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As restrictions ease, every business is thinking the same thing: what now?
After a year or more of a forced experiment of working away from a centralized office, we’ve all seen the benefits and challenges.
Most organizations aren’t ready to go completely distributed, but also risk losing current and future talent if they go back to five mandatory days in the office.
The option seems to be a hybrid work model, but that term can mean many different things. One of the worst things you can do is claim to be hybrid without clearly defining it. Situations will undoubtedly change over the next few years, but it’s important to remove as much ambiguity as possible in the present as we all adjust to a new understanding of how we work.
What is a hybrid model?
A hybrid work model is the structure of systems and expectations that govern how, when, and where people work on a business team. It includes policies around the location of work, the amount of flexibility in scheduling, and the agreed upon tools to manage digital work.
Ideally, a hybrid work model combines multiple factors that allow your workforce to optimize their environment for maximum productivity. This is accomplished by replacing office-related expenses and wasted energy (from activities like commuting) with digital tools and scheduling options that improve employee performance, mental and physical health, and quality of life.
Types of hybrid models
We outlined four basic hybrid business models in an earlier article. Here is a quick summary.
Model 1: Office-based with limited flexibility
Model 1 is most similar to what was in place before 2020. The physical office is the nucleus of the business and “center of truth” where all core communication takes place. Besides being the primary location where everyone collaborates and builds culture, praise is given and productivity is measured here.
Employees under Model 1 are typically expected to attend the office each day. While there is some allowance for business trips or sick days, these are exceptions. Most people need to take responsibility for what they miss and need to find that information by requesting it from other team members.
Read this article about companies like Yahoo, Reddit, and Best Buy who all tried and then canceled work-from-home options.
Model 2: Office-based with generous flexibility
Model 2 is similar to Model 1, with the added flexibility of working from home 1-3 days per week. The office is still the nucleus of the business, but digital tools are used to allow people to work from home a few days a week. This might be applied throughout the entire company, or given to teams to decide.
The office is used as a place to do deeper collaboration and realigning teams after a day of individual work.
Read this article about companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google who have all tried a hybrid work model that gives some more flexibility.
Model 3: Digital-based with an office
Model 3 shifts the nucleus of the office to the digital environment. As the central source of information, digital platforms become the technological core of the workplace.
This is a “digital-first” hybrid working model where every major system is decoupled from the physical office. In-person meetings are fewer than Model 2, and synchronous digital conversations are used to realign the team and maintain cohesion.
There is still a dedicated HQ, but it’s not central to the business. Employees can use the physical office to use equipment they don’t have at home, meet clients, or collaborate with team members. The physical office is also used periodically for group meetings that include all employees.
Read this article about companies like Shopify, Twitter, and Upwork who have adopted a digital-first culture, but still maintain their offices.
Model 4: Digital-based with no dedicated office
Model 4 is fully distributed without a permanent physical headquarters. The central source of truth is entirely digital. Businesses rent physical space or use co-working locations when required. The entire team may gather periodically once a month, or as little as once a year.
Read this article about companies like Doist, Buffer, and Basecamp that are completely distributed without a central office.
What your hybrid model should define
Whatever model you pick, your hybrid policy should clearly define these things:
Where people can work from
We usually think about either the office or home, but you should also consider localized co-working locations, digital nomads, and regional hubs.
What hours people can work
Do you have a fixed 8 hour block of time when everyone should be working, regardless of their location? Or is there a smaller window of 2-3 hours when crossover collaboration happens? Or is there just one alignment meeting? Or are you completely asynchronous and never expect people to be working at exactly the same time?
What days people can work
If you offer two days a week that are flexible, do those days need to be the same for the whole team, or is it always player’s choice?
Who do the rules apply to?
How do you handle field employees who need to be on location? Can some team leaders decide they want to be fully in office while others can be fully distributed?
Pros and cons of hybrid work models
Picking a hybrid model requires careful consideration and the willingness to be flexible in order to adapt to changing conditions over time. Here are some pros and cons to consider before choosing a hybrid model:
Hybrid model advantages
- Increased flexibility
- Increased productivity
- Reduced commute
- Better use of digital tools
- Reduced real estate costs
- Improved documentation of work processes and meetings
- Better work-life balance
Hybrid model disadvantages
- Alienation of quiet team members
- Lack of cohesion between company leaders and newer employees down the hierarchy
- Reduced productivity from employees that require supervision
- Lack of human contact, opportunities to collaborate
Human interaction in the workplace is particularly essential for younger “Gen Z” team members who do not benefit from the in-person collaboration and rapport built before 2020. According to a recent report by Microsoft, 60% of the Gen Z workforce reports they find it challenging to contribute new ideas during digital meetings.
Incorporating more in-person contact within the hybrid model allows these new team members to meet senior employees. Besides increasing collaboration opportunities, these connections can help younger team members develop the confidence to speak up and contribute ideas during digital meetings.
Tips for adopting the hybrid model successfully
Choosing and implementing a hybrid model is a work-in-progress. Here are some tips for facilitating the process:
- Be as transparent and clear as possible, while also admitting to the team that things can change. Hybrid work is not a mature concept and will require a lot of experimentation.
- Reduce inequities as much as possible between teams and those whose jobs require them to be in the office more than others.
- Create infrastructure to support flexible work to keep everyone in the loop, adopt asynchronous communication
- Build a virtual community to promote company culture
- Change the way you conduct digital meetings
- Recognize collaboration barriers, leverage software to improve communication
- Adjust upskilling programs to help all team members adapt to the digital workplace
Wrapping up
Hybrid workplaces are here to stay. They offer more opportunities to a diverse range of workers, and give organizations access to a large pool of talented employees without location limitations.
But what a hybrid work model looks like will change in the next few years. Be willing to experiment and adopt a “why not?” attitude when finding the rhythm that best suits your team.
As restrictions ease, every business is thinking the same thing: what now?
After a year or more of a forced experiment of working away from a centralized office, we’ve all seen the benefits and challenges.
Most organizations aren’t ready to go completely distributed, but also risk losing current and future talent if they go back to five mandatory days in the office.
The option seems to be a hybrid work model, but that term can mean many different things. One of the worst things you can do is claim to be hybrid without clearly defining it. Situations will undoubtedly change over the next few years, but it’s important to remove as much ambiguity as possible in the present as we all adjust to a new understanding of how we work.
What is a hybrid model?
A hybrid work model is the structure of systems and expectations that govern how, when, and where people work on a business team. It includes policies around the location of work, the amount of flexibility in scheduling, and the agreed upon tools to manage digital work.
Ideally, a hybrid work model combines multiple factors that allow your workforce to optimize their environment for maximum productivity. This is accomplished by replacing office-related expenses and wasted energy (from activities like commuting) with digital tools and scheduling options that improve employee performance, mental and physical health, and quality of life.
Types of hybrid models
We outlined four basic hybrid business models in an earlier article. Here is a quick summary.
Model 1: Office-based with limited flexibility
Model 1 is most similar to what was in place before 2020. The physical office is the nucleus of the business and “center of truth” where all core communication takes place. Besides being the primary location where everyone collaborates and builds culture, praise is given and productivity is measured here.
Employees under Model 1 are typically expected to attend the office each day. While there is some allowance for business trips or sick days, these are exceptions. Most people need to take responsibility for what they miss and need to find that information by requesting it from other team members.
Read this article about companies like Yahoo, Reddit, and Best Buy who all tried and then canceled work-from-home options.
Model 2: Office-based with generous flexibility
Model 2 is similar to Model 1, with the added flexibility of working from home 1-3 days per week. The office is still the nucleus of the business, but digital tools are used to allow people to work from home a few days a week. This might be applied throughout the entire company, or given to teams to decide.
The office is used as a place to do deeper collaboration and realigning teams after a day of individual work.
Read this article about companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google who have all tried a hybrid work model that gives some more flexibility.
Model 3: Digital-based with an office
Model 3 shifts the nucleus of the office to the digital environment. As the central source of information, digital platforms become the technological core of the workplace.
This is a “digital-first” hybrid working model where every major system is decoupled from the physical office. In-person meetings are fewer than Model 2, and synchronous digital conversations are used to realign the team and maintain cohesion.
There is still a dedicated HQ, but it’s not central to the business. Employees can use the physical office to use equipment they don’t have at home, meet clients, or collaborate with team members. The physical office is also used periodically for group meetings that include all employees.
Read this article about companies like Shopify, Twitter, and Upwork who have adopted a digital-first culture, but still maintain their offices.
Model 4: Digital-based with no dedicated office
Model 4 is fully distributed without a permanent physical headquarters. The central source of truth is entirely digital. Businesses rent physical space or use co-working locations when required. The entire team may gather periodically once a month, or as little as once a year.
Read this article about companies like Doist, Buffer, and Basecamp that are completely distributed without a central office.
What your hybrid model should define
Whatever model you pick, your hybrid policy should clearly define these things:
Where people can work from
We usually think about either the office or home, but you should also consider localized co-working locations, digital nomads, and regional hubs.
What hours people can work
Do you have a fixed 8 hour block of time when everyone should be working, regardless of their location? Or is there a smaller window of 2-3 hours when crossover collaboration happens? Or is there just one alignment meeting? Or are you completely asynchronous and never expect people to be working at exactly the same time?
What days people can work
If you offer two days a week that are flexible, do those days need to be the same for the whole team, or is it always player’s choice?
Who do the rules apply to?
How do you handle field employees who need to be on location? Can some team leaders decide they want to be fully in office while others can be fully distributed?
Pros and cons of hybrid work models
Picking a hybrid model requires careful consideration and the willingness to be flexible in order to adapt to changing conditions over time. Here are some pros and cons to consider before choosing a hybrid model:
Hybrid model advantages
- Increased flexibility
- Increased productivity
- Reduced commute
- Better use of digital tools
- Reduced real estate costs
- Improved documentation of work processes and meetings
- Better work-life balance
Hybrid model disadvantages
- Alienation of quiet team members
- Lack of cohesion between company leaders and newer employees down the hierarchy
- Reduced productivity from employees that require supervision
- Lack of human contact, opportunities to collaborate
Human interaction in the workplace is particularly essential for younger “Gen Z” team members who do not benefit from the in-person collaboration and rapport built before 2020. According to a recent report by Microsoft, 60% of the Gen Z workforce reports they find it challenging to contribute new ideas during digital meetings.
Incorporating more in-person contact within the hybrid model allows these new team members to meet senior employees. Besides increasing collaboration opportunities, these connections can help younger team members develop the confidence to speak up and contribute ideas during digital meetings.
Tips for adopting the hybrid model successfully
Choosing and implementing a hybrid model is a work-in-progress. Here are some tips for facilitating the process:
- Be as transparent and clear as possible, while also admitting to the team that things can change. Hybrid work is not a mature concept and will require a lot of experimentation.
- Reduce inequities as much as possible between teams and those whose jobs require them to be in the office more than others.
- Create infrastructure to support flexible work to keep everyone in the loop, adopt asynchronous communication
- Build a virtual community to promote company culture
- Change the way you conduct digital meetings
- Recognize collaboration barriers, leverage software to improve communication
- Adjust upskilling programs to help all team members adapt to the digital workplace
Wrapping up
Hybrid workplaces are here to stay. They offer more opportunities to a diverse range of workers, and give organizations access to a large pool of talented employees without location limitations.
But what a hybrid work model looks like will change in the next few years. Be willing to experiment and adopt a “why not?” attitude when finding the rhythm that best suits your team.
