Hybrid Work is Broken, How Can We Fix It

By John Wichmann

• Oct 31, 2024

The Hybrid Honeymoon is Over

If you have been following the headlines recently, it’s hard to miss the stories about large organizations forcing their hybrid employees back to the office full-time.  In some cases, these companies even eliminated remote positions, requiring all employees to move within a commutable distance to a company office or risk being fired.

While theories abound as to why companies are doing this, evidence exists that hybrid work models, while offering some benefits, also create new challenges for organizations and their associates.

  
Emerging Challenges of Hybrid Work

The downsides of hybrid work most often cited include less effective onboarding, reduced collaboration and focus, and a company’s culture degradation.  These challenges can translate into less efficient execution, higher attrition, and slower growth.   

As a result, CEOs and Managing Partners are increasingly asking whether hybrid work is a feasible and sustainable model they can continue to offer.  The clear answer to this question is “Yes,” assuming one critical condition is met.  

Let’s look at some of the benefits of hybrid work and what is the most important prerequisite for long-term success.  

The Opportunity of Hybrid Work

The past four years have provided ample time for several key benefits of hybrid work to surface.  Four significant and impactful benefits, supported by multiple studies or established averages, include:  

Attracting Top Talent and Reducing Attrition – 

A Zippa study found that 83% of U.S. employees preferred hybrid work. 

Fostering Improved Job Satisfaction and Wellbeing –  

In a study by the American Management Association (AMA), 70% of respondents reported that hybrid work improved their job satisfaction, and 73% reported improved quality of life.  

Supporting Women in the Workplace – 

An International Women's Group (IWG) study found that 72% of women would consider leaving their current job if hybrid work was eliminated.  Further supporting these findings, an extensive study at Trip.com, published in Nature, showed that hybrid work option reduced attrition rates of female employees by 54%.

Reduced Impact on the Environment –

Using commuting and emission figures from the EPA, sustaining a hybrid schedule with an average of 2.5 days/week in the office versus 5 days eliminates 181 metric tons of CO2 per 100 employees per year.

The Responsibility of Hybrid Work

Despite the tangible benefits that come from hybrid work, if the drawbacks are not addressed, it is unlikely that hybrid can sustain the popularity it has enjoyed for the past few years.  As such, I believe there is a critical condition that must be met for hybrid work to succeed in an organization:

For hybrid work to be a sustainable option, it cannot negatively impact an organization's or its associates' growth or success.

I have shared this statement with hundreds of executives, managers, and individual contributors.  It has proven to be a powerful and effective truth that helps bridge disagreement about hybrid work between employers and employees and lays a foundation to find common ground for the “why” of the workplace. 

 
Getting it Right – Four Components of Hybrid Work Success

So, what are the ingredients for a sustainable hybrid work model that does not negatively impact an organization or its associates?

First, we have found that it must be intentional and purpose-driven.  Next, it needs to have an appropriate amount of structure, but not necessarily a “one size fits all” across the organization.

We have also identified four key components for achieving organizational alignment and improving the in-office experience, which is critical for long-term hybrid work success. 

These include a focus on gathering…

1) The right people,

2) At the right time and frequency,

3) Into an inviting and impactful office environment,

4) To do what benefits most from being together.

While simple, when well implemented and supported by an environment of visibility and accountability, these principles will make hybrid work a sustainable option within an organization and create a clear competitive advantage in hiring, growth, culture, and innovation.

 
About the Author

John Wichmann is the Founder and CEO of Gather Sciences and the creator of Balanced Hybrid®, a data-driven framework for sustainable hybrid work models. 

John is a prominent advocate for intentional hybrid work strategies, emphasizing their potential for organizational growth, employee well-being, and environmental benefits. He frequently speaks at events, panels, and webinars about designing effective hybrid work models.