Hybrid Work Not Working? Here Are 6 Ways To Fix It

Forbes

6 days ago

It's possible to make hybrid work, work well. getty
If hybrid work isn't working for you, you're not alone. In fact, almost 70% of leaders say their hybrid and return-to-office policies need improvement or even major revision. And at the same time leaders say it's not working well, hybrid work is widespread with almost 90% of office workers who say they work hybrid, meaning they work in the office sometimes and away from the office at other times.
With so many people doing hybrid work, it's critical to get it right. And there are a few ways you can create a better system with better results.
Fully 88% of office workers say they work hybrid, according to surveys of over 539,000 employees by Leesman. According to the data, there are 4% who work fully remote and 8% who work fully in the office. But the pattern of hybrid working affects everyone, since even the 12% of those who don't work hybrid themselves have a high likelihood of interacting with a teammate who does.
With their hybrid work, 48% of people are in the office about three days per week, with only 4% of leaders who say they require five days in the office, according to Leesman.
But when you ask leaders of corporate real estate about their satisfaction with their hybrid and return-to-office policies, they are dissatisfied. The Leesman data demonstrates that only 31% say their approaches are working, while 64% say they need improvement and 5% say they need major revision.
There are some primary ways to fix and improve hybrid work. 1. Culture
To fix your hybrid work approaches, ensure you're paying attention to the bigger picture of your culture. Hybrid work alone won't drive satisfaction, retention, productivity or morale.
Many surveys have found that people have positive experiences with hybrid work, but it's not the whole story. In fact, research involving 360,000 employees found that while remote and hybrid work seemed to correlate with satisfaction and retention, these effects disappeared when the researchers accounted for pay, HR practices and leadership. Specifically, factors like recognition, communication, development, management and compensation (in this order) mattered most. This is according to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Cultures that are proven to deliver the best results for people and organizations provide an inspiring vision and mission as well as strong leadership and direction. They also offer meaningful opportunities for people to participate and get involved. They ensure the appropriate consistency and clarity about expectations, and they provide the opportunity for people to learn, grow and adapt as individuals, teams and as a whole organization.
Be sure your hybrid work policies operate within a strong and constructive culture. 2. Clarity with Contribution
You can also fix your hybrid work model by ensuring clarity. Start with what drives your organization and your business and establish principles that align with these and provide true north for your decisions about hybrid work.
People need a clear sense of purpose in terms of the why for the organization and the why for their work. They need to know how their efforts connect to the broader goals and how their unique contribution is valuable for the organization.
People also need clarity on why they should come to the office. Some of the reasons may pertain to the benefits to the organization like faster decision making or a stronger connection to the customer. But they should also relate to the employees themselves. Factors like stronger relationships with colleagues, greater esteem from performance and more rewarding work have all been proven through research.
As you're establishing clear practices, also obtain input and contribution from employees. According to surveys by Gartner, 77% of workers want to participate in creating their hybrid work model. Ask people how they work and what they need to succeed. Run pilots and then develop appropriate practices. From there, implement, measure, monitor and continuously improve.
You can also fix your hybrid work strategy by being clear about when, where and how people show up. Of course, you want to provide appropriate flexibility and choice, but this should be balanced with clear expectations. According to Leesman, organizations are increasingly making decisions about hybrid approaches at the organizational level. The number of companies that provide full choice at an individual level has been cut in half since 2022. Instead, organizations are setting guidelines about the number of days in the office and then allowing flexibility within those expectations.
People appreciate knowing what's expected. When you're clear, you reduce the effort that is required to coordinate with teammates. If the team is in the office on Mondays through Wednesdays for example, it's easier to coordinate collaboration. Or if colleagues can always plan on the second and fourth Fridays as a no-meetings-work-from-home day, they can leverage the time more effectively.
Be sure your hybrid work policies are clear and consider obtaining input from employees about what they should be and about how they can be improved on an ongoing basis.
Design hybrid work with intention. getty 3. Connections
Another way to fix hybrid work is to ensure people still have meaningful opportunities to connect. Having good friends at work is one of the primary reasons people stay with an organization.
But we are in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, and people crave connections with colleagues. In fact, 69% of people are dissatisfied with the amount of social connection they experience at work, according to a survey by BetterUp.
And interestingly, both in-office and remote workers experience loneliness according to a survey by Perceptyx and also a survey by Gallup. This is probably because if schedules aren't synched up, we can miss people because we're in-person on different days.
In fact, the Gartner data showed that 40% of people said that facetime with colleagues and leaders was their primary reason to be in the office. You can help people connect when they work hybrid by providing guidelines for when they're in the office. That way, people can make the commute on days they'll see their people.
Also design the workplace for connections. Provide work cafes where people can see and be seen, provide neighborhoods where teammates can be in proximity to each other and provide enclaves for private conversations between colleagues. In addition, give people private spaces where they can do focused work or video calls. People will be more likely to come into the office and collaborate effectively when they can also get away as they need to.
Ensure technology helps people connect seamlessly, so collaboration can occur from a distance. In the Gartner survey, people rated in-person meetings as the most productive (no surprise), and they rated hybrid meetings as least productive. Only audio-only meetings were worse. Be sure rooms are designed for effective audio and video for all participants, and establish meeting etiquette that invites participation by remote participants. Also ensure plenty of communication channels, so people can reach out in a variety of ways.
In addition, provide the opportunity for people to work on meaningful tasks with shared goals. Team building can occur from social experiences, but it is even more powerful when people share mutual objectives and roll up sleeves to accomplish outcomes together.
Be sure your hybrid work approaches and your organizational practices foster connections and allow for appropriate focus and privacy as well. 4. Consistency
Another way to fix hybrid work is to ensure consistency. Hybrid will be a struggle if people perceive it to be unfair or arbitrary. Be sure you're adhering to fair principles as you establish who is allowed to work hybrid or remote. Let the nature of the work guide the opportunity for different ways of working and be transparent in the ways you're communicating and applying policies.
Also ensure leaders are consistent in applying practices across team members and between teams, as well as how they address unique needs. And ensure leaders are personally behaving in ways that are consistent with policies.
Be sure your hybrid work practices are fair and that you apply them consistently. 5. Comfort and Conveniences
You can also fix hybrid by ensuring people have positive experiences in the office. In fact, the Gartner survey showed that people want office amenities like ergonomic desks and monitors as well as printers and Wi-Fi. They also want in-person IT support, parking, fitness centers, daycare and lunch.
Interestingly, academic research has found that eating lunch together enhances people's happiness, satisfaction, trust, community and belief that life is worthwhile. People also value art and beauty in their workplaces, according to research. Elements of nature in the space contribute to mental, physical and cognitive wellbeing. And space that allows everyone to bring their best, even if they have different abilities or preferences, are also critically important.
Essentially, you want to create the conditions for people to have great experiences in the workplace, so they'll be happy, effective and motivated working both from home and working in the office.
Be sure your hybrid work approaches create the conditions for positive experiences in the office. 6. Control
Another way to fix hybrid work is to offer as much choice as possible within the requirements of jobs and responsibilities. Wellbeing is suffering today with record levels of depression, anxiety and mental health issues. But when hybrid work offers a greater sense of control, flexibility and the opportunity to manage boundaries, it can contribute to wellbeing.
In particular, when people have flexibility in their schedules it can help them balance all the demands they face in work and life. Research by Atlassian has shown that giving people flexibility is linked with reduced burnout as well as greater innovation and connections with corporate culture.
Be sure your hybrid work policies allow for appropriate choice, control and flexibility for people. Here to Stay
Hybrid work is certainly here to stay, and there are plenty of good reasons that it will continue based on its benefits for individuals, teams and organizations. But it can be improved.
Be intentional about building culture and ensuring consistency. Foster connections even when people work at a distance. Offer plenty of comforts and conveniences. And give people the appropriate control over their work. These factors can help ensure success and hybrid work that works.