In an increasingly digital world, the AOC Consortium decided to take on the challenge of designing a work model that combined face-to-face work and teleworking to improve efficiency and, at the same time, the well-being of employees. The COVID-19 pandemic was not only a challenge, but also a great opportunity to experiment and learn. As a result of this experience, the AOC has implemented a hybrid and flexible model that not only improves productivity and service quality, but also promotes work-life balance and talent recruitment in a very competitive market in the digital sector.
The pillars of the model
Our model is based on trust, autonomy and a focus on results. It is supported by four essential pillars:
- Hybrid work: Combines in-person and teleworking, taking advantage of the benefits of each modality to improve results, staff well-being and the quality of public service.
- Flexible and voluntary nature: The choice of modality is based on the needs of the service, teams and individual tasks, promoting co-responsibility and autonomy.
- The importance of personal contact: In-person meetings are mandatory for activities where personal interaction provides added value, such as management, coordination or evaluation meetings; project initiation, conflict resolution or crisis management; creativity and innovation sessions; training and workshops; or strategic reflection meetings, among others. Personal relationships are key to preserving team cohesion and organizational culture.
- Objective performance evaluation system: Performance is measured with clear objectives, indicators and results. This system is complemented by periodic monitoring and continuous improvement to ensure organizational efficiency.
A rigorous evaluation system
To measure the effectiveness of the model, the AOC has implemented an evaluation methodology based on objective data, which is periodically analyzed in four areas:
1.- Productivity and results: Measures efficiency through the volume of service activity, internal management and team performance.
2.- Quality of services: Evaluate technical availability and user satisfaction with metrics such as Net Promoter Score (NPS).
3.- Staff satisfaction: Collect employee perceptions of the model through surveys.
4.- Impact of the change generated: Calculate the economic savings and environmental impact (reduction of CO₂ emissions) of implementing the model.
Excellent results
The results obtained clearly demonstrate that the model works:
- Productivity on the rise: Service activity has had an average annual growth of + 23 % (2021-2024), the payment term to suppliers has been reduced to only 14 days and absenteeism remains very low 2,4%.
- 🎯 Sustained quality: The availability of services was 99,73% in 2024, and user satisfaction remains above the 80%.
- 😊 High staff satisfaction: Satisfaction with the model is 78% (NPS).
- ???? Sustainable impact: The AOC results have generated €615 million in savings in 2024, with a return on each euro invested (ROI) of €30It has also achieved an estimated reduction of 89% of CO₂ emissions associated with travel.
- 👩🦰 Talent acquisition and retention: Flexibility has made the AOC a more attractive organization for specialized professionals.
A living and constantly evolving model
The AOC hybrid model is not a closed project, but is constantly improving. Its periodic evaluation and the use of collaborative tools such as teams i SharePoint, along with task management with JIRA, guarantee that the model is always relevant and effective.
Although the model has proven to be very positive, we are aware of some limitations, mainly derived from the general framework of the civil service. However, the results obtained encourage us to continue developing it as part of our firm commitment to continuous improvement in public management.
More information
For more information, you can consult the innovation sheet of the AOC's hybrid and flexible work model and discover how we designed, deployed and evaluated it.
Note: It should be noted that this work model has been implemented in a medium-sized organization (85 people), which does not offer face-to-face services and is highly digitalized. This entity also has a consolidated culture of collaborative digital work and a staff with medium-high level technological skills. Its application in organizations with different characteristics would probably require adaptations.
