In order for a hybrid workforce to be most effective, its flexibility has to evolve alongside the growing expectations of its employees. (Image: Shutterstock)
After a year of remote-first work, it's hard to remember what our work lives were like before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. As corporations begin to embrace this "new normal," gone are the antiquated notions about where — and how — people get things done. The past year has proven employees don't always need to be in the office in order to fulfill their company's mission. However, as companies adapt to a multitude of changes across business segments, they must also adapt to a changing human market.
Remote work was a necessity amid pandemic precautions, but a transition to hybrid work presents a wider variety of decisions to make. A hybrid work model is not a temporary fix, but instead a new course for how businesses will operate in our new normal.
Stacey Richey is the vice president of people at Corvus Insurance, the leading provider of smart commercial insurance products powered by AI-driven risk data. Recommended For You
However, human resources managers and executives have realized just how challenging it can be to authentically connect with employees from a virtual distance. This especially rings true for organizations trying to keep up with some of the hottest emerging tech companies, which have a plethora of tools at their disposal to keep employee counts high. Creating a work culture in which hybrid employees can thrive will heavily depend on how well a company's approach is modeled after the employees themselves, and striking the right balance is imperative.
Fostering hybrid flexibility
Before the pandemic, many organizations may not have been so overwhelmingly open to the concept of hybrid work as they presently are. There are many businesses that established the hybrid work footprint, becoming early adopters of fluid work schedules and employee flexibility. However, too much variation and personalization in employees' days began to have adverse effects as they increasingly found themselves not in the office at similar times, losing out on the collaborative in-office touchpoints that just don't have the same impact through a computer screen.
In order for a hybrid workforce to be most effective, its flexibility has to evolve alongside the growing expectations of its employees.
Replacing more rigid work structures with the customization of hybrid work means you can't simply put a new system in place and move on. By implementing regular touchpoints for employee evaluation and communication, the feedback will help organizations determine whether their hybrid model is on the right track or in need of some adjustments.
From a "war for talent" to a "war for retention"
As a company grows, finding the right talent — and enough of it — becomes increasingly complex. Many industries find themselves short on qualified talent to begin with, and now employees are more likely to change career paths or relocate for work than ever before. Employees are prioritizing a work-life balance and demanding flexible options such as working from home at least three days a week.
Offering hybrid work environments broadens the scope of a company's prospective employee search by immediately expanding the geographical range of candidates at their disposal. For a company hiring in Boston, they often require someone who lives in or is willing to relocate to Greater Boston or eastern Massachusetts, or who is comfortable with a long commute. By presenting their hybrid work model up front, that company could expand its search across New England and beyond, as long as it has the infrastructure in place to support those new employees once they come on board.
The true benefit of hybrid work lies not just in getting people to join your team, but incentivizing them to stay. As a company matures, replacing those who have extensive tenures and experience becomes a far greater lift — especially if that team member was a cornerstone to the company's culture. Hybrid work can help soften that blow by offering an alternative for those considering relocation or retirement, one that may better suit their reason for needing to adjust their situation in the first place.
Establishing the workplace of the future
Figuring out what employees need can be a moving target. In the pandemic, it was more akin to hitting a moving target during an earthquake. The remote work experience showed us just how much communication was being taken for granted. Now that the pandemic is beginning to ease, employers have a unique opportunity to enhance the workforce of the future.
A workplace's culture relies on moments of connection that help foster the shared beliefs at the core of a company's mission. The bond of shared experience cannot be duplicated, so leaders need to use the highs and lows of the past year as an opportunity for connection. Find the moments of intention that ignite the passion of your employees, because people work hardest when they truly believe in something.
Embracing a human approach to hybrid working is not as simple as it sounds. It requires asking employees for feedback, constantly evaluating policies and actively listening to the responses received. It requires taking action on what is learned — not patting oneself on the back for having sought the answers in the first place.
Hybrid work has the potential to be the foundation of the workplace of the future, but it will never truly succeed without widespread adoption across industries. Hybrid work environments will always be unique to each company, since it is informed by the specific employee base. If employees have been encouraged, listened to and given every opportunity to succeed, then they can succeed from anywhere, since it will be the culture they foster that binds the organization together.
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
