Experts Say Hybrid Working Model Is the Best and Safest

Even though more employees prefer to return to the office, public health experts and employers think that for now, a hybrid model is the best and safest working arrangement.

 

Staying flexible to adapt

Maukerja CEO Ray Teng stated that companies must be flexible in order to adjust to Malaysia's ever-changing Covid-19 situation.

"A hybrid model, where staff work from office by rotation, is still the best arrangement. With the rise of the new Omicron variant, it is not safe yet for employees to return to offices at full capacity.

"When people work from home for a long time, they are still efficient but at the price of their personal development and mental health.

"As companies struggle to recover the profit lost due to the pandemic, the pressure on workers to deliver their targets are continuously increasing.

He said that staying at home takes a toll on employees' mental health, especially for those who live alone. They need to occasionally meet their coworkers to have small chats over breaks to release their work stress.

However, Teng added that the hybrid model will cost employers more because they will have to establish additional safety protocols before their employees return to offices.

"For instance, my company operates from offices in three different locations. Otherwise, all my employees will be affected even if one positive case is detected in the office.

"Nevertheless, the additional cost incurred to make this arrangement is beneficial for the company's productivity in the long run because the pandemic may go on indefinitely."

 

Employees' return was inevitable

As Covid-19 gradually turns endemic, Manipal University College Malaysia Community and Occupational Medicine Professor Dr G. Jayakumar argued that inviting back employees to offices was unavoidable for companies.

Dr Jayakumar said that humans are a social species that relies on social interaction to survive and develop.

He also said that physicians have reported an increase in health disorders such as hopelessness, anxiety, sleep problems, and depressions since Work From Home (WFH) arrangements started. Employees are also prone to burnout as WFH usually blurs the line between their personal and professional lives.

According to him, WFH has also caused many workers to adopt a sedentary lifestyle and lowered physical activity, coupled with rise in food intake, which could lead to other issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Many employees report mental health issues when working from home.

The benefits outweigh the risks 

Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Chairman of the Alliance for Safe Community, is also in favour of a hybrid working arrangement, believing that the benefits of working from home outweigh the drawbacks.

He said that even though WFH was a preferred choice during the pandemic, it is not the best working environment and was only a temporary adjustment that was not meant for the long-term working arrangement.

He added that WFH has its fair share of problems, especially when it comes to Internet connectivity and the security of confidential data shared online. 

"Employees prefer to work from office because of better facilities, expedited communication between co-workers and the comfort derived from social interactions between colleagues.

"A hybrid model, therefore, allows employers to continue operations while ensuring the Covid-19 threat is handled better."

Other than ensuring proper ventilation and regular sanitisation, Lee also said that high-risk workplaces should conduct RTK-Antigen testing for personnel categorised as close contacts because of work-related activities and for those who showed Covid-19 smyptoms.

 

Source: New Straits Times

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