Hybrid working has become the new normal in recent years. Many organizations view hybrid work as offering a good balance between the flexibility and autonomy of remote work and the in-person collaboration and social connection of being in the office.
Current trends and research on evolving workplace practices underscore the rise of hybrid work. Most professionals are currently working in a hybrid setup, and 60% of employees with remote-capable jobs prefer hybrid over fully remote or fully on-site roles. According to Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom, “Hybrid work is a win-win-win for employee productivity, performance, and retention.”
Given its increasing popularity, companies would do well to consider adopting a hybrid work model. However, hybrid work can refer to a wide range of arrangements, so it’s essential to implement the model that best serves your strategic goals, operational needs, and organizational culture.
Here’s what you need to know about the four most common hybrid models, how to choose the right one for your business, and how to ensure a smooth transition.
4 hybrid work models
While there are potentially endless possibilities for how an organization can configure their hybrid workplace strategy, the following are the four most common hybrid work models.
Office-first hybrid model
As the name suggests, an office-first model requires in-person attendance most of the time while permitting occasional remote work. Companies that prioritize in-person work for operational or cultural reasons might choose this approach—especially when the nature of the work demands physical presence. For example, a financial services company might need employees to serve clients in person, and roles in manufacturing might require on-site work.
The office-first model is relatively easy to implement since it doesn’t require major adjustments. However, employers risk losing top talent since studies show that workers value remote work and would even take a pay cut in order to work from home a few days a week.
Fixed hybrid model
In the fixed hybrid model, employees come to the office on predetermined days. For instance, a company might require everyone to work in the office from Tuesday to Thursday, allowing remote work on Mondays and Fridays. Alternatively, this model could be team-specific, with each team determining their own fixed schedule of in-person and remote working days.
Having everyone on-site on the same days simplifies scheduling in-person meetings, collaborations, training sessions, and social events. However, this approach offers less flexibility since employees don’t get to choose which days they work from home.
💡 For more tips and insights, check out Navigating Hybrid Work: Strategies for a Balanced and Resilient Workforce with experts from Oyster and LifeLabs Learning.
Flexible hybrid model
With a flexible hybrid model, a company might require a certain number of on-site days, but employees get to choose which days to work in the office versus at home. This approach is more employee-centric since it gives team members much greater control over their work schedules and offers better work-life balance, while still allowing for in-person connection and collaboration.
However, without specific on-site days, meetings might require more coordination and planning to align schedules and be inclusive of both in-person and remote colleagues. It might also be harder to predict or optimize office space usage. But these hybrid work challenges can be mitigated with intentional workplace design and using software tools to manage calendars and scheduling.
Remote-first hybrid model
In a remote-first hybrid model, employees work remotely most of the time and only come to the office occasionally, such as for in-person meetings, required trainings, or social events. This model allows maximum flexibility and widens the talent pool since companies aren’t limited to hiring people who live within commuting distance.
On the other hand, the remote-first approach might increase feelings of isolation or disengagement, and it may be more challenging to build relationships and maintain a cohesive organizational culture. These challenges can be averted by investing in a strong digital infrastructure, including tools and channels for communication, collaboration, and project management, and by training and enabling managers.
How to choose the right hybrid work model
Each hybrid workplace will look different since the specific arrangements will vary based on the work involved, the company culture, employee expectations, talent needs, and more.
Consider these questions:
- Do the core activities of the business require physical presence or in-person collaboration, or can most of the work be performed remotely and autonomously?
- As an organization, do you value developing an office-based culture or providing greater flexibility?
- Does your workforce prefer being on-site or working from home?
- In terms of talent strategy, are you able to fill roles locally or do you need to cast a wider net?
It’s also important to be clear on why you’re going hybrid. Is your goal to harness the benefits of both in-person and remote work, improve work-life balance, increase talent retention, or keep up with industry trends or best practices? Addressing these questions will help you identify the elements of a hybrid strategy that will best suit your business needs and ensure long-term sustainability.
🎉 Check out how Latana built a thriving hybrid culture across borders by partnering with Oyster.
Ensuring a successful transition to hybrid work
Once you’ve chosen and defined your hybrid work model, you’re well on your way to building a thriving workplace—one that promotes flexibility, well-being, and work-life balance. You’ll have a happier workforce and a stronger employer brand that’ll help you attract and retain top talent.
If you’re ready to make the switch to hybrid work, check out Oyster’s Hybrid Handbook, a comprehensive guide to hybrid work, from building a robust policy to effective communication strategies, performance management, and more.
About Oyster
Oyster is a global employment platform designed to enable visionary HR leaders to find, engage, pay, manage, develop, and take care of a thriving distributed workforce. Oyster lets growing companies give valued international team members the experience they deserve, without the usual headaches and expense.
Oyster enables hiring anywhere in the world—with reliable, compliant payroll, and great local benefits and perks.
