Can a hybrid workplace model save Dhaka from losing working hours?

If you are a working person, you might have also complained about the terrible traffic in Dhaka when commuting to work lately. Persistent heat and heavy rains aggravated the situation. Bangladesh wastes over 82 lakh working hours every day, according to a recent BSS News article. Dhaka’s traffic congestion is expected to cost the economy $6.5 billion a year in lost productivity, fuel wastage and health costs, according to the Accident Research Institute (ARI), run by BUET. This indirectly reduces the country’s GDP by 6 to 10 percent annually.

Ahmad Saif, an employee at a technology-based sister company of a well-known airline, claims that the gridlock and hours of waiting in traffic from Mirpur to Tejgaon-Gulshan Link Road are wearing him down and reducing his productivity. Not only he, but every worker will be aware of the pressing problem; this is not an isolated incident.

What possible solution is there for this problem? What are some strategies to increase production while decreasing time? The solution lies in the idea of ​​a hybrid workplace.

A hybrid workplace paradigm gives employees freedom and support by combining in-person and remote work. More autonomy and a better work-life balance increase employee engagement in a blended workplace. Employers gain from developing a more reliable, productive and healthy workforce.

Recent global surveys highlight that a significant majority of high-growth companies have adopted hybrid work models. An international survey revealed that 63% of high-growth companies have adopted hybrid work models. In these times of transformation, such strategies are not mere luxuries but necessities. A recent BBC report states that between 2020 and 2022, more than half of Iceland’s workforce had taken up the offer of reduced hours, including four-day work weeks. By last year, Iceland’s economy had expanded by 5%, outpacing most European countries.

According to research by the Icelandic Association for Sustainability and Democracy (Alda), the key takeaways from these reduced working hours paint a compelling picture. 62% of part-time workers said they were more satisfied with their schedule. Economically, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) noted Iceland’s strong economic performance, highlighting its exceptional growth rate compared to European peers, despite global economic challenges facing other nations.

However, is this model relevant for every industry, and especially in 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 while working from home for two days. This will save us time and energy and ultimately increase our productivity. Also, if offices coordinate and allow employees to go in person on alternate days, traffic can be greatly reduced.”

It has, however, some disadvantages. “It’s not practical for manufacturing and sales-based businesses like ours,” according to ASM Sadman Sakib, deputy director of manufacturing at a leading global corporation. “Even though all our machines are fully automated, we still have to work in person. On the other hand, if we can develop a workforce capable of concurrently maintaining operations during our absence, we see the potential to move to somewhat of a hybrid approach. .”

Adoption by working from home has some disadvantages. These include inadequate infrastructure, insecure internet access, loneliness, excessive screen time, an unbalanced work-life schedule due to irregular working hours, low employee engagement and a low sense of camaraderie among colleagues. Instead, it gives workers more freedom to spend time with their families and has also encouraged companies to realize that many tasks can be performed just as well from home.

However, the question still remains: considering the benefits and drawbacks of the hybrid workplace model in a city like Dhaka, where traffic congestion greatly reduces workplace productivity and costs time, a well-balanced hybrid approach would could it really help improve work-life balance while also increasing productivity? Time will tell.