a smart way to curb spend for both employee and employer.  Most small to medium size businesses realise they can operate out of a scaled back office, or co-working space – cutting back on expensive overheads. For the employee, the money saved from commuting and associated office costs (socialising, lunches), is also beneficial. It’s a rare win-win for everyone.

Are you one of the many employees in a working from home job? Kit your home office out at blankspace.co.uk – an online store designed for professionals.