The headlines are full of news that “Hybrid Work is Dead.” But if that’s true, why do 70% or more of companies have hybrid work policies? The answer is that it’s the word “hybrid” itself that’s endangered, not the way people work.
Remember telecommuting? Then we called it telework? Then work-from-home (WFH)? They have all been declared dead or passe. “Everyone” is back in the office like the good employees they are. Yet there’s a good chance you’re reading this somewhere other than your assigned desk. (Maybe even in your home.)
Words and concepts evolve. This is especially true when circumstances change in real time. Immediately after COVID, we went through a period of adjustment. Many companies swung wildly from allowing—even insisting on—work from home, to mandated back-to-work. Not surprisingly, a lot of companies settled for a middle ground solution. The term most people settled on was “hybrid.” After all, it was a bit of this and a bit of that. What the heck else would you call it?
The first problem, of course, was that what most people called hybrid work wasn’t. It was less a well-thought-out strategy than a hostage negotiation. Bosses wanted to bring people back to work but not at the risk of open rebellion or causing massive turnover. Employees wanted the flexibility of working when and where they want as long as work gets done.
Those compromises lead to other problems, such as proximity bias (which favors those in the same place as the manager), charges of favoritism, and awkward performance review processes.
In case you’re wondering, the current term is “flexible.” It feels more in keeping with the idea that you can choose (to a degree) where and how you work, within reason. Over time, I’m sure the terminology will morph to something else. It always does.
What doesn’t change, regardless of what you call it, is the idea that organizations and leaders must have a solid, intentional approach to how work gets done on teams. What work is best suited for when everyone is together? Is there a place for being out of the office in order to focus on quiet, thoughtful work? Do your HR and performance management systems measure the quality of the work, or merely how many days someone comes into the mothership?
If you’re satisfied with the way your team is working, and things make sense, great. If you are wondering whether you have a well-thought-out system, or merely put it together doing the best you can, it may be worth taking a closer look.
For nearly 26 years, Wayne Turmel has been dedicated to helping professionals build strong communication and leadership skills. He has taught and consulted with both Fortune 500 companies and startups worldwide. Over the past 18 years, Wayne has concentrated on the increasing importance of effective communication in remote and virtual settings.