The past few years have seen explosive growth in conversations surrounding the workplace. Some people are doing their best to jump back into full work weeks at the office, while others argue that in-person work is a thing of the past.

What Are The Options?

There are three primary workplace options for employees: in-person office, remote work, and hybrid work.

In-Person Office Setting

The first is in an office setting. Office settings can vary vastly, from a multiple-department conglomeration to individual offices for whoever needs them. At its core, an office is a place where employees come and work in person. 

Remote Work

The second option is to be fully remote, meaning that employees get to choose their place of work, eliminating the need to come into a physical office.

Hybrid Work

The third is hybrid work, which is a combination of the two. Hybrid work comes in two forms: flexible and structured. The flexible variant of hybrid work allows employees to choose which days they come into the office, as long as they come in for the required amount of days. Structured hybrid has a set schedule on when employees will be in the office, and when they will be able to work remotely.

What’s The Debate?

The reason that the workplace has become such a contentious topic in recent times is through discourse about the values of the workplace. Some employees and employers argue that flexibility and work life balance is to be prioritized above all else and advocate for remote work. Others, like tech giant Elon Musk, argue that workers need to be in an office in order to properly complete their job requirements. In the debate of flexibility versus productivity, hybrid work offers a unique solution.

Not Remotely Successful

Working remotely is attractive at first glance: the flexibility alone promises to revolutionize the offices of today. However, there are some parts of a traditional workplace that many employees have found themselves unable to part with. 

An article by Staffing Industry Analysts that looked into this phenomenon found that a sizable majority (72%) of surveyed employees are unwilling to give up on in-person work. Employees have found that there are some parts of working in an office that they can’t live without ease of collaboration, inspiration from coworkers, and separation of career and home were all cited as reasons why being fully remote doesn’t cut it. 

Balancing Flexibility

Employees also stated that the flexibility they gained from working partially or fully remote is something they’re unwilling to part with. In addition, the 2023 US Census found that the average worker spends 53 minutes a day commuting when they go into the office. Workers argue that this time spent in traffic would be better spent at home, helping children to school or caring for their elderly loved ones. There are parts of office work and remote work that workers are unwilling to live without, and hybrid work does a beautiful job of combining the best of both worlds.

Hybrid Works

Research from Stanford Economics has come to a striking conclusion about structured hybrid work in three key metrics. Employees who work on a hybrid schedule (two to three days in the office, two to three at home) are equally likely to meet performance expectations and receive a promotion. However, these employees are less likely to quit or resign. In some cases, resignations dropped by almost a third in the surveyed company’s workforce. Additionally, an article by Forbes shows that a hybrid approach to work has had explosive growth in recent times, with a 12% gain in use from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024. Clearly, hybrid work is something that leading businesses are beginning to pay attention to.

What You Need For Successful Hybrid Work

For a hybrid workplace to truly succeed, there are key principles that must be established. We've compiled the seven essential rules for online meeting etiquette to get you started. Once you're comfortable with virtual meetings, it's time to explore how to make hybrid work a seamless part of your routine.

Make Expectations Clear For When And Where People Are Working

For employees in a hybrid work environment, providing the proper structure is key. Freedom in where they work isn’t good enough; they need clear instructions on what work needs to be done, and how you want them to do it.

Set Standards For Performance Evaluation

In traditional offices, performance was often evaluated by presence. In a hybrid model, McKinsey & Company argues that companies shifting to hybrid should shift the way workers are evaluated as well. They recommend setting clear performance targets for employees to hit as a metric for evaluating performance.

Ask Premier For Help

Hybrid work offers the flexibility of remote work while preserving the invaluable aspects of in-person collaboration. As businesses and employees continue to navigate the evolving workplace landscape, hybrid work stands out as a balanced solution that meets the needs of both productivity and work-life balance. With clear expectations, performance standards, and the right tools in place, your business can thrive in this model. 

Premier strives to provide businesses with everything they need to reach their potential. If you're ready to explore how hybrid work can benefit your organization, we are here to help you connect with top talent and support your transition. Learn more about how we can help you reach the best talent out there!