Employee Engagement , Employee Experience, Purpose, Remote & Hybrid Culture / Workplace
Key Takeaways:
- Hybrid work: Flexibility supports work-life balance and focus, but it works best when in-office time has a clear purpose.
- In-office collaboration: People are more likely to come in when face-to-face time helps solve problems, share ideas, and remove barriers to teamwork.
- Workplace connection: Intentional time with colleagues strengthens relationships and helps employees decide what work is best done at home or in person.
- Celebration: Shared moments, recognition, and well-planned events can make office time feel meaningful and worth showing up for.
- Hybrid work guidelines: Clear expectations and fair treatment help create consistent in-office experiences and reduce perceptions of favouritism.
Hybrid work is here to stay. The ability to work from home one or more days per week offers numerous benefits including more flexibility, better work-life balance, less time spent commuting, and more focus time. Contrary to initial fears, business has not suffered because people aren’t coming to the office every day. Early claims that remote workers are somehow less productive aren’t supported in the data.
However, as we settle into year three of widespread hybrid work, a few cracks are starting to show. While most people working hybrid are doing so by choice and enjoy the flexibility that it affords, some employees report feeling lonely and disconnected from their colleagues, while others report a diminished sense of purpose and belonging.
Hybrid work can also make it more difficult for some teams to collaborate on projects. Some organizations have responded by cancelling hybrid work altogether or by imposing specific days for employees to come to the office, resulting in frustration when employees spend most of their in-office time in virtual meetings or working independently as they would from home!
Among the Best WorkplacesTM, however, the notion that "work is something we do, not somewhere we go" is gaining traction, supporting an outcome-driven approach to hybrid work.
Rather than giving people a requirement to come to the office, give them a reason.
01. Collaboration
If you’re inviting people to come to the office to collaborate, define what in-person collaboration looks like in your organization and the benefit that face-to face discussion brings. When your team gets together, ensure that there is space for everyone, and everyone has a voice.
The positive experience of solving a problem together will keep employees coming back. Collaboration doesn’t always need to be in-person, so make sure there are opportunities for online collaboration as well. Involve your team members in brainstorming how to maximize productivity at home and in-office, and how to remove barriers to effective collaboration.
02. Connection
There is no doubt that many people are missing human connection when working remotely, so when coming to the office, we need to intentionally make time for connecting with colleagues. This might involve scheduling a lighter day when in office or making time for lunch and coffee breaks.
As hybrid employees experience the value of connecting with colleagues on a human level, they’ll get better at planning what work gets done more effectively at home, and what can be done during in-office days.
03. Celebration
What better way to get people to come to the office than throwing a party?
There are so many things to celebrate at work, so use this as an opportunity to bring people together. Ask your people what types of celebrations they value most when in the office. To encourage attendance, issue personal invitations when possible and give plenty of notice so people can plan to attend.
As you give your employees three great reasons to come to the office, keep in mind consistency. Organizations must learn to manage differently to ensure fairness and consistency with a hybrid workforce.
Support leaders to prepare for in-office days by setting some clear guidelines. For example, if one group gets lunch on the day they come in and others don’t, it can create perceptions of favouritism. And finally, since approximately 60% of jobs cannot be performed remotely, don’t forget to recognize employees that are on-site or on the road as well, and ensure they have opportunities to enjoy flexibility and work-life balance, alongside their hybrid colleagues.
Further reading Remote and Hybrid Workers Lack Meaningful Work, Sense of Belonging | Great Place To Work®
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Frequently Asked Questions:
What makes hybrid work effective for employees and teams?
Hybrid work is most effective when it combines flexibility with purposeful office time for activities that benefit from being done together, including collaboration, connection, and shared celebrations.
Why should people come to the office in a hybrid workplace?
Employees are more likely to come in when the office offers meaningful value through productive face-to-face collaboration, stronger human connection, and opportunities to celebrate with colleagues.
How can organizations make in-office collaboration more meaningful?
Organizations can define the purpose of in-person collaboration, create space for everyone to contribute, and involve employees in improving how work happens at home and in the office.
What should leaders keep in mind when managing hybrid teams?
Leaders should set clear expectations and create fair, consistent experiences across teams and work arrangements, while also supporting employees whose roles must be performed on-site or on the road.
What are the main benefits and drawbacks of hybrid work?
Hybrid work can provide flexibility, better work-life balance, less commuting, and more focus time. Its challenges can include loneliness, weaker belonging, reduced purpose, and difficulty collaborating across teams.
