BJSS and Hybrid Working: A New Approach for a Different World

    By Lara Ramsay, Head of People at BJSS

    Lara Ramsay

    Every so often, an event takes place in human history which transforms the way we think about work. The Industrial Revolution ushered workers away from agriculture and into factories that thumped and pressed the world into an era of mass production. WW2 brought an unprecedented number of women into the workplace, and the advent of computing brought about the digital age in which we are all now immersed.

    Today, we are living through the next such event. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the way we live in ways that are beyond counting, including the way we work.

    Instructed to remain in our homes and observe strict social distancing guidelines as the virus spread, working from home suddenly became the norm for many. Moreover, as the months passed, most of these homebound employees began to view a permanent return to the workplace with dismay.

    Though few businesses can operate effectively if they have their entire workforce working remotely all of the time, another option, agreeable to all parties, has gained traction – hybrid working.

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    What do we mean by hybrid working?

     

    Firstly, hybrid working is not a new concept. It describes an arrangement whereby employees alternate their endeavours between home, client sites, or the office. Fundamentally, it is designed to give teams flexibility. It gives our staff the option of where they work, taking into account client, team and personal needs.  

    During those periods in 2020, when restrictions were temporarily eased, many office workers were invited back into the workplace for a few days a week, giving many a taste of flexible working for the first time. Evidence suggests that not only did they prefer this way of working, their clients and colleagues also did too.image (20)1

     

    The BJSS march towards hybrid working

    BJSS is a company that deftly adapts to changing business landscapes and environments. By introducing hybrid working, we are continuing this trend.

    We are a sociable company that is built on collaboration and relationships. And while we understand that the elimination of the daily commute and an extra hour or two in bed brought joy to many, we also miss not being together.

    The positive energy that surges when ideas bounce around an office when team members collaborate face-to-face on joint projects or just the communal chit-chat around lunch is unmatched. It’s also why our hybrid working model will focus on driving innovation, collaboration, outcomes, and team engagement.

     

    The bjss hybrid working model

    Firstly, our employees and teams have more work flexibility. When a project commences or changes phase, it is left to all involved to determine where they’ll be most productive and with which tasks.

    It’s important to emphasise that this isn’t just about productivity either. The BJSS community is built on our people and the great relationships we develop with one another. It is essential that this continues. It is also vital that the well-being of our people is protected.

    Our hybrid working model allows for a better work-life balance, so you can optimise every day that you are a BJSSer.

    Hybrid working is about more than a choice between home and office

    However, the office is obviously important. Whether working remotely or face-to-face, teams need the option of working from a safe and modern professional environment. To assist with this, not only have our offices been reconfigured so that multiple ways of working can be achieved, we’ve introduced new locations right across the UK. Accessible to everyone as and when needed, these extra sites mean BJSS recruits will be under no pressure to relocate.

    As for the offices themselves, they no longer include permanently assigned desks and instead use a hot-desking system with seating maps provided so collaborative work can be planned.

    We’ve also created separate private and quiet areas so all forms of task and interaction can be accommodated. And, as one of the attractions of being office-based is the interaction with fellow BJSSers, our social and breakout spaces remain central features.4

     

    Variety breeds brilliance

    It is this that fuels our belief that hybrid working should all be about flexibility. Our model provides BJSSers with the option to work from home, a BJSS office, or from the client’s site, depending on their preference and the nature of the work to be completed.

    Operating from home eliminates the commute stress, allows for a truly personalised office space to be created, can still facilitate collaborative work through technology, and promotes that all-important work-life balance. We also accommodate home-working through the provision of office equipment which can be used to create a productive and comfortable work environment.

    Meanwhile, our offices allow for those magic moments of creative breakthrough that can only happen when a team is together in person. They provide the space for deeper relationships to be forged, our strong culture to be shared, and the assurance of a quality workplace environment.

    Then there’s working from our clients’ premises. This option aids quicker decision making, avoids the threat of misunderstandings and miscommunication, allows for closer collaboration, and helps to build stronger bonds of trust.

     

    Hybrid working is about improving your experience of work

    Our leadership team will be on hand to provide guidance and help you and the team you join to make the right choices about how, when, and where to work while maintaining our renowned quality standards.

    This is a learning curve for us as a business too. So if you are part of a decision to either work remotely or in the office and it isn’t working, reviewing and amending plans is OK. In fact, we encourage it.

    Ultimately, we believe that our hybrid working model will make our employees feel happier. They’ll be healthier, more productive, less stressed, and generally enjoy greater control of their lives.

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    Does your current role lack flexibility? BJSS has opportunities for hybrid working within our software, test, and platform engineering teams. Hesitant about applying for a new position at another company? Don’t be. Our recruitment process is streamlined from hello to hire. We look at you as a person, not just your tech stack experience and qualifications. Click the link below to learn more about our current engineering opportunities.

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