The future of hybrid work

Hybrid work (working in the office some days, at home other days) is adopted by 60% of companies currently¹, and 46% of workers state they would leave their employer if it did not allow hybrid work.² McKinsey states that an additional 20-25% of employees could work from home. Still, some companies are moving back to requiring employees to spend more workdays in the office.

These companies cite recent reports indicating that collaboration and creativity decline as remote work increases. However, a substantial body of research indicates that remote work increases productivity³, and most workers prefer it. How will the future world of work respond to this dilemma? Obviously, there are opportunities and challenges to consider.

Benefits and opportunities

There are many benefits that employees experience with remote work. Remote work provides more flexibility for workers to manage their time, and time savings also accrue as workers don’t have to commute to and from work as often. This allows them more time with family and community and to care for their homes. Hybrid workers also report enjoying fewer office meetings.

Cost savings also help the hybrid worker by reducing transportation, gas, and lunch costs. Hybrid workers also reduce their work-related emissions by 11-29%⁴, thereby contributing to environmental health.

The time and money savings provide employees with more choices. They may spend time teaching their children good interpersonal skills, practicing new healthy behaviors, educating themselves, or investing time in creating a better relationship with their spouses.

Maybe they can now volunteer at their children’s school or give time to a community organization. Perhaps they will use some time for personal reflection or even counseling. Money saved may go to a much-needed family vacation or a college savings fund. Perhaps the home environment can be made more comfortable and inviting. The point is that the time and money benefits of hybrid work open more deliberate choices for individual workers on how they spend their lives.

Hybrid work also offers considerable benefits for employers. Employers can save thousands of dollars for each employee who works at least some of the time remotely.⁵ Increased productivity of employees working remotely also improves the bottom line.

Retention of employees is another benefit. Hybrid workers tend to appreciate the opportunity to work remotely and are less likely to switch employers. This is especially important in keeping talent in a competitive labor market and reducing hiring and training costs for new employees.

There are also benefits to relationships between team leaders and employees. Employees who can manage their time more effectively report increased trust, leading to reduced stress, healthier personal relationships, and greater work satisfaction. Enhanced communication often accompanies hybrid work, which requires using various tools, improving overall communication skills, and helping maintain connections with colleagues.

Working in different environments also allows employees to interact with different people, fostering new relationships and collaboration opportunities. The combination of regular in-office days, fostering strong team relationships through face-to-face interactions, and remote workdays, promoting individual focus, strengthens bonds and offers a balanced approach to work and life.

Obstacles and challenges

Gallup (2004) states that the four biggest obstacles to successful hybrid work are: having the right tools to be effective at work, feeling less connected to the organization’s culture, impaired collaboration and relationships, and disrupted work processes. Coordination and scheduling are difficulties that arise from the need for the right tools, as are technology selection and cybersecurity.

Onboarding new employees who will work remotely part of the week presents obstacles in integrating with the corporate structure, learning, and implementing procedures efficiently and quickly. Perceptions of unfair treatment and ensuring employees have equal opportunities are yet another obstacle that employers must address when some employees work in the office, and others work out.

Many of these obstacles are minimized when leaders are mindful of them and willing to enhance their communication efforts through active listening and a consistent welcoming of feedback. Having the right tools, both digital and interpersonal, and using them flexibly is a skill that leaders must continue to hone, as change is constant on both fronts. New technological tools are constantly being developed and sometimes deployed quickly without recognition of potential negative side effects. Leaders and their teams need time to rest and reflect to stay sharp, avoid burnout, and costly false starts.⁶

As a leader or manager, one needs to learn to pace oneself and not succumb to the habit of rushing yourself or your team. Building in time for routine reflection is one strategy that can turn some obstacles into opportunities. Stopping and not reacting impulsively allows alternative responses to surface. Open, inclusive, and non-judgmental discussion provides a forum for airing potential solutions and builds commitment to a course of action, fostering cohesion and trust. If reflection is a part of the corporate culture, the benefits expand exponentially.

Attitudes to facilitate your work future

I conclude this short article emphasizing the importance of attitude and assumptions for adapting to rapid-fire change in the work world. These attitudes apply to leaders and workers alike. Openness to new ways of conducting business and honest self-reflection about your values and goals are the heart of these attitudes.

Look forward: Don’t attach to the present or the past. Always question your assumptions.
Control is an illusion: One can have limited influence in uncertain circumstances. Use that limited supply wisely.
Anxiety and worry are a waste of time: Instead, invest in compassionate action towards yourself and others.
Keep learning what is new on the horizon: Prepare, when possible, identify options, and respond flexibly.
Remain positive and constructive in your adjustments and adaptations.

Remember Benjamin Franklin’s wise words: "When you are finished changing, you’re finished."