The hybrid office model: ensuring product innovation remains on track
As offices prepare to lift restrictions and welcome employees back, Hyperion Tech chief business development officer Ori Zilbershtein explains why remote working will still be fundamental to product delivery
The myth that developers have to sit side by side to create new products has been dispelled. Despite the industry working from home since the initial Covid-19 outbreak, online casinos have continued to roll out exciting, new games and features for their players, while sportsbooks were quick to respond to fixture cancellations by incorporating alternative products into their offering. Innovation has remained at the heart of the industry, with tech teams adjusting to a new way of collaborating.
It is clear that remote working works. Productivity has increased as staff have more control over their time and are no longer constrained to an office hours framework. But as restrictions are eased and businesses can once again accommodate a full workforce into their office space, a decision as to whether developers continue to work from home has to be made.
It is simple in our opinion – the traditional office setup is dead, and the hybrid model is the present and future.
Of course, that is not to say organisations are going to fully close their existing hubs. We have to consider the importance of providing an office space for those who cannot have a quiet work environment at home. Team bonding and social events will also need to happen in person from time to time, as building relationships with colleagues is crucial.
However, what we have witnessed is how certain activities such as tech development work and daily meetings can be done far more effectively online and remotely. This has driven a culture for employees to become more organised with their time and work, with clear and tangible outcomes specified throughout the development process.
Businesses which have thrived through remote working have adopted the KISS principle – keep it simple, stupid. With conversations more direct and needless time spent in the office debating on how to perform different tasks, we are seeing tech projects being completed quicker.
The majority of developers welcome the responsibility being handed to them when working from home. They feel more trusted and appreciated, which in return sees them becoming more productive and loyal. Staff turnover rates are decreasing, which is saving big expenses on HR costs.
Retaining strong productivity levels
As companies embrace hybrid models, businesses will be eager to maintain the levels of productivity that the working from home setup has delivered. Days spent in the office have the potential to impact productivity efficiency, particularly as staff interaction can often serve as a distraction.
From what we see, adhering to certain workflows are proven to work best. Perhaps with software development this is slightly easier, but other departments such as marketing and dev ops can also flourish within such frameworks.
The scrum points method is a popular approach, estimating tasks according to complexity points and not working hours. Teams are trained in estimating complexity of tasks and companies enjoy being able to determine the speed of each team and their output. When you are able to determine the points your team can handle, you can start arranging each sprint with near scientific precision. That leads to greater performance and less time lost on unplanned issues.
Undergoing regular retrospective meetings are also key. We all make mistakes and these meetings are a good time to clean up the table, optimise the workflow and identify the lessons that need to be learned.
Tapping into new tech talent
Any company that insists on pushing their workforce back into the office will suffer from a significant disadvantage, particularly in the job market when looking to secure the right tech team to achieve business growth.
Many companies are beginning to understand that tapping into tech talent that is not limited to a location is a much more agile and powerful approach. People have responsibilities outside of their workplace and preventing them from dealing with those because of rigid office hours or a requirement to relocate will only lead to such jobs being less desirable.
We have all endured huge uncertainty for the past 12 months, but the future of working is clear. Embracing a hybrid model of office time and remote working is an absolute must.
Ori Zilbershtein is chief business development officer at leading igaming technology services provider Hyperion Tech.