It’s not your imagination — hybrid workplaces are today’s standard, and they’re only becoming more common. The changes organizations had to make during COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns have morphed into intentional strategies to address evolving employee expectations, competitive talent markets and operational flexibility.
So how do you embrace the future of hybrid work and adapt to it? Find out why hybrid workplaces are the future, what challenges your organization will face and how to adapt.
Why hybrid workplaces are the future of work
Hybrid workforces — where employees spend some work time in an office and some in remote locations — come in many shapes and sizes. While different organizations and industries adopt them in various ways, hybrid workplaces are a mainstay of the labor force today. Gallup reports they make up a majority (51%) of today’s work environments, and six out of 10 employees prefer a hybrid arrangement to fully remote or on-site work. Pew Research recently reported 75% of surveyed employees work remotely at least some of the time. Furthermore, 46% of those hybrid workers say they’d leave their job if they were required to work on-site.
Although some major organizations enforce return-to-office mandates, usually touting office culture or productivity, most companies embrace hybrid work as the mainstay of the future. Here’s why:
1. Increased employee productivity
Most studies report remote and hybrid employees are more productive than their in-office counterparts. According to MIT Sloan Management Review, employees often feel they’re more productive in a hybrid environment because they face fewer distractions than in a traditional office setting. They also tout autonomy and choice of work environment as allowing them to improve focus and quality of work. And while a hybrid setup encourages asynchronous work, the ability to come into the office supports collaboration, which increases team productivity overall.
2. Greater flexibility and work-life balance
Employee well-being is a top concern for organizations today, as burnout takes a toll on workers and companies alike. Beyond improving productivity, flexibility and hybrid environments improve employee work-life balance and well-being. The Guardian reports hybrid workers get better sleep, more exercise, healthier meals and better overall health. These workers also have more time to care for their families, engage in hobbies and handle personal matters. Companies that embrace a hybrid approach have happier, more satisfied employees, which translates to lower rates of absenteeism and turnover.
3. Expanded access to talent
Talent and hiring programs benefit from hybrid work arrangements, too. By offering remote work options, companies expand their geographic hiring limits, even if employees spend some working hours in an office space for in-person meetings. Because so many employees prefer a hybrid arrangement, offering flexible work also expands the company’s talent pool to more diverse, specialized and competitive talent. This supports company diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which tangentially improve the company’s reputation.
4. Cost savings
One of the biggest benefits of a hybrid work environment for organizations is the cost savings. When team members work from home, leaders lower real estate and facility costs by dedicating offices for high-value collaboration. This also helps the organization right-size office space to ensure it matches employee work schedules. Incidentals like snacks or other office amenities also cost less when employees work from home offices. And employees save money on their commutes or office wardrobes when they spend more time working from home.
5. Enhanced business resilience
By adopting hybrid work, businesses also prepare for market unknowns. Hybrid workforces thrive in digital-first work environments, where policies and company culture focus on adopting new technology intentionally. Instead of scrambling to adapt to new tools or disruptions, hybrid businesses are more prepared for market changes than more rigid companies.
Top challenges for hybrid workplaces
While hybrid work offers plenty of benefits when done right, some challenges make leaders hesitant to jump in or create opportunities for things to go wrong.
1. Lack of visibility into work patterns
When managers don’t physically see employees working, it’s difficult to assess how productive they are, especially if team members work from multiple locations. Often, leaders rely on assumptions around who’s working, rather than data. This leads to a risk of over- or underestimating employee output, making it hard for managers to assign tasks or assess workloads — and easy for employees to feel mistrusted or misunderstood.
2. Security and compliance risks
Employees who work from home may use secure tools or networks inconsistently, which makes it harder for the company to control security risks. It’s also more difficult for IT teams to monitor policy adherence outside the office. Remote and hybrid work increases the risk of data loss or regulatory noncompliance, and hybrid-capable companies must put more safeguards in place to protect their company information, employee privacy and customer data.
3. Communication and collaboration gaps
Despite how far video communication tools have come, virtual conversations still lack the nuance and context that in-person conversations offer. Asynchronous chats are especially rife with misunderstandings and a lack of tone. Hybrid teams also have fewer spontaneous interactions or team check-ins, which hampers creativity. Employers must be vigilant about preventing silos between in-office and remote staff.
4. Culture and engagement drift
Many organizations worry about losing company culture when employees work remotely, as remote employees often feel disconnected or left out compared to their in-office counterparts. Data shows remote workers do miss out on opportunities like promotions or mentoring. It’s also harder for companies to reinforce values and team cohesion when everyone works from different locations. Companies must work hard to prevent engagement drift by enhancing remote inclusion and embracing a digital-first workspace for everyone in a hybrid workplace.
5. Overwork and burnout
The biggest challenge employees face when working from home, even in a hybrid model, is overwork. When you work from a home office, it’s hard to create separation between work life and personal life, and studies show remote workers tend to work longer hours than office workers. This may sound like a boon to the company’s productivity numbers, but in truth the longer hours often contribute to overwork and burnout. Beyond stressing out employees, burnout costs the company millions of dollars a year, so preventing hybrid overwork is a big priority for organizations that want to succeed.
How to adapt to a hybrid work model
There are lots of hybrid work models, and choosing the right one for your organization requires careful consideration and planning. Here is a step-by-step guide for implementing hybrid work, regardless of what model you choose:
1. Build a clear, consistent hybrid policy
It’s extremely important to outline exactly what hybrid work means in your organization through a clear, consistent hybrid work policy. Define who can work remotely and how often, as well as where. Can employees only work from a home office in a set city, or from coffee shops and during road trips? Set expectations around availability, meetings and communication. Ensure your policies are inclusive and apply equitably across teams. For example, if some teams must be in the office more often due to regulations or compliance issues, how else do you provide flexibility? Use ActivTrak’s hybrid work policy template to guide your final document.
2. Rethink the role of the office
In a hybrid work environment, the main office is no longer a place to just clock in and hang out. Redesign your space as a collaboration hub with the right spaces and tools to ensure teams use their in-office time intentionally, whether it’s for onboarding, brainstorming or team building. Consider the diverse needs of individual employees, teams, and departments to accommodate various work styles and requirements.
3. Enable technology that supports flexibility
Functional hybrid teams are digital-first across the organization. Invest in cloud-based tools for collaboration, task management and secure access. Standardize platforms across teams to reduce friction and shadow IT. Leverage workforce analytics like ActivTrak to track productivity and engagement trends to increase trust between managers and employees while empowering more productive performance discussions.
4. Strengthen culture and connection
Unlike traditional offices, culture and connection don’t always happen organically with hybrid teams. Create intentional rituals that reinforce belonging, whether teams are remote or in-person. Ensure you celebrate wins across platforms, whether they’re professional or personal. Give managers guidance on how to lead inclusive, connected hybrid teams. Also, monitor workload balance with data (rather than hearsay or assumptions) to prevent burnout.
5. Upskill managers to lead hybrid teams
Many managers aren’t naturally ready to lead hybrid teams, especially if they’re used to traditional office setups. Create training programs to teach managers how to coach by outcomes rather than observation. Equip them with real-time data to support employee growth while ensuring employees don’t feel surveilled or watched. Encourage managers to set up regular 1:1s and team check-ins to maintain alignment and to reduce the urge to micromanage.
6. Review and refine regularly
Hybrid work will change as your organization changes, so it’s important to review your policies and refine them as needed. Collect employee feedback through surveys for self-reporting, and use engagement tools to spot what’s not being said. Review workforce analytics to better understand what’s working and what’s not. Adjust your hybrid practices based on evolving needs and data insights combined with personal reflections to ensure team members are on board.
Request a demo of ActivTrak’s hybrid and remote workforce management software
Hybrid work is the future, and companies that prepare today will stay ahead of tomorrow’s challenges. Embracing technology, listening to employees’ needs and replacing traditional mindsets with data-backed insights allow you to build talented teams and gain a competitive edge. Best way to do this? Break through the opaque nature of hybrid work and get visibility into how, when and where workers perform best with ActivTrak’s hybrid and remote workforce management software.
Get the right data and insights to form the perfect hybrid policy for your organization today and in the future. Request a demo to get started!
