Can a hybrid workplace model save Dhaka from lost work hours?

If you are a working person, you may also have complained about the terrible traffic in Dhaka while commuting to work recently. Constant heat and terrible rain made the situation worse. According to a recent BSS News article, Bangladesh wastes more than 82 thousand labor hours every day. According to the Accident Research Institute (ARI), run by BUET, traffic congestion in Dhaka will cost the economy $6.5 billion a year due to lost productivity, fuel waste and healthcare costs. This indirectly reduces the country’s GDP by 6-10 percent annually.

Ahmad Saif, an employee of a technology subsidiary of a renowned airline, claims that traffic jams and hours of waiting in traffic from Mirpur to Tejgaon-Gulshan Link Road are leaving him tired and reducing his productivity. Not only he, but every worker will know about the current problem; This is not an isolated case.

What potential solution exists for this problem? What are some strategies for increasing productivity while reducing time? The solution lies in the idea of ​​a hybrid workplace.

The hybrid workplace paradigm offers employees freedom and support through a combination of in-person and remote work. Greater autonomy and better work-life balance increase employee engagement in hybrid workplaces. Employers benefit from creating a more secure, productive and healthier workforce.

Recent global research shows that a large majority of high-growth companies have adopted hybrid work models. An international study found that 63% of high-growth companies have adopted hybrid work models. In these times of transformation, such strategies are not just a luxury, but a necessity. A recent BBC report found that between 2020 and 2022, more than half of Iceland’s workforce accepted the offer of shorter working hours, including a four-day working week. By last year, Iceland’s economy had grown by an impressive 5%, outpacing most European countries.

According to research by the Icelandic Association for Sustainable Development and Democracy (Alda), the key findings on shorter working hours paint a compelling picture. 62% of workers working shorter hours reported that they were more satisfied with their schedule. On the economic front, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) noted Iceland’s strong economic performance, highlighting its exceptional growth rate compared to its European peers despite the global economic challenges facing other countries.

However, is this model relevant for every industry and especially for Bangladesh? According to Ahmad, this will be extremely beneficial for technology-related businesses. “It will be more efficient for us to complete our task in three days by working from home for two days. This will save us time and energy and ultimately increase our productivity. Additionally, if offices coordinated and allowed employees to visit the offices in person on alternating days, traffic could be significantly reduced.”

However, it does have some disadvantages. “This is not practical for manufacturing and sales businesses like us,” says ASM Sadman Saqib, deputy director of manufacturing at a reputable global corporation. “Even if all our machines are fully automated, we will still have to work personally. On the other hand, if we can create a workforce that can simultaneously support operations while we are away, we see the potential to move to a somewhat hybrid approach. “

There are several downsides to implementing work from home. These include inadequate infrastructure, unreliable internet access, loneliness, excessive screen time, unbalanced work-life schedules due to irregular working hours, low employee engagement and decreased sense of camaraderie among colleagues. Conversely, it gives workers more freedom to spend time with their families and also encourages companies to realize that many tasks can be done from home.

However, the question still remains: given the advantages and disadvantages of a hybrid workplace model in a city like Dhaka, where traffic congestion significantly reduces productivity and reduces time, whether a well-balanced hybrid approach can help truly improve work-life balance. at the same time also increasing productivity? Time will show.