Your Ultimate 2024 Guide to Developing a Hybrid Work Schedule
The pandemic brought greater emphasis to the remote working model. But, in the years that followed, an increasing number of workers wanted and expected flexible work arrangements. While a few companies continue to adopt a fully remote working model, many have favored a hybrid approach that promises the best of both worlds.
A study by Gallup found that over half of remote-capable employees expect and prefer hybrid work, and five in 10 are already working hybrid. Let’s explore hybrid work, its advantages and disadvantages, and how to develop a hybrid work schedule for your organization.
Contents
What is a hybrid work schedule?
The advantages and disadvantages of hybrid remote work
How to develop a hybrid work schedule for your organization
The current state of hybrid remote work
Tips on managing a hybrid workforce
The future of hybrid work
FAQ
What is a hybrid work schedule?
A hybrid work schedule combines the benefits of remote and in-office work. Employees are given the opportunity to work from home for a set number of days per week and are required in the office for the remainder. This helps workers take advantage of greater flexibility and fewer distractions when working at home, in addition to the face-to-face contact with colleagues and team spirit that an office environment provides. The choice and frequency of days for hybrid working schedules vary depending on the organization and employee role.
The advantages and disadvantages of hybrid remote work schedules
Hybrid work schedules can have both a positive and negative impact on an organization. Let’s explore these below.
Advantages
- Employees are more satisfied and engaged: Empower employees to make decisions about when and where they work based on their individual needs, and you’ll find that employees are happier and more engaged at work, which can improve productivity.
- Improved company culture: With the flexibility to complete more focused, solo tasks at home without distractions, employees are more likely to come to the office engaged and ready to embrace the culture at work, which can have a positive cumulative impact on it.
- More efficient workplaces: Fewer employees in the office at any given time means that you need less space, and you have more freedom with what you do with that space.
- Lower operational costs: Hybrid work reduces the furniture, equipment, stationary, and office space needed, significantly reducing the organization’s monthly expenses.
- More efficient use of time: If your employees are not wasting time commuting, you may find they are more productive and complete tasks faster.
Disadvantages
- Collaboration is more challenging: It’s tricky to replicate an in-office environment in a remote setting, where you’re relying on technology to keep everyone connected and inspire new ideas.
- Working relationships may suffer: There is an argument that if employees are out of the office for a significant amount of time, they won’t build strong relationships with colleagues or their manager, which is essential to building strong teams.
- Disrupted processes: The hybrid approach can be disruptive as it requires employees to move back and forth from working remotely to working on-site. In addition, communication may be delayed due to different working hours, which can cause delays.
- More difficult to coordinate schedules: If employees are given the freedom to set their own hours and choose where they work, it can be difficult to coordinate everyone’s schedules within a team when organizing a meeting.
- Fewer opportunities for feedback and coaching: Many leaders fear a hybrid or fully remote work schedule because they believe that opportunities for feedback and coaching would be reduced by removing the amount of in-person contact time. This could have a negative impact on the development and career progression of employees.
How to develop a hybrid work schedule for your organization
If you want to develop a hybrid work schedule for your organization, here are some important steps to take to ensure it suits your needs as well as your employees.
1. Understand the reason why your organization wants to introduce hybrid work
When introducing hybrid work in your organization, it’s essential to have a clear vision guiding you through the planning and implementation stages.
For example, do you want to be able to hire from a wider talent pool? Do you want to improve your employees’ work-life balance and reduce the risk of burnout? Do you want to reduce costs spent on office space so that you can invest that money elsewhere in the business?
2. Determine the organization’s readiness
Before moving to a hybrid work schedule, it’s essential that the organization is prepared for the move. This includes gaining support from managers, clearly communicating your plans and expectations, and making sure you have the infrastructure in place to see you through the move without causing disruption to work.
Determine how ready you are to move to a hybrid work schedule. If it’s clear the company is not ready for such a big change yet, make a list of steps to take to get you there.
3. Gather employee input
Your employees will be most affected by a move to a hybrid work schedule, so it’s important that you ask for their input. Sending out an employee survey or conducting group interviews will be insightful.
Some questions to consider include:
- How many days in the office would most of your employees prefer?
- Would they like to work the same hours they do now or have the chance to work the hours that best suit them and their output levels?
- What equipment and software would they need at home to perform their daily tasks?
- Do they support a move to a hybrid schedule, and what is the reasoning behind their views?
4. Determine the feasibility of a hybrid work schedule
Not all roles are suited to hybrid work, which is why it’s essential that you assess all of the roles in your organization and see whether hybrid work is viable. For example, for jobs that are customer-facing, such as customer service retail and hospitality roles, employees need to be on-site every day.
Research correlates with this and has found that hybrid work schedules have been adopted at a lower rate in industries that require more face-to-face interaction and on-site labor (such as retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and construction). However, just because certain roles within your company are not suitable for hybrid work doesn’t mean you should dismiss a hybrid work schedule for your other employees.
5. Consider who determines the hybrid work schedule
As we’ve discussed above, there are a number of different hybrid work schedule models, which are decided by different people in the business:
- Employer of leadership
- Direct manager or supervisor
- The team
- Employee led.
Some companies leave teams to determine the schedule that best suits their needs, while others create a schedule that is rolled out company-wide. Sometimes, employees have the choice of days they work on-site, while others are given specific days that they need to be in the office.
Each option has pros and cons, so weigh them carefully when deciding who will determine the hybrid work schedule in your organization.
The current state of hybrid remote work
Several companies have called for a return to the office post-pandemic. JPMorgan Chase, for example, abandoned its hybrid attendance policy and required executives to return to the office (RTO). Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs (GS) ended its Summer Fridays (where employees work from home on a Friday), and announced that it wanted employees in the office five days a week.
According to a survey by Resume Builder, 90% of the surveyed companies plan to implement RTO policies by the end of 2024. Many leaders believe that remote work results in a lack of connection between employees and the organization, while working from the office results in greater employee engagement and productivity. Yet, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employee productivity rose by 4.4% during the pandemic and continues to increase year on year.
Despite companies’ policy shifts, employees still expect to work in a remote or hybrid environment. In fact, 8 in 10 remote-capable employees expect to be able to work hybrid or fully remote, according to a Gallup study. Additionally, with the rising commuting costs and childcare, some employees are not eager to give up their freedom to be fully remote or hybrid.
A study by Owl Labs revealed that 29% of hybrid and remote workers would expect a pay rise to make up for the additional costs incurred from having to go into the office. Meanwhile, 25% of workers would be willing to take a pay cut of 15% if it meant having flexible working hours.
It’s clear that there is a push and pull happening between employees and employers when it comes to remote and hybrid work. In response, some companies have opted for a hybrid work model to meet the needs of the employees and the needs of the business. According to Resume Builder, the definition of return to work is changing. For example, companies may redefine RTO as working two days a week or one week a month in the office – ultimately shifting to a hybrid work model.
- 25% of workers are willing to take a 15% annual salary pay cut for flexible working hours (Owl Labs).
- Employees feel more productive, balanced, and loyal to their employers when they have flexible working arrangements (Owl Labs).
- Almost 8 in 10 remote workers, two-thirds of hybrid workers, and one-third of in-office workers would prefer virtual work options (Deloitte).
- Although workers appreciate the flexibility of hybrid work, many are feeling the strain of juggling two work models (Deloitte), and 80% of people leaders think that this setup is exhausting for employees (BBC).
- 33% of Flex employees state that relationship-building and establishing connections are the biggest challenges of working with a hybrid team (Hubspot).
Tips on managing a hybrid workforce
Whilst hybrid work presents many benefits, there are common pitfalls and challenges that often prevent it from adding value. HR has a critical role to play in navigating these challenges. Here are some tips and best practices for HR to manage a hybrid workforce.
Tip 1: Bridge communication gaps by leveraging technology and establishing regular communication rhythms
Balancing communication between in-office and remote employees can be challenging. Miscommunication, lack of clarity, or feelings of isolation may arise if communication strategies are not well-defined and consistently implemented. The use of technology and collaboration tools is integral to supporting hybrid work.
Investments in virtual communication and project management platforms facilitate seamless collaboration among dispersed teams. Integrating and maintaining effective communication and collaboration tools that cater to both in-office and remote employees can be complex. Ensuring that everyone has access to the necessary technology and training is crucial for seamless workflow.
Tip 2: Ensure inclusion, fairness and consistency through formalized policies and guidelines on hybrid work arrangement
Ensuring that all employees feel included and have equal opportunities regardless of their work location requires active effort. Remote employees may feel left out of informal discussions or decision-making processes. This means that existing policies and procedures may need to be adapted or new ones developed to accommodate to define and formalize ways of work for the hybrid workforce.
This includes policies related to remote work, flexible schedules, and attendance tracking. It should also guide managers on how to ensure remote team members have equal opportunities to contribute to discussions and decisions.
Tip 3: Reinforce culture through intentionality, transparency and by promoting employee wellbeing
In hybrid work settings, culture is primarily influenced by consistent, fair, and transparent practices, especially when it comes to performance, recognition and wellbeing. Defining and consistently measuring performance for both in-office and remote employees is crucial, emphasizing the need for fair and transparent metrics considering diverse work environments.
Maintaining high levels of employee engagement and ensuring that remote employees receive adequate recognition for their contributions can be challenging but is crucial for reinforcing a positive culture. In hybrid work environments, promoting wellbeing involves emphasizing work-life balance, providing resources to recognize signs of burnout, and encouraging proactive addressing of such concerns within teams.
Achieving a balance between work and personal life is essential for employee wellbeing in hybrid environments, where disconnecting from work can be challenging.
Tip 4: Overcome managerial challenges by enabling and supporting managers to lead in hybrid environments
Managing performance, providing feedback, and maintaining team cohesion in a hybrid setting may be new territory for some managers. Collaborate with managers to define clear and measurable performance metrics for both in-office and remote work. This ensures that expectations are transparent and employees are accountable for their deliverables, regardless of their work location. Help managers establish regular feedback loops with their hybrid teams.
Encourage them to solicit feedback on team dynamics, collaboration, and overall employee satisfaction. Empower managers to embrace flexibility in how work is done. Encourage them to focus on outcomes and results rather than micromanaging the process, allowing employees the autonomy to manage their own schedules and tasks effectively.
Tip 5: Proactively manage risks related to data security by making this part of hybrid work policies
Ensuring the security of sensitive information and maintaining data privacy standards becomes more complex in a hybrid work environment. Collaborate with your IT teams to implement robust cybersecurity measures. Ensure that data security policies are clearly defined and communicated, including guidelines for handling sensitive information, secure device usage, and remote access practices.
HR tip
Make sure your employees have the technology they need to communicate and collaborate effectively. This means collaboration tools like Slack and Asana and video conferencing software like Teams or Zoom. Don’t forget equipment, including webcams, microphones and headphones.
The future of hybrid work
With the benefits associated with hybrid work and changing expectations from employees, most organizations anticipate that hybrid work will become the norm in the future. Hybrid work in the future will, however, be more than just the debate around in-office versus remote work and how to navigate practicalities.
- Hybrid work will become a key component of the broader talent strategy: By adopting flexible hybrid work arrangements, organizations stand to gain access to more diverse talent pools that they would not have had access to in the past. By intentionally considering this aspect of the talent strategy, it becomes easier to tap into global talent pools that are geographically dispersed. This will require workforce insights across various geographies to understand the talent demand and supply within these talent pools.
- Closer technology and human integration in making hybrid work work and creating a meaningful experience: Until recently, technology has been seen as an enabler of hybrid work. In the future, the role of technology will shift to a shaper of the hybrid work experience. This will require integrated technology platforms that deliver seamless workflows, augment repetitive tasks, and facilitate greater collaboration and productivity. Artificial intelligence and machine learning also have a key role to play as work companions and knowledge digests.
- Redefining productivity and performance: With the evolution of workspaces and ways of working, performance and productivity have to be redefined. This requires a shift in emphasis on outputs, collaborative efforts, and autonomous work delivery, as opposed to time-based measurements.
- Driving equity and inclusion through hybrid work: One of the biggest untapped benefits of hybrid work is its potential for driving inclusiveness and equity. This mode of working allows employees living with disabilities and neurodivergent employees to gain access to employment, where traditional office environments historically presented significant barriers to entry and optimal contribution. This opens up access to the hidden workforce and untapped talent that these employees bring whilst making systemic changes to equitable workplace practices and access to decent work.
FAQ
According to a study by Gallup and research by Ipsos, employees prefer to be in the office 2-3 days per week, and three days appear to be optimal when it comes to workplace culture and performance. Hence why many companies, including Apple and Google, have adopted this hybrid work schedule.
A hybrid work arrangement refers to a company policy that gives employees some flexibility on where and when they work, splitting time between an on-site location and remote work.
As an employer, the best way to balance a hybrid work schedule is to organize in-person meetings and other collaborative events on specific days. Put these into the work calendar as early as possible so that employees can manage their time accordingly and be available for these important social gatherings. Solo tasks that require deep focus and minimal collaboration can then be performed on remote working days.
A hybrid 4 day work week is a schedule that consists of four working days and one day off. These days can be split in different ways, for example, two days on-site and two days remote, or three days on-site and one day remote.
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