COVID-19 wasn’t just a pandemic; it turned every aspect of life upside down, particularly in the employment sector. One of the most significant shifts it spurred was the rise of hybrid work, a model that blends office presence with remote working. This concept gained momentum as an evolution of work-from-home and remote working trends.

Hybrid work typically involves spending two or three days at the office and the remainder working from home, with flexibility based on the employer's preferences. While this model has made significant strides in foreign countries, it remains in its nascent stages in India.

However, adopting hybrid work is not without challenges. Ensuring seamless workflow continuity is a significant hurdle. Job roles requiring extensive public interaction or relationship-building, such as customer service and marketing, face additional complexities.

To address these challenges, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as a game changer. AI systems are revolutionising routine tasks like scheduling meetings, tracking deadlines, locating critical documents, and sharing them across hybrid teams. By taking over these time-consuming activities, AI ensures that the work network functions like a well-oiled machine, allowing employees to focus on higher-value tasks and innovative concepts.

AI also bridges geographical divides by identifying workers in different time zones, enabling tasks to be completed efficiently within shared timelines. In effect, this capability streamlines organisational functions and paves the way for more robust and adaptable hybrid work systems.

Some of AI’s contributions include:

Assessing job efficiency: AI can evaluate an employee’s productivity by tracking time spent on tasks and goals achieved, offering valuable insights into individual and team performance.

Overcoming language barriers: AI-powered translation systems facilitate collaboration among workers from diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Creating seamless virtual networks: By connecting employees across countries, offices, and homes through virtual platforms, AI fosters smooth and integrated workflows.

Experts believe AI will be the cornerstone of future work systems, making hybrid work highly efficient and collaborative.