Most organizations have embraced the idea of a hybrid workplace, a combination of in-office/in-person and out-of-office/remote workplace locations, making it the “new normal” in many industries. This trend is expected to continue into 2025 and beyond. As of 2024, 53% of U.S. remote-capable employees are working in hybrid roles, so this conversation is important to have in order to stay on par with industry peers. While companies debate hybrid, in-person, or full remote models for their teams, it’s wise to keep employees’ preferences in mind. After all, happy employees are key to overall productivity. In fact, according to a recent study, happy employees are 13% more productive.
The high stakes of choosing the right workplace location were exemplified in a recent Gallup study that found that six in 10 remote workers would likely seek new employment if denied the opportunity for remote work. This statistic underlines the necessity for businesses to craft policies that not only support hybrid work but also ensure retention and productivity. The following pillars outline the essential components for an effective hybrid work policy that meets the evolving needs that all organizations face.
1. Clear Communication and Guidelines
Clear communication is essential to maintaining a productive and collaborative work environment while your team works remotely. Having clear communication can ensure that remote and in-office employees remain aligned and prevent misunderstandings. Tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams can enable and encourage open communication between team members, whether they’re on a different floor in the same office building or on opposite sides of the country.
Establishing clear expectations and guidelines for employees working remotely is essential. Defining availability standards ensures consistency within your organization, while well-structured protocols for task prioritization and addressing urgent issues across time zones improve responsiveness. Regular updates through established check-in channels promote team cohesion. Communicate your expectations and your organization can thrive with a hybrid work model.
2. Flexibility of In-Office and Remote
One of the largest positives for most employees who want a hybrid workplace is the flexibility that it can offer. While building the structure for your hybrid work policy, keep in mind the importance of a balance between at-home and in-office work. When structuring a hybrid work policy, it’s vital to recognize the need for a balance between remote and in-office work to maximize productivity and maintain morale. Striking the right balance ensures employees reap the benefits of both environments.
Different employees, roles, and departments may thrive in varied work environments, making it advantageous to incorporate flexibility into hybrid work policies whenever possible. Maybe your team can work different hours on days that they work from home, as long as they are online for an important meeting or for part of a coworker’s day so that they are available to collaborate. This flexibility empowers employees to choose how, where, and when they work best, promoting a sense of autonomy and ownership over their work. Empowered employees can not only enhance individual productivity but also boost overall team morale and commitment.
3. Performance Measurement and Accountability
Without employees coming in and working in the same space together every day, it’s important to stay updated on their progress and success. Thus, part of your hybrid work plan should cover how your organization will standardize the measurement of success for remote and in-person employees.
One strategy to measure performance is to establish and monitor goals for output-focused KPIs, focusing on measuring productivity and project completion, rather than focusing on the amount of time your team spends on a project. This is standardized for all employees to be equally evaluated. Another way to stay updated on how your team is doing and the progress they’ve made is to regularly conduct reviews and meetings. Connecting with your team and opening the door for feedback and questions can help hold everyone involved accountable, reinforce long-term goals, and align expectations across the organization.
This approach emphasizes results over time spent working, promoting fairness between remote and in-office employees by focusing on what they achieve rather than where or how long they work. It fosters a culture of trust, giving employees greater autonomy and flexibility to manage their own tasks. This can lead to higher job satisfaction and motivation, along with productivity, which circles back to the idea that happy employees are more productive employees. Additionally, output-based evaluations encourage efficiency, innovation, and accountability, as employees are driven to meet goals, deliver tangible results, and remain accountable rather than just clocking in hours.
4. Proper Equipment
With employees working from various places, they will need different technology and equipment than they would if working solely from an office. At the most basic level, equipping the whole team with laptops enables flexibility of working from almost anywhere. They will need reliable equipment that can handle the programs they need to get their job done. Additionally, you can offer a home-office setup stipend, giving your team the autonomy to build their ideal at-home workstation.
Beyond the technology itself, giving your team the software that they need, as well as following protocol to keep your organization’s data private are vital parts of making hybrid work possible. Another way to make sure your team is able to work from anywhere is to offer basic IT training and cover common IT problems and how to fix them. If working from home and they have an issue, your IT department won’t be there to help rectify the problem unless you have enabled IT Remote Access capabilities.
5. Security and Data Protection
Working outside of an office can pose security risks. Home or coffee shop wifi is often not secure, putting your organization’s data at risk. Equipment is also at risk of potential theft or being lost. It is also more difficult for the IT team to supervise employee activity, raising the potential danger of phishing attacks, random unapproved applications, and unmonitored browsing.
To maintain your organization’s privacy and security, it’s a good idea to implement regular cybersecurity training. Make sure that all employees understand the dangers of clicking random links or downloading new apps, and conduct periodic phishing tests. Enable data encryption when possible, and encourage cybersecurity best practices like two-factor authentication and complex passwords.
Conclusion
Hybrid work is not disappearing any time soon and is a large piece of your employees’ experience with your company. Implementing an effective, flexible, and thoughtfully designed hybrid work policy can increase productivity, overall satisfaction with your organization, and better mental health for everyone in the organization. If you’re interested in working together on designing your organization’s remote or hybrid work policy, we are here to offer our expertise!