“Retire the concept of hybrid work. Hybrid is a policy, not a type of work.”

This quote from MillerKnoll's Ryan Anderson set the tone for a lively discussion about the state of hybrid work in 2024 and how to solve its challenges in a recent FlexOS x Tactic event. 

Over 50 workplace experts from some of the biggest and most innovative companies joined live, and a new playbook emerged. 

In this newsletter, I’ll share ten new rules for successfully operating a hybrid work model in 2024, as shared by global experts:

1. Stop Talking About Hybrid 

Discussions about 'why not hybrid' are illogical. People want hybrid work, and it makes sense for businesses.

Stanford Professor Nick Bloom pointed out that research clearly shows hybrid work models maintain productivity and revenue while reducing costs, leading to a more efficient business model.

Tactic research additionally shows:

• 63% of high-growth companies have adopted hybrid models
• 83% of employees worldwide prefer hybrid
• Hybrid saves an estimated $11K per worker per year

And despite what the media may tell you, remote work is up, even versus last year, as Brian Elliott recently pointed out. (See here for more hybrid work statistics.)

In short, hybrid is the norm. Stick with it, and make it work.

2. Prioritize Experience over Presence

Janet Pogue McLaurin, Gensler’s Global Director of Workplace Research, shared that "for a high-performing workplace, creating the right experience is critical, to evoke connection and emotion. You need to serve both the head and the heart."

Focus on creating meaningful experiences rather than merely requiring presence in the office. This includes fostering connections and evoking a sense of belonging and purpose during in-office days. 

In this spirit, workplace experience strategist Corinne Murray (Agate) advised focusing on norms, behaviors, policies, and people programs first. This body of data informs the physical space, which is only the third line of defense. 

Roundtable participants additionally discussed that while you may not be able to control the outcome of those experiences fully, you will not meet your objectives if you don’t set a schedule.

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3. Coordinate, Or Else

Research from Natalia Emanuel and Emma Harrington shows that if one person out of eight doesn't show up in person, everyone else's experience decreases by 30%.

The experts on our panel and in the roundtable emphasize that the crucial importance of strong coordination on office days and times. (See our overview of hot desk booking software to do so here.)

"The thing that sends people mad is coming into the office and finding no one there. Most people come into the office to work with others." – Nick Bloom

In this, ensure everyone follows the same rules—no bosses dialing in remotely after mandating people be on-site.

But, while flexibility is key, providing some structure helps employees navigate the hybrid model better, shared Tiffany Owyang Lam, the Regional Workplace Experience Manager at Grammarly, who’s been managing one of the most progressive hybrid programs for years.

Define, for example, which activities are best done in person and which can be handled remotely. Be clear about your expectations and where people are free to choose. 

"People want the best of both worlds. So it's the same for the workplace experience. They wanna be told X, but also the flexibility to do why.” – Tiffany Owyang Lam, Grammarly

4. Practice Radical Office Intentionality  

The shift from "return to office" to intentional office use focuses on designing workspaces and policies that truly serve the work being done.

Redesign your spaces for the new reality of work, as Janet shared that only a third of workspaces have been redesigned after the pandemic.

Among Tactic clients, data shows that:

• Standing desks are twice as likely to be used as sitting desks
• Desks with monitors 3x as likely to be used
• Hybrid workers average 2.6 days in-office per week
• There’s an average 2:1 desk-to-employee ratio

How? Corinne Murray says to “just focus on the work." If we design our spaces and experiences according to the work that needs to be done, we're 90% there. Then, implement, measure, and validate.

Another practical tip from a roundtable participant was to spend more time in the space and observe who’s there and for what, as well as who isn’t—and why.

5. Personalize, Personalize, Personalize 

Continuously listen to and adapt based on employee feedback. Personalized approaches are essential, as what works for one team may not work for another.

Provide amenities that support the hybrid work model, such as pet-friendly policies, shuttle services, and ergonomic office setups.

Reid reported from one of our breakout rooms that this is key: "Planning is essential. You must have the right place and have the food already arranged. Make it a unique, positive experience.

In this, consider geographical and cultural differences. In certain markets, everyone is expected to show up for food in the office, while in others, it’s just an expectation.  

These enhancements can significantly improve employee satisfaction and productivity. 

6. Let Employees Lead 

Allowing employees to plan their onsite agendas leads to more effective and engaging in-office days. 

Grammarly's Tiffany Owyang Lam shared that the company has on-site weeks, with employees choosing which weeks to come in and teams building the agenda. They learned the hard way that it doesn't work if the workplace team designs those critical face-to-face weeks.

But leaving it entirely to teams doesn’t work either. 

That’s why Grammarly is building a tool to help teams create engaging on-site agendas based on best practices and learnings from the entire organization. To replicate, give guidance about at least 1) Goals, 2) Activities That Support Those, and 3) Logistics.

Nick reminded us that Harvard’s Raj Choudhury research shows that preventing people from spending in-office time only with others like them is essential. A tip? Mix people into taxis on the way back to the airport! 

7. Go Beyond the Office Walls

Janet made a strong point about how the best offices aren’t just offices: 

“The most successful companies are thinking beyond the office walls, because the workplace is an ecosystem. Tapping into the vibrancy of the neighborhood, services and spaces in your multi-tenant building and what's across the street and down the as an extension of your work environment.” - Janet Pogue

To provide a more dynamic and flexible work environment, use various workspaces within and outside the traditional office setting, including cafes, libraries, and shared office spaces. 

People themselves already do this naturally, as Gensler's research shows us that 30% of work time is spent outside of the home and the office.

8. Prioritize Trust, Autonomy, and Outputs

Managing by walking around was never great, but it should now be a thing of the past. Focus on outputs rather than time spent online or in the office. 

Output-focused work gives people more autonomy, a crucial ingredient for human flourishing, and allows them to divide their time between work and other priorities flexibly.

As Nick pointed out, it’s also a much simpler way to manage: did you deliver or not? But, as Corinne said: "The biggest issue is leaders do not trust their employees to do their work.”

Building a culture of trust is crucial for hybrid work success. Employees should feel trusted to manage their work, and leadership must support this by demonstrating trust and autonomy. 

9. Redefine Metrics of Success

Shift from traditional occupancy metrics to measuring impact. Focus on how space and hybrid policies contribute to work outcomes rather than just presence. 

Occupancy, in particular, is not a good metric. Even if the space is valuable only for a few days, you can calculate an ROI. 

Measure how many spaces people use, especially during peak times like on-sites, along other new office metrics. 

10. Bring Leadership Along at Every Step

A disconnect between leadership, workplace teams, and employees was clearly felt throughout all discussions.

Based on data and insights, evangelize what’s needed to the leadership team and take them along every step of the way.

One of the roundtable participants mentioned the importance of leadership education. For example, people may have certain presumptions that do not match today's needs.

Additionally, sometimes, even between leaders, there’s no alignment. So talk is important!

Are you discussing enough of the latest data and insights with your leadership team?

Hybrid Work in 2024: The Bottom Line

The thinkers, researchers, and practitioners on our panel and roundtable were correctly unified in that hybrid work is the way to go for almost all companies.

And, that 3+ years of data is telling us a lot about how to make it work, including important points on the physical offices, coordination, experiences and gatherings, and the way we manage people and work.

As I wrote two weeks ago, many employees hate their jobs. That’s a huge miss given that our time on earth is too short to dislike where you spent most of your waking hours. 

Implementing or improving a great hybrid model based on these 10 rules is a must for everyone company that’s serious about future-proofing themselves.

Until Next Week,

– Daan

PS: As always, I love hearing your stories. Which of these tips are you trying to implement but can’t. Or did the experts miss something? Reply and let me know!