Which is better: remote work or a return-to-office policy?
It’s a trick question. The answer lies somewhere in between.
When asked to name their ideal work schedule, nearly 40% of surveyed employees said hybrid work. In contrast, less than a third prefer to be fully remote or full-time in the office. Turns out, many workers want a mix of offsite and in-person collaboration.
And that’s just one trend driving the mass move to hybrid work models.
Let’s look at the biggest hybrid workplace trends happening now — and how to leverage them when creating hybrid work policies at your company.
What are the latest hybrid work trends?
The hybrid work model, which blends remote and in-office work, is increasingly common — for good reason. It empowers managers to accommodate different work styles by allowing employees to divide their time between working from home and reporting to the office.
But while the concept sounds simple, making it work takes work.
Many business leaders are discovering the transition to hybrid work is neither quick nor easy. It’s a fundamental shift in how organizations function, involving everything from equipment and technology to hiring and retention. You have to rethink traditional work structures and be willing to prioritize results over hours spent in the office. As a result, new trends are emerging in several key areas:
- Employee expectations
- Real estate investments
- Talent acquisition and retention strategies
The good news? Embracing these changes ultimately creates a more empowered workforce — one where employees have the space and autonomy to do their best work.
As you navigate this new normal, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. From evolving office designs to new talent acquisition strategies, each shift plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of work.
Let’s examine the latest surveys and findings now.
What’s driving hybrid work adoption?
Several significant hybrid workplace trends are reshaping our understanding of the workforce as the future of work.
First, there’s the growing number of employees who have experienced hybrid workplaces. An estimated 55% of remote-capable employees — workers with jobs that can be conducted from home — work in a hybrid setting. More than half expect (and prefer) this arrangement. In fact, 35% of workers feel so attached to hybrid work, they’d look for a new job if their current employers announced return-to-office mandates. They also say hybrid work schedules result in less burnout, more work-life balance and better use of time.
Better yet? It’s not just employees who benefit.
For many organizations, hybrid work schedules provide an opportunity to reduce costs associated with real estate, taxes and utilities. One report found organizations save twice as much as they spend on supporting remote-capable employees. Some enterprise companies save as much as $500 million simply by going hybrid.
Researchers also discovered hybrid employees perform at least as well as, and often better than, their in-office counterparts. They’re also less likely to quit and more likely to recommend their workplace to others.
It all adds up to workplaces where creativity and innovation thrive. When diverse teams collaborate across different environments, it’s easy to remain responsive to market demands.
7 hybrid workplace trends shifting the future of how we work
So, what do all these surveys and stats mean for your business? Here are seven of the most important trends to tap into right now.
1. Hybrid work is the new standard
Despite what you might read in the latest news headlines, hybrid work is the norm now. It’s quickly transitioning from an alternative model to the new standard, with 64% of business leaders claiming their workplaces are currently implementing hybrid models.
Why? Because organizations recognize flexibility is more than just a perk. It’s fast becoming a necessity for attracting and retaining talent. This shift is prompting many companies to formalize their hybrid work policies, providing clear guidelines on remote work expectations and in-office requirements.
2. Talent optimization is the new focus
The hybrid workplace model significantly expands the talent pool for organizations. It’s opened doors to a diverse range of candidates, allowing businesses to tap into skills and expertise from around the globe. This not only makes it easier to focus on diversity and inclusion, but also helps ensure you have the right people in the right roles.
As a result, many companies are now focusing on talent optimization. This practice goes beyond initial recruitment to ensure employees get better at their jobs the longer they’re with the company. This shift is an important one for all companies, regardless of industry, to embrace. Why? Because once you focus on maximizing existing talent, the benefits are tremendous. Various studies show companies that prioritize talent optimization experience higher revenue growth, lower attrition and better business results.
3. Office spaces are being recalculated
As the hybrid workplace trend becomes the norm, companies are rethinking environments to accommodate a more flexible workforce — and the traditional office is going away. For some, that means creating a mix of collaborative spaces and areas for focused work. For others, it involves experimenting with co-working spaces and flexible leases.
In addition, many organizations calculate office space utilization. This process allows you to recalibrate your ratio of square footage to employees who spend just two or three days a week in the office. This is especially important if different teams report on different days, leaving large swaths of the building unoccupied. The goal is to create a work environment just right for your workforce, whether that means optimizing your office design or adopting more flexible work policies.
4. Cultures are being redefined
Research shows employees who feel connected to their organization’s culture are four times more likely to be engaged with their work. But is that true of all company cultures — hybrid included? Turns out, when establishing a positive hybrid culture, the rules change. You must commit to being digital-first, encouraging virtual communication and promoting work-life balance.
Many companies also invest in training and development programs designed to equip employees with the skills needed to thrive in a hybrid environment. They reimagine mentorship programs to connect employees across different locations, and look for new ways to enable knowledge sharing and professional growth. These approaches are vital in a hybrid setup, where traditional face-to-face interactions are less frequent.
5. Flexibility is taking different forms
While flexibility is a key advantage of hybrid work, not everyone benefits in the same way. Some people perform best when they work in solitude from home, while others thrive in highly collaborative environments. Many prefer traditional 9 to 5 hours, while others like to get ahead of rush hour traffic when commuting to the office. So how do you find the right balance of in-person and remote hours?
It starts with finding the right type of flexible work for your specific workforce. For example, you might offer flex time to allow different team members to report at different hours. Or you could experiment with the four-day workweek to see if hybrid employees perform better when they have more time to rest and rejuvenate. The key to this hybrid workplace trend is to discover what works best for your employees and adjust as needed.
6. Performance management is changing
Once upon a time, employee reviews took place in person during office hours. Managers witnessed work in real time and regularly mentored team members personally. Now those interactions take place virtually, if they happen at all. Which means it’s harder to monitor day-to-day productivity — let alone the performance of entire teams.
For this reason, many hybrid workplaces now use hybrid workforce management software to better understand how, when and where hybrid employees work best. These tools automatically collect and analyze employee activity data to tell you where employees are most productive, how they spend their time and which policies have the biggest impact.
7. Workforce analytics is becoming commonplace
Hybrid work involves a lot of trust, especially on days when employees work remotely. While it’s important to provide autonomy, managers need to know people work where and when they’re supposed to.
For this reason, when it comes to this hybrid workplace trend, many organizations are looking for new methods to monitor schedule adherence — without compromising trust. One of the simplest, least invasive ways to do this is with workforce analytics software. These tools show you when people work as well as where they’re most productive and what distractions they face.
Stay ahead of hybrid workplace trends with ActivTrak
Trends come and go, but hybrid work is here to stay. What shape it will ultimately take remains to be seen. In the meantime, it’s your job to determine what type of flexible work best fits your workforce — both now and long term.
This is where ActivTrak comes in.
ActivTrak’s hybrid workforce management software automatically collects and analyzes employee activity data to show you where, when and how your people work best. More than 9,500 organizations rely on it to:
- Compare remote and onsite productivity
- Monitor team and individual performance
- See how different workplace policies impact employees
Get started today by setting up your free account or requesting a demo for a personalized tour.
