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1st Draft 2
1.0 Introduction
Due to the emergence of the Covid 19 global pandemic, hybrid work systems gained increased
popularity in the management of work. Hybrid work system places major focus on managing
employee performance and organizational development. A lot of companies were forced to
adjust by doing work remotely and following laws requiring social distance. When an employee
works remotely, they do their business from a place other than their regular office. This research
proposal therefore seeks to assess the impact of hybrid working system on employee productivity
using a Case study of National Foods Private Limited, Harare. In this chapter a background of
the study will be given, the problem statement identified, research objectives and research
questions will also be outlined. The limitations of study, definition of terms and organization of
the study will be looked into. A brief literature review will be given as well as the research
methodology used for this study.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) was discovered for the first time in 2020 and was subsequently
proclaimed a global pandemic (Beno, 2021).These adjustments required both companies and
employees to quickly adapt to a new style of working, which resulted in enormous changes in the
world of work. Working from home has become the new standard overnight, replacing the
previous practice of working from the office, according to Franklin (2020). This new way of
working has now evolved into a new style of working in which businesses frequently utilize a
blend of remote and on-site labor.
The Coronavirus Disease COVID-2019 is a global public health crisis which resulted in
lockdowns and disruptions to many businesses and people’s livelihoods across the world,
(Muhammad, et al 2020). The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic landscape,
employment and the way people work have been far-reaching. (Collings, MacMackin, Nyberg
and Wright 2021) highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic is a human crisis. As such, Human
Resources managers remain central and are pivotal to the response in organizations globally.
Gumbo (2020), argues that Covid-19 amplified the role of HR. The development contrasted with
previous crisis like the global recession of 2008–09 which accentuated the roles of finance and
IT leaders, respectively. Therefore, employees are a strategic asset of any organization that needs
to be well managed, preserved, motivated and retained, (Elsafty and Ragheb, 2020).
Hybrid work arrangements, which allow workers to split their time between working primarily in
an office setting and doing remote work, are becoming more and more popular on a worldwide
scale (Teevan, Cutter, 2021). After the epidemic ends, according to (Barero et al. 2022), 20% of
complete global days will be provided from home, up from 5% previously. Other businesses
have announced plans for additional flexibility, while some businesses and employees are
exploring more restrictive work-from-home arrangements that only let employees to do so one or
two days per week. Recent studies have found that remote work has the potential to change cities
and the spatial distribution of the workforce (Choudhury, 2020; Eisen, 2019; Poleg, 2022). This
finding is similar to the theory put forth at the beginning of the twenty-first century with the
advent of the Internet and rising computer use. However, influential voices continue to be
dubious about the utility of mixed work systems. Concerns regarding how remote work night
significantly affects the creation of creative work if workers connect with fewer coworkers are
echoed in a recent article by Yang et al (2021). This begs the question of whether a shift to
hybrid work would be detrimental to internal communication inside the company and/or the
other novelties of job production.
Governments all throughout the world made steps to lessen the effects of COVID-19 to varied
degrees. Public agencies continued to deliver vital, needed services in the middle of the storm.
Employees in the public sector are expected to carry out their responsibilities as public servants
by directly responding to a crisis or provide the urgently required government services, claims
Mann (2014). Additionally, the pandemic put companies in a particularly challenging position
since they had to deal with not only a severe economic slump but also a serious health and safety
problem that required them to take extreme measures to safeguard their workers from the virus
(Elsafty and Ragheb, 2020).However, the majority of wealthy countries soon sought out cheap
methods of assuring business continuity thanks to their 4IR (Carla, 2022).
In Asia, a study done by Bienkowska, Koszela, Salamacha and Tworek (2022) revealed that
companies used a combination of Hard strategies related to the financial aspects and soft HRM
strategies related to keeping employees well-being during the Covid-19 crisis. According to
Azzizi (2022), the spread of COVID-19 created disruption, uncertainty, complexity and
ambiguity in all organizations. It was therefore imperative for HR practitioners to manage
employees sustainably by reviewing the organizational strategy. Mann (2014) opines that, people
are the primary asset of any organization and help achieve their goals. Henceforth, in order to
reduce or contain the spread of SARS-COV-2, many employers implemented public health and
Human Resource Management strategies such as flexible working hours, working from home,
social distancing, facemask wearing and hand hygiene practices, (Goodman, French, & Mann,
(2020).
Numerous conceptual and numerical studies have been carried out which attempt to explain the
changes brought by COVID-19 to the work environment. However, no substantial previous
studies have been conducted on the employees’ perspective on assessing the impact of hybrid
working system on employee productivity at National Foods Private Limited in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic. Research evidence suggest that most studies focused on public sector
response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the health, economic and social sectors without focusing
on private sector organizations. This research therefore seeks to bridge that gap by looking at the
impact of hybrid working system on employee productivity.
National Foods Private Limited has been facing a problem of reduced profits and a reduction in
employee productivity ever since the Covid pandemic was first reported in Wuhan 2019.
Additionally, the capacity of organizational leaders to govern and lead their enterprises has been
hindered by quickly evolving technology. Historically, organizational leaders had the chance to
directly address the needs and problems of employees who worked close to their offices and
received face-to-face monitoring and management. However, the new working structure brought
about by the emergence of Covid 19 is continuously hampering management’s efforts to monitor
productivity levels at National Foods Private Limited. Today's workplace is a hybrid setting that
includes both on-site and remote workers, however due to the diverse working conditions,
National Foods employees have distinct engagement requirements. The COVID-19 pandemic,
has further crippled the performance of the organisation since it has been ushered into an
unprecedented recession. It is against this background that the researcher saw it imminent to
carry out a study on hybrid work system and employee productivity at National Foods Private
limited.
The main objective of the study was o assess the impact of hybrid working system on employee
productivity.
1. What is the impact of the Hybrid working system on employee productivity arrangements
at National Foods Private Limited?
2. What are the views of the employees regarding the implementation of Hybrid working
initiatives at National Foods Private Limited?
3. What are the challenges associated with the implementation of the Hybrid working
system in an organization?
1.6 Significance of study
1.6.1 National Foods Private Limited
The study will be of significance to National Foods Private Limited since strategies which
enhance effective use of the hybrid work system will be discussed. The company will also be in a
better position to improve employee productivity and ultimately maximise stakeholder value.
National Foods private limited company will also be in a better position to implement
appropriate Human Resources Management strategies which improves employee performance
for competitive advantage.
The study will be a repository to scholars and students who will also benefit by drawing some
knowledge from this additional body of knowledge in the field of Human Resources
Management.
The research is of paramount importance to the student for it will afford the student a chance to
acquire a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Human Resources Management. The research will
also equip students with HR policy writing skills.
The research study will be confined to National Foods Private Limited, Harare branch only. This
means other National foods subsidiaries are outside the scope of the research. The research is
also limited to the period stretching 2016-2021. The period is sufficient enough to assess the
impact of hybrid work systems on employee productivity.
Hybrid working system: Workforce that is partially dispersed across many sites and partially
based in conventional industrial and cubicle settings is referred to as a hybrid working system.
Accordingly, flexibility and choice are features of this working paradigm (Hilberath et al., 2020).
In addition, it has been described by (Cook et al., 2019) as a system that combines a physical
work arrangement and a remote work system, meaning that some people operate physically on
the premises of the company or organization while others do so online. Hybrid working system is
a method where the majority of employees execute their work even if they are absent from the
work premise, they can conduct their work through internet, phone calls and other forms of
communication.
This chapter mainly covered the introduction, background of the study, statement of the
problems, research objectives, research questions, study delimitations and definition of key terms
that were be used mostly in this research. The following chapter discussed the literature review
in relation to the current subject.
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction
This chapter focuses on a review of related literature. The study will be based on the
Contingency theory which states that there is no best way of organizing and leading a business
and decisions are often made on contingent and circumstance (Eriksson & McConnell, 2017).
The study’s theoretical framework will also be supported by the business continuity approach.
The study also looked at the conceptual framework as well as the empirical review.
Hybrid work is a working system that is flexible in allowing workers to work in office
environment and other times work from home. In light of Zhou, Bai & Sun (2014) hybrid system
is flexible in allowing employees to choose how they work and when they can to office which
works best for them and the companies’ policy. Hybrid system is different from traditional
system that requires all the employees to be at work from 9am to 5pm even the employees that
works best during the night they would be forced to work during the night. Hybrid systems
enables people to work where they best perform either during the day or night (Spitzhirn, Benter,
Heindl, Scheder, Reisinger, Strohmeier, & Behrendt.. 2022)). This system enhances better work-
life balance to their employees and thereby drives productivity together with employee
engagement at work thereby improves efficiency of the operation of the businesses as a result.
The flexibility of the hybrid working system gives room for a variety of different work schedules
such as hybrid at-will, hybrid split-week, hybrid manager-scheduling as well as hybrid mi
(Ochiai, M., & Ryu, S, 2008). Hybrid at-will system enables employees to choose the days
which they come to the office. In hybrid split-week, the company itself creates a schedule on for
the working days of the employees on the offices and at home. In light Burke (2007) hybrid
manager-scheduling system authorizes the managers to decide when their teams comes into the
office. Lastly the hybrid mix method is a combination of the three above options. The company
chooses the system that work best for them to bring maximum results for them.
The Hybrid working system was used by a few companies but most companies have adopted it
after seeing its efficiency and impact in employee productivity on the company (Ochiai & Ryu..
2008). Hybrid working allows employees to choose work locations they prefer, giving
employees the ability to craft their workplace schedule according to their desires as well as
balancing with personal aeries which works to improve their productivity levels. Kamar (2016)
reviewed that hybrid system enables for the company to employ more specialized employees and
they can bring more produce to the company as some will be working at office others will be at
home doubling productivity they should acquire if they were to use the traditional method.
According to PwC (2022) remote and hybrid models have boosted in terms of productivity in
many workforces, with 57% of companies being reported that their organizations had have gone
beyond their targets over the past 12 months since they adopted to hybrid working system. A
report by Edgerton’s study that sampled 1000 full-time employees revealed that 66% of workers
have improved in mental health, physical activity, and better work-life balance as a result of the
Ergoton’s study. This have however improved the productivity of the company and efficiency of
the employees (Bhatti & Qureshi …2017).
In of the president of Prodoscore, David Powell, reports of their data highlights that an effective
employee in an office setup will be effective at home. Prodoscore evaluated more than 105
million data points from 30,000 U.S.-based Prodoscore users during pandemic work-from-home
period and noticed 5% productivity rate. This report has helped for employers to have trust on
their employees that they will continuously perform well working at home where there is no one
to supervise them which has enhanced more companies to adopt it. In light of (Kamar, 2016)
employees perform more when they needs are meet and when they are happy with working
system. Mitchell, Ozminkowski, & Serxner (2013) support this by highlighting that there’s a
narrow link between happiness and productivity. An Oxford University report (2019) highlights
that happy workers tend to be 13% more productive. A similar study “Tracking happiness”
discovered that 20% happiness of an employee is brought by working out of office and this
increase in employee happiness have significant effects on employees’ productivity and their
performance (Nda & Far, 2013).
However other companies have got their ways to evaluate employee productivity by the same
performance standards. Some companies’ productivity is measured on staff members’ positive
behavior as well as being able to meet the performance objectives as well as goals set out by
business leaders. Below are some aspects that companies use to measure employees productivity:
1. Longer hours
About 40% of workers work longer hours remotely than when in the office (Ergotron..et 2020).
The National Bureau of Economic Research data also highlighted that these extended timeframe
is roughly 48.5 minutes longer on average. This could total over 193 additional working hours in
a year for full-time workers.
2. Reduced stress
According to the flexibility to choose between in-person collaboration as well as remote working
have a significant positive impact on the companies’ employees. This flexibility provides the
work-life balance that people need thus, reducing stress levels. Such work arrangement provides
a productive an environment that enables employees to thrive.
3. Job satisfaction
Most workers agree that flexibility in work schedules enhances their job satisfaction. And in the
sense of “The Great Resignation” companies have a competitive advantage when they implement
hybrid work models.
4. Work-life balance
More than three-quarters of employees in various studies cite improved work-life balance due to
remote or hybrid working. While some employees still dedicate more time to their work, if they
can integrate other aspects of their personal lives, they are able to feel the positive impact of a
better work-life balance (Zhou.et al., 2014).
A hybrid work method supports a combination of in-office, remote, and on-the-go personnel. It
gives workers the freedom to select how and where to work in order to be most productive.
According to McConnell (2017), a hybrid work system is a people-first method of workforce
management that boosts productivity and job satisfaction while addressing the main drawbacks
of distant work, such as loneliness and a lack of community. Employees have more freedom
thanks to a hybrid work paradigm (Spitzhirn, Benter, Heindl, Scheder, Reisinger, Strohmeier, &
Behrendt, 2022).
This theory was influenced by research programs that focused on leadership behavior. In the
1950s researchers from two universities thus Ohio State University and University of Michigan
Survey Research Center distributed questionnaires in organizations and collected measures range
of possible leader behaviors in various organizational contexts (Fiedler.. 2015). Amongst
multiple sets of leadership behaviors that were discovered by Ohio State University, two types of
behavior were regarded as typical of effective leaders thus consideration and initiating structure.
In light of Kriger & Seng (2005)consideration leader behaviors that constitutes of building good
rapport as well as interpersonal relationships together with showing support and concern for
subordinates. Then, initiating structure ensure tasks are completed and goals are attained
(Vidal…2017). However, Michigan's Survey Research Center reporters referred to these
leadership behaviors as relation-oriented behavior as well as task-oriented behavior. The reports
from Michigan's Survey Research Center were similar to the consideration and initiating
structure behaviors that were found by the Ohio State studies. In 1964, Robert Blake and Jane
Mouton expanded on this study by arguing that successful leaders excel at both of these traits.
Joan Woodward (1958) suggested that differences in organizational features such a span of
control, centralized power, and formulation of norms and procedure are directly influenced by
technology.
The main benefit of the contingency theory, according to Waters (2013), is that it is supported by
a wealth of empirical evidence. This demonstrates that the idea is trustworthy in light of
numerous tests and studies. By convincing people to consider the varied implications of leaders,
this approach broadens people's knowledge of leadership. In light of Vidal (2017) this theory
also provides an understanding to the most effective leaders in variety of situations. The
contingency theory also provides concrete data on leadership styles, which is applicable to
organizations developing their own leadership profiles. (da Cruz, Nunes & Pinheiro (2011)
highlighted that leaders perform best in their areas of specialty and not every situation. This
helps leaders to identify their best areas and not waste their strength on what’s not meant for
them.
Employees input in terms of decision making is not taken into consideration much because they
base their decisions upon their managers and they supervise their employees closely. Spitzhirn,
Benter, Heindl, Scheder, Reisinger, Strohmeier & Behrendt (2022) argued that tradition working
systems that is used by national foods face huge challenge of operating well because employees
input in not taken for granted hence they are the ones who work on the ground who know the
challenges they face and knows what needs to be improved. Though they are some weaknesses
on the system that is used at National Foods private Limited (Harare), the organization ensures
that employees perform at their best by rewarding the employees who perform best. According
to (Ochiai, & Ryu..2008) employees perform at their best when they know that they are rewarded
for their hard work. Burke (2007) highlighted that every human being likes to be recognized for
their hard work and they can perform three times better when they see that they are valued for
their hard work. As a result of being rewarded, employees are paid according to their produces.
According to Kamar (2016) workers should be paid according to the work they put on table to
ensure that the produce of an organization increases not to be paid according to their educational
qualifications.
The fact that most workers prefer to contact with their colleagues more rapidly and frequently in
a shared office setting is one of the difficulties that employees typically face with the hybrid
work paradigm. Staff members may have communication issues when working remotely,
particularly on activities where they should collaborate (Kenfack et al., 2009). If they are unsure
of the appropriate responses to queries about their jobs, newly hired or attached staff employees
sometimes feel left behind. When employees are performing hybrid work, unclear management
guidance can be detrimental to the efficiency of a company. Most of organizations face
challenges to implement the hybrid systems as a result of lack of rightful tools. Hybrid working
systems usually exhaust and drains employees. According to Kenfack (2009) employees usually
work long hours by working at the office ad as well at homes. In addition Kamar (2016)
highlighted that when employees are at their homes they are likely to check and send emails
outside of normal working hours and the important boundaries between work and home slowly
begin to erode. The author went further to review that this brings poor work/life balance. Apart
of physical exhaustion, emotional exhaustion usually occur to workers as they find it hard to
communicate effectively (Spitzhirn, et al., 2022).
As a result of change in work structure, difficulties usually occur and may affect productivity
negatively. In light of Bhatti and Qureshi (2007) human beings usually face difficulties to adapt
to change and in most cases they do not want change at all as a result. To properly carry out
tasks, staff members need to have information about management and expectations available to
reference. In order to implement hybrid work, right tools and technology is needed to ensure that
the work can be done in required time. Mitchell, Ozminkowski and Serxner (2013) highlighted
that in order to implement advanced working systems there is a need to implement to create a
conducive working system so that employees would feel comfortable thereby they work well if
they have a right environment. Providing clear management expectations for workers and open
communication channels between staff members that workers can communicate wherever they
are having a clear direction of what needs to be done. Since cooperation may take place through
video conferencing software, collaboration software, messaging apps, and other management
technologies, using the right tools can be beneficial. According to Bhatti, Qureshi, and others
(2007), the majority of organizations have used technology and hybrid work software to address
these problems that might hinder productivity and instead capitalize on the advantages of the
hybrid work structure that could boost productivity. Remote employees needs to be given
bonuses in order to be motivated and have an appetite to work more even if there is anyone
supervising them (Kamar, 2016). Encouraging remote workers and workers who would be
working at the office motivate them to work more and be more productive.
Research strategy, according to Saunders et al. (2018), refers to the method the researcher
utilized to carry out the research. A study by Engelbrecht et al. (2018) played a significant role in
the researcher's choice to use a survey research strategy for this project. In contrast to case study
approach, which mandates that data should be acquired using interviews, the strategy was chosen
since it permitted the researcher to collect data using questionnaires and interviews. Since the
present study would not be conducted in a controlled setting, the researcher was unable to
employ the experimental research strategy, which calls for the use of diverse variables,
quantitative data alone, a controlled environment, and a scientific methodology. On the same
subject, the use of the action research approach was prohibited since it calls for participant
monitoring during the data gathering process. According to Cypress (2018), this tactic is helpful
in institutional settings like schools and hospitals, hence the researcher chose to exclude it.
3.5 Population
50 managers who work continuously at National Foods private limited were the subjects of the
study, which focused solely on the five branches in Harare. A study population, according to
Dooley (2012), is the full group or collection of units—typically with comparable characteristics
—that a study is interested in examining. According to Wilson (2003), a research's target
audience is made up of all the components, possible responders, or factors that the study in
question focuses on. According to Holloway (1997), the sample is drawn from the target
population.
3.6 Sampling
In terms of sampling techniques, there are two categories: probability and non-probability. Non-
probability sampling is the convenient sampling of research participants, whereas probability
sampling is the methodical selection of individuals (Cypress, 2018). Because the data being
collected is private and secret, the researcher employed both probability and non-probability
sampling techniques. As a result, not every company was able to provide the researcher access to
obtain the data. The researcher employed straightforward random sample methods in addition to
convenient and purposeful sampling. This is because the researcher wishes to sample the
National Foods employees in Harare, which brings up the purposive component. On the other
hand, despite that convenient sampling being ideal, not all managers were simple to reach.
Additionally, because the study's goal is to generalize its findings to the whole community, it is
crucial that all volunteers have an equal chance of being chosen.
The details shown below demonstrate how the researcher determined the study's sample size.
The following research were important in determining the sample size for interviewees. The
researcher chose to utilize 12 participants for the investigation in light of the table.
An online sample size calculator was utilized to determine the sample size for the questionnaire's
participants since it was quick and simple to use. A sample size of 41 people was achieved using
a population of 45 (managers, supervisors, and accountants), with a 95% confidence interval and
a 5% margin of error.
3.7.1 Questionnaires
Although it may also acquire qualitative data, a questionnaire is mostly used to obtain
quantitative data. This approach was chosen by the researcher since it is simple and somewhat
less expensive in terms of information collecting. The researcher can do a number of statistical
calculations using questionnaires as well (Cypress, 2018). The current closed-ended
Questionnaire was developed based on prior research. Information about the alleged influence of
a hybrid working arrangement on employee productivity was gathered through the questionnaire.
Using interviews has a number of benefits, some of which are listed below: The kind of data the
researcher wants can be controlled by the interviewer. They can be held in a quiet, secluded
setting for discretion. It's important to note that while persons who cannot read or write may
participate in interviews, they have a greater response rate. Conversely, interviews have their
own limitations, such as the time commitment required by the researcher to conduct a lengthy
interview with a single subject. When an interviewee declines to provide information because of
their age, race, or gender, the researcher may also obtain biased information.
3. 8 Data presentation and analysis
Data analysis is the procedure of gathering, analyzing, cleansing, and modeling data with the aim
of obtaining the necessary information. Alam (2020) defines data analysis as the process of
identifying patterns in data to enhance interpretation and research. The examination of the data
utilized tables, charts, descriptive statistics, and statistical tests.
Credibility: In order to maintain high levels of credibility, especially when dealing with the
information supplied by the participants, the researcher will write and record the responses of the
participants.
Transferability: To ensure that there is a high level of transferability between the researcher and
the participants, thick descriptions will be used.
Conformability: In order for the study's findings to be verifiable, the researcher will ensure that
they were obtained directly from the study's participants.
Dependability: The researcher will be aware that the study's participants are what determines its
outcomes. Consequently, a more subjective viewpoint will be in use to provide original
discoveries.
3.10 Ethical considerations
This study also examined ethical considerations. Ethical issues always surface when
one organizes a study, look for access to organizations and people, collect, analyze, and publish
your results, according to Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill (2009). According to their definition,
ethics refers to how appropriately a researcher behaves in reference to the rights of persons who
become the topic of or are impacted by their study. In order to guarantee that the study is done in
a way that respects research participants' rights and interests and shields them from fraud, injury,
and shame, it is crucial to address issues of research ethics. 2009; Saunders, Lewis, and
Thornhill.
National Foods Private Limited will be asked for authorization to conduct the study in order to
carry it out. Before beginning the study, the researcher also obtained the informed permission of
each participant. To guarantee voluntary participation, participants will be educated about the
goal, advantages, and potential hazards of participating in the research project. The respondents'
replies will be tagged and processed secretly with the utmost regard for their confidentiality. Last
but not least, the researcher will refrain from falsifying data in order to uphold the research
study's highest degree of impartiality and integrity.
4.0 Introduction
This chapter looked the presentation of the findings obtained from the study and their analysis.
The study used a mixed method approach to gather data for the study. This means that both
interviews and questionnaires were used to get data from the participants. Thematic analysis was
used to analyze the qualitative information obtained from the interviews while tables and graphs
were used to analyze and present quantitative information.
The table above shows the response rate of the questionnaire sent. The researcher distributed 41
Questionnaires and only 40 were completed well, giving the study a response rate of 97.56%. A
response rate of such magnitude is considered more significant as it indicates that more
participants participated in the study.
4.2 Demographics
4.2.1 Age of the Respondents
AGE OF THE RESPONDENTS
60
54
50
40 37
30
20
10 9
0
18-24 25-40 40 +
Series 1
Source: Researcher
The age distribution of the study's respondents is depicted in the graph above. The responses
were divided into three age groups: 18 to 24 years old (9%), 25 to 40 years old (37%) and above
40 years old (54%). According to the distribution, National Foods employs more people who are
over 40 (54%) than under 24 (9%). Given that the majority of the workforce have extensive
expertise, the distribution is acceptable. The few workers under 24 years old might thereafter be
hired as graduate trainees by the organization.
43
57
Males Female
Sources: Researcher
The pie chart above shows the distribution of sex among the respondents. In the female category,
there were 57% and in the female category 43%. The distribution shows that the study had an
almost equal number of males and females.
The findings of the study show that working for long under the hybrid system is more
productive. Participants of the study unanimously concurred that working from home makes
them work longer hours. According one participant “when you are working from home you are
not thinking about how you will get home…you are not thinking about traffic in the CBD but you
are relaxed knowingly that everything is in place”
The above information shows that there is likely hood of increased employee production when
they are working from home since they will be at ease. This is so because employees perform
better when they know that they will not struggle to get home after work.
The findings of the study reveal that hybrid working system reduces stress level. The
participants of the study unanimously agreed that employees benefit from having the option to
select between remote working and in-person cooperation. One of the participants highlighted
that “People may achieve the necessary work-life balance, which lowers stress levels. Such a
work environment offers a productive setting where employees may prosper.”
The study found out that hybrid work system enhances job satisfaction among the employees.
Most of the participants agreed that flexibility in work schedules enhances their job satisfaction.
Another participant reiterated that “companies have a competitive advantage when they
implement hybrid work models.”
In light of the above views it can be deduced that adopting the hybrid working system enhances
job satisfaction among employees. Thus organizations should waste no time in implementing
the system. One would applaud a certain participant for remarking that a “satisfied worker is a
productive worker” and another one who said that “There’s a narrow link between happiness
and productivity, too. When we’re happy, we tend to be more productive.”
Therefore if production is anything to follow hybrid working system needs to be adopted. The
honors is now withy different organizations to see if they have the financial muscles needed to
implement the system. It can also be said that employees will be happy because they have the
freedom to do things in their own space with no interruptions.
The above extract shows there hybrid working system helps in achieving a healthier work life
balance. This is because the employee will be at home so they can merge their duties and
conduct some simultaneously with their work. It must be noted that a human being is a social
animal with so many responsibilities outside work and these have to be balanced in order for
the employee to give their best at work. Otherwise an unbalanced work life will create spill
overs among employees. This is whereby employee’s problems at home will affect their
performance at work.
The findings of the study revealed that using a hybrid working system improves physical and
mental health among the workers. It must be mentioned that physical and mental health are
critical aspects among employees because there is no one who can work well with a poor
mental or physical health. In light of one participant who had witnessed the implementation of
the hybrid working g system at another organization: ‘The Hybrid work model has empowered
workers to reclaim mental and physical health. Most employees get the freedom to move more
frequently with a more active work style in a hybrid setup.”
Therefore it is of paramount importance for organizations to make sure that the physical and
mental health of employees is at par. As this will enable them to perform well for a long time
without breaking down mentally or physically.
4.4 Views of the participants on Adopting Hybrid working system
Are you able to lead a team that is working in parts from home and office? 46
Do you have the required technology to work away from the office? 11
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
The above figure shows the distribution of the views of the participants regarding hybrid
working system. The views of the participants (Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree and
Strongly Disagree) where computed to a score out 100. In light of the table one can see that the
participants scored a low mark on having the required resources (4%) which means that the
employees are think that they are not adequately equipped to implement the hybrid working
system. The second from bottom score went to the required technology to work away from the
office (11%). This technology according to the interviews consist of good phones and laptops,
strong WIFI, an extra room, back generator or Solar system. The participants scored the highest
score when asked whether they were able to lead a team that is working in parts from home and
office (46%) and scored second best when asked whether they are comfortable working with a
differing schedule (39%). This information shows that the employees are willing and can work
under the hybrid working system if the organization deem it necessary to implement it.
One participant said, “Employees have long raced against the clock to meet deadlines after
weeks of procrastination, but working from home can magnify these challenges and make it
harder to meet your goals.”
Considering a particular participant “Some people discover that time just disappears when there
isn't the structure of an office day. A simple task becomes a day of window shopping; a quick
stroll becomes a one-hour tour of the area. Coming home and telling your supervisor you can't
finish your work may seem fantastic at the time, but being spontaneous is not.”
The above information shows how time management t can be challenge when one is working
from home. Half of the participants reiterated how difficult it is to keep track of time when one is
working away from the office. Thus it is advisable for employees to map out their schedule each
morning and to list out priorities for the day, starting with the most time-sensitive tasks and
working their way down to the “nice to haves.”
From the findings of the study it was noted that working from home carries along challenges of
communication. "Trying to avoid misunderstandings remotely can be a tricky craft," one
participant said. “Even Zoom excludes essential communication tools like body language and
hand gestures, making it challenging to interpret tone and determine intents when
communicating by email and Slacks.” The participant remarked
A participant also said, "It's also much easier for messages to slip through the cracks in a slew of
digital messaging across different platforms." It can be seen from the above extracts that when
employees are working remotely communication becomes a barrier. In order to solve this
challenge another participant had this to say “Be as clear as possible whenever you’re
communicating with co-workers, whether you’re discussing what went wrong on a project or
handing off work before vacation. Be direct when addressing conflict or feedback: Using veiled
language to deliver hard messages can be even more confusing when you’re doing so over the
computer or phone.”
The study also revealed that working from home increases distractions among employees. For
many of people, home is a busy place: barking dogs, crying babies, relatives popping in and out,
and neighbors who can’t get enough of their new speaker systems and leaf blowers. Thus for
some, the office was a place to get some peace and quiet. According to a participant in the study
“…not to mention all the good things about home that quickly turn into distractions when you’re
on a deadline: your television, that new book you want to start, and don’t get us started on how
comfortable the couch is.”
The above information shows how working remotely can be a challenges especially as far as
distractions are concerned. The participants had to suggest noise-canceling headphones for
concentrating in loud homes. Another participant had this to say “Try to keep away from those
areas to prevent being pulled into home tasks or, even more deadly, your sofa and the TV show
you're half-way through binge-watching. The adage “out of sight, out of mind applies here:
Physically removing your distractions will help you focus.”
Thus it can be noted that distractions found by employees at home can be navigated if all the
right principles and tools are put in place. This will help them perform much better even in the
face of several distractions.
4.5.4 Technological/logistical issues
The main challenger in the implementation of hybrid working system was found to be lack of
technological advancements. The participant’s unequivocally agree that they didn’t have the
prerequisite tools to use if they are to work from home. Some said they didn’t have good laptops,
some strong WIFI, others backup generators or solar systems. We’ve all been there: Just as
you’re about to ask everyone if they can see your screen, your Wi-Fi goes out, freezing your face
on the screen in an unflattering shot. This shows that before any organization implements the
hybrid working system it must first of all capacitate its employees for them to function
effectively in the new system.
The study results found that Hybrid working system enhances employee productivity at an
organization. The following are improved by the system: working hours, job satisfaction, work-
life balance, physical and mental health and reduced stress. The results are simuilar to the
findings obtained by Galanti, Guidetti, Mazzei, Zappalà and Toscano (2021) and Yang, Kim and
Hong (2023) that the perceived work-life balance improved during the pandemic compared to
before.
The study show different views among the employees regarding the implementation of Hybrid
working system. The participants think that they are not resourced enough to implement the
hybrid working system but at the same time showing interest and enthusiasm in working under
the system. The results are supported by Davidescu, Apostu, Paul and Casuneanu (2020) who
found that employees really value these new kinds of workplaces, which is why there is a
growing desire among them. In addition, Increasing organisational performance, social and
professional connections, learning and personal growth, and overall work motivation has been
linked to partial home working, which combines working from home and in an office.
The study results show that the implementation of the Hybrid working system comes with
challenges that need to be dealt with such as failure to management time among the employees,
communication challenges, and increased distractions as well technological/logistical issues.
These results are also supported by the results of Purwanto, Asbari, Fahlevi, Mufid, Agistiawati,
Cahyono and Suryani (2020) who discovered that the challenge of working from home is that it
can lose work motivation to bear electricity and internet costs, can cause data security problems.
The above chapter has presented the qualitative and quantitative findings obtained by the
researcher. The chapter started with a brief introduction and moved on to the response rate and
reliability rate. After that the demographics of the study were discussed. From there the findings
of the study were examined by the researcher. The following chapter was the final chapter for the
study hence it concluded the whole study.
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
The previous chapter looked at the findings obtained from the interviews and questionnaires.
This chapter being the final chapter for the study looked at the summary of the findings, their
conclusion and recommendations drawn from the findings of the study.
The study sought to explore whether the Hybrid Working system increases productivity in an
organization. The findings of the study shows that implementing the system will make
employees work longer hours and with reduced stress at the same time satisfied with their work
which eventually brings work life balance and physical and mental health. These are were the
discovered benefits of implementing the hybrid working system in an organization.
The study also examined the views of the participants on Adopting Hybrid working system. The
participants scored a low mark on having the required resources which means that the employees
are think that they are not adequately equipped to implement the hybrid working system. The
second from bottom score went to the required technology to work away from the office. This
technology according to the interviews consist of good phones and laptops, strong WIFI, an extra
room, back generator or Solar system. The participants scored the highest score when asked
whether they were able to lead a team that is working in parts from home and office and scored
second best when asked whether they are comfortable working with a differing schedule. This
information shows that the employees are willing and can work under the hybrid working system
if the organization deem it necessary to implement it.
The study also identified the challenges expected to be faced when implementing the hybrid
working system. It was discovered that it will be difficult for employees to manage their time
well under this system. Also working remotely has increased distractions that can affect the
productivity of the employee. The study also found that technology is a challenges when
implementing the system as the employees need to be capacitated with different tools such as
Wi-Fi, laptops, backup generators, desks, and chairs among others.
5.3 Conclusion
Any organization whose stakeholders want to go above and beyond the expectations of the
constantly changing workplace should place a high priority on the future of work. Even while
some countries have relaxed the state-wide lockdown, businesses are taking their time to create a
more rigid working environment. Currently, a lot of people use a mixed strategy, while others
work entirely remotely. The pandemic has taught businesses a valuable lesson about forethought
and readiness as well as the necessity of staying current with managerial and technological
advancements to assure productivity and development. There is also the professional lesson of
adaptability and flexibility. To put the future of work first, the hybrid workplace paradigm must
be adopted. In actuality, a hybrid workplace model is probably what the future of work will look
like. However, it is important to consider the resources required for successful implementation.
5.4 Recommendations
Even if a lot of individuals have tried working from home and like it, physical offices will still be
needed again—at least for the majority of organizations. Even now, many people still find that
working in-person is just as enjoyable as working from home. Additionally, companies still need
a space where people can congregate for social events, hold meetings, and exchange information.
Since humans are naturally sociable beings, many people ultimately long to go back to their
work at the on-site office. It is therefore quite likely that offices will reopen, but when they do,
their governing structure will be drastically altered. In short, technology is essential to the future
of work. Hybridity aims to properly combine both traditional and remote work styles in order to
achieve balance. The main benefit of this approach is its capacity to increase value while
incurring lesser expenses. It is essential to equip oneself with the skills necessary to survive in a
hybrid work environment due to this new inevitable reality.
Additionally, the new manner of working in a hybrid workplace has affected how motivated
individuals are. Even while certain remote work possibilities were already used, the Covid-19
outbreak is to blame for all that has happened. Changes in the driving expectations and wants of
their separate workforces have necessitated major modifications on the part of both employers
and employees, which businesses should ideally address. In the future, workers will want far
more from their employer, including a better work-life balance. Depending on the person,
autonomy and flexibility are often the main driving forces. To ensure improved motivation and a
long-term commitment in the midst of the great resignation era, employers and employees should
create a strong sense of trust.
INTRODUCTION
SECTION A: DEMOGRAPHICS