The success of the great remote migration is introducing a slew of new work models, not that it’s confusing or anything. I mean, if you’re going fully distributed, that’s 100% in the office, right?
OK, so maybe it’s time to clear up our collective definitions and better manage expectations, because the hybrid work model – which is an increasingly popular term that’s being tossed around – is particularly open to interpretation.
That said, here are the top five approaches to hybrid work models I'm hearing about in the Bureauverse, along with the pros and cons of each.
Remote-first
This one’s pretty straightforward. People are expected to work from home, but they can use the office if they need to. There's probably a system to sign up so co-workers know if you're coming in. Also, a home office stipend is typically the norm for staff.
Pros: Most employees want this and it's easier when everyone is working remotely.
Cons: It can be harder to create a sense of connection and comradery.
Remote-friendly
In this model, you can work from home but may have to request to do so in advance. There will likely be some full-time remote people on teams. So, while working offsite is clearly cool, unless it's been approved, you're expected to come into the office.
Pros: You can still hire top talent out of your local market.
Cons: It creates an "us vs. them" mentality, as in, office workers have more perks, access to information and contact with the boss than their remote counterparts.
Office-centric
Under this approach, employees are expected in the office but there are set days when everyone can work remotely. For example, there’s Remote Fridays, one day a week in which an entire company can work from home.
Pros: It’s easier to create that sense of connection and equity with everyone getting the same experience.
Cons: You lose that access to full time, out-of-town talent, which can be critical during talent shortages.
Flexible Hybrid
This is the ultimate in work freedom. Just do what you want, when you want, how you want.
Pros: Employees feel the power to work in a way that is best for them even as situations change.
Cons: This can be devastating to culture and process as in-office employees and remote employees once again may have different experiences and expectations.
Choose Your Own Adventure
This is similar to the flexible hybrid model, but employees have to choose from a preset menu of options. These could range from strictly working from home to being in the office on set days.
Pros: This helps a lot with teamwork issues since everyone knows what to expect and can anticipate how to work together.
Cons: There's still that nasty "us vs. them" dynamic that can easily form when people in the office seem to have more perks and access.
I'm sure there are even more ways to slice and dice how we work going forward. The trick is to find the right balance for your company and ensure employees are all treated equally. Hopefully, this gives you some new ways to think about what will work best for you and your team.
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