Distributed Working Models, Not Hybrid!

In August, Zoom released the report “Navigating the Future Of Work: Global Perspectives on Hybrid Models and Technology.”

Zoom, together with Reworked Insights, surveyed more than 600 IT and C-suite leaders and nearly 1,900 knowledge workers worldwide. The survey explored people’s views on different workplace models, productivity levels across models, the impact of generative AI on work, and other topics related to the future of work.

The results made headlines.

Mi3

APAC leaders face declining employee engagement with existing hybrid work models

Unleash

Zoom: Remote work doesn’t equal isolation; instead, hybrid is good for connection

Mezha Media

Zoom found that 83% of employees consider themselves more effective when working remotely

BPM

Remote or office? Why hybrid work is the real MVP post-pandemic. Zoom study reveals hybrid work as the leading model, with companies balancing remote and office work

Financial Post

'Hybrid is king' — but that could change as workplaces keep evolving, Zoom study says

Zoom

Zoom survey reveals hybrid work reigns supreme and delivers unexpected value to global organizations

Most headlines and articles about the survey findings are quite rosy. I am not in that camp, but would you expect less of me?

Hybrid is not king!

Zoom's report includes statements such as “Hybrid is king”, “Hybrid reigns supreme,” and “some of the dust has settled.”

Before we clap and jump up and down with glee, we must define what we mean by hybrid.

In its broadest sense, “hybrid” is a thing made by combining two different elements. Hybrid work means I can work here or there.

This is why I dislike the term hybrid. It is binary.  It is the office or somewhere else which is generally home.

Future work models should not be binary. They should allow employees to work where they want, when they want, and how they want. This may or may not include the traditional office. 

The employees, their team, and their leader must decide when it makes sense to co-locate, which could be in the office or a coworking space. At all other times, I locate myself where I do my best work, whether in a café, library, home office, hired workspace, etc. It is not a binary solution.

A future working model must provide employees autonomy and flexibility to choose where they work.

Definitions and disconnect

Let’s look at the hybrid definitions in the Zoom report.

Scheduled Hybrid: Employees have set days or times when they must work remotely or in the office.

Flextime Hybrid: Employees can choose the hours they work, but they must still come into the office for certain meetings or collaborative sessions.

Outcome-based Hybrid: Employees can work remotely if they meet specific performance criteria or project deadlines.

Rotational Hybrid: Teams or departments rotate between working remotely and working in the office.

Role-based Hybrid: Only some types of employees have the option to work remotely based on the nature of their job responsibilities.

Location-based Hybrid: Employees in select geographic regions or metro areas can work remotely.

The following graph from the report shows the most common workplace models.

The following graph shows the responses to the question, “If you were to change jobs, which of these workplace models would you consider in a new employer?

There is a clear disconnect.

Most employees currently work in a scheduled hybrid model. They are told which days or times they must be in the office.

Most employees would like to work in a remote from anywhere model. This model allows employees to work from wherever they choose, and does not require them to access an office or shared workspace.  

They can access an office or a shared workspace when it makes sense. It is a choice, not a mandate.

So, while the most common hybrid model mandates office attendance, employees do not want this.

If you have a scheduled hybrid model, your employees are looking elsewhere for an employer with a remote from anywhere model.

Flextime hybrid

The alignment comes with those employers who are offering a flextime hybrid model. 22% of employers offer this model, and 25% of employees want that model.

The Zoom definition says that this model allows employees to choose their work hours, but they must still come into the office for certain meetings or collaboration sessions.

I support this model if the office attendance makes sense. If the team(s) agree that a meeting would be more productive and effective in the office, then do so. If the team(s) agree that a collaboration session would be more productive and effective in the office, then do so.

At the end of each day in the office, each employee should be able to answer “yes” to the question, “Was it worth the commute?” 

Of course, you must find the best model for you and your organisation. If you have teams distributed globally, you may be unable to bring them all together simultaneously.

There are options, including maximising the technology now available to make meetings and collaboration sessions just as productive and effective with a fully remote workforce. Smaller collaboration groups could be held regionally in person, with consolidation sessions held virtually.

Fully remote

There are plenty of examples of very successful organisations that are fully remote. Some were born that way and never had an office presence; some have evolved into this way of working.

Since its founding, Zapier has been a remote-based company. Initially, the founders couldn’t afford the necessary office space or align their work schedules.

As the company grew to scale, it found it could hire whomever it wanted, maintain a quality product, and keep its customers and workforce happy by remaining fully remote.

Atlassian has employees in 13 countries, and they are flexible about where they work. Atlassian describes this as “distributed work” and explains why on its website.

“Remote work means working from home or a co-working space, which excludes people who need (or simply prefer) an office setting. Hybrid work means mandating some arbitrary amount of office time. We considered both and said, “Mmmm… nope.”

We use the term “distributed” work because we’re all about flexibility and autonomy. Atlassians can choose to work from one of our offices or not on any given day. We’re not precious about where work happens. But we care a lot about how it happens.”

Dropbox is a virtual first company that allows employees to work remotely permanently. 

SAP has a 100% flexible, trust-based work model.

Spotify has a work-from-anywhere program allowing team members to “choose to work where they work best, whether at home, at the office, or somewhere else entirely.”

Trust

It comes down to trusting your employees to do the right thing. When you mandate employees to be in the office full-time, on specific days of the week, or a percentage of their time, you are screaming, “I do not trust you.”

If you want employees to be in the office, there must be a reason—not just because it is a Wednesday. Stop citing productivity, collaboration, and culture as reasons to return to the office. None of them hold any water.

A key takeaway from the survey was that more human connection is not guaranteed in an in-person environment. People in an in-office-only environment are less likely to say they have a strong connection to their coworkers, managers, and overall workplace than hybrid and remote employees. Hybrid workers were the most likely to say they felt connected to their companies and coworkers.

Please work with your employees to determine a work model that meets their needs and the business's. Always remember that the model will evolve, and everyone must stay open to new models.

As the report advises:

“Employees favor the flexibility and productivity of hybrid workplaces, and organizations can learn a key lesson from this: building a successful, future-ready workplace requires continuously adapting to employees’ feedback and evolving preferences.

Leaders must embrace flexibility, adapt to employees’ changing preferences, and invest in better digital workplace technology and AI solutions. This will help leaders improve productivity and the overall employee experience and prepare them for long-term success. With the right strategic foresight, leaders can thrive in this new world of work.”

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I am an organisational change management rebel WITH a cause. 

I am the author of eight books on organisational change, workforce resilience, leadership capability uplift and leading remote teams.

I am an international keynote speaker, consultant, facilitator, coach, and mentor.

I am passionate about enabling individuals and organisations to be their best through performance enablement, outstanding leadership, adaptation, agility, and resilience in the face of constant and uncertain change.

I would love to work with you and your organisation. Contact me here.