What are the benefits and disadvantages of the hybrid work model?

Employees around the world have made it clear: they want flexibility in how and where they work. And companies are listening. Today, 77% of organizations have adopted a hybrid working model. But not everyone is convinced hybrid is the way to go. Your company’s work policies can impact the business as well as employee productivity and well-being. With so many different types of working models, it can be hard to pick a style that suits your team’s needs. If you’re weighing whether to switch to—or away from—a hybrid setup, it’s best to be prepared. Let’s walk through some of the benefits and disadvantages of hybrid work.

4 benefits of hybrid work

A hybrid work model combines onsite and remote work, offering flexibility that supports both your business and employees. By nailing both your workplace design and policies under a hybrid model, you can strengthen company culture and create a dynamic workplace that adapts to changing needs. 

1. Happy and engaged employees

Allowing employees more flexibility when they work onsite can increase their engagement. Why does that matter? A recent Gallop survey shows that engaged employees produce better business outcomes, increasing profitability by up to 23%. More engaged employees can also lead to many other business benefits: 

• Higher productivity because employees are motivated to perform at their best
• Reduced turnover, saving on recruitment and training costs
• Improved teamwork, fostering stronger collaboration across departments
• Increased innovation since employees are more likely to contribute fresh ideas

2. Improved company culture

A major concern of executives is whether a hybrid model will harm the onsite company culture they’ve spent years building. A fifth of execs think employees need to be in the workplace daily to maintain a strong company culture. But this is far from the truth.

Giving employees the flexibility to choose when they’re onsite can actually strengthen culture by making office time more intentional. For instance, employees can work from home for tasks requiring deep focus and come onsite for collaborative sessions, team meetings, and key events. By making their in-office time purposeful, folks can foster stronger connections, enhance teamwork, and engage more with the company’s mission.

For hybrid setups where in-office days are set, intentional scheduling can still make a big difference in keeping culture strong. Aligning those days with team meetings, project updates, or cross-functional events helps make office time feel productive and meaningful. 

3. More purposeful workplaces

A hybrid work model opens up the chance to design a workspace tailored to the type of work employees come onsite to do. With fewer people onsite daily, you may not need as many assigned desks that sit empty most of the time. Instead, you can introduce flexible options such as hot desking for those who need a workstation that day, freeing up space for dedicated zones that match specific activities. You may also add quiet zones for focused work, comfortable lounge areas for casual conversations, and phone booths for private calls. 

By optimizing your physical space for the specific needs of the day, your workplace becomes a dynamic environment that adapts to the diverse needs of employees, whether for collaboration, deep focus, or casual interactions. Keep in mind that while many folks will have excellent remote setups, some actually depend on the workplace to provide a quiet, focused environment to work. This kind of space planning isn’t just about reducing unused square footage—it’s about creating an agile, functional, and welcoming space that evolves with your team’s needs and ensures the workplace remains intentional and efficient.

4. Lower operational costs

Having a hybrid work model reduces costs. You won’t need as many desks, computers, printers, or other office supplies—you might even see a decrease in utility bills. Companies can also save thousands of dollars on real estate expenses by downsizing for a hybrid model, especially in expensive metro areas. In fact, 56% of workplace leaders anticipate saving on costs due to reducing their physical workplace footprint. 

Hybrid setups are better for your employees’ bank accounts too, since folks working under this model spend less on daily commutes, parking, and to-go drinks.

4 disadvantages of hybrid work

With any working model, there are also drawbacks to consider. No model is perfect, but you can address many of the disadvantages of hybrid work with a few strategic fixes.

1. Harder to collaborate with remote employees

There isn't a perfect virtual substitute for spontaneous water cooler chat or bump-ins around the office. Remote employees might find it harder to communicate with those onsite and vice versa. You may not be able to control your remote team’s Wi-Fi strength or how loud their neighbors’ lawn mowers are, but there are a few steps you can take to make sure your remote employees are in sync with the onsite crew:

• Establish inclusive policies and practices. Set up meeting best practices and guidelines that focus on inclusivity. For example, encourage onsite leaders to pause during Zoom calls and ask remote participants if they have questions or anything to add.
• Design collaborative spaces with remote teams in mind. Equip meeting rooms with screens, cameras, and microphones that make it easy to include remote employees in onsite discussions. Creating dedicated, tech-enabled collaboration spaces ensures remote team members can participate fully, helping bridge the gap between in-person and virtual interactions.
• Optimize shared spaces for hybrid meetings. Create flexible meeting areas with tools like digital whiteboards and screen-sharing capabilities. This will allow remote employees to contribute just as easily as those onsite and ensure that brainstorming sessions and collaborative projects feel seamless.

2. Faster employee burnout

If left unchecked, the culture of burnout can creep its way into the workplace, even in a hybrid model. Your remote team might work longer hours and take fewer breaks than the onsite folks. They might even feel guiltier for taking personal time off in the afternoon and overcompensate by working later. 

On the flip side, a new study suggests that remote employees may work less than previously thought. Employees assigned to work from home full-time showed an 18% drop in productivity compared to those working in the office, with remote workers taking more time to complete tasks or achieving less overall.

The reality is that performance varies, with some remote employees working more productively and others less so. That’s why it’s important to establish guidelines that encourage healthy work habits. Consider coordinating with HR to set core working hours for all employees, remote or in person, and encourage folks to take breaks and disconnect fully at the end of the day. This will keep employees accountable while also supporting those who tend to overwork, encouraging them to scale back and avoid burnout.

3. Difficulty keeping up with hybrid schedules

With more flexibility comes more variation in your team’s schedules. If there isn’t an easy-to-use and consistent way to keep up employee’s schedules, you might run into resourcing issues. Plus, it can be tough for employees coming onsite to know which of their teammates will be there. 

To avoid any frustration or confusion, it’s important to create policies and guidelines around employee schedules. There are a ton of different work plans that can function in a hybrid model such as cohort schedules or staggered schedules. With a clear schedule in place and consistent communication, your employees will feel empowered to come onsite to meet with their teammates, collaborate, and build relationships. 

You don’t have to go it alone! Look for hybrid work software that enables them to coordinate their days onsite, invite co-workers to join them, and book a nearby desk.

4. Not suitable for all companies

Not every industry or company size is suited to hybrid work models. Some organizations, such as those in healthcare or manufacturing, require fully onsite environments to function effectively. According to our Workplace trends report, the materials, utilities, and telecom services industries had the least amount of onsite traffic growth since January 2021. We also noticed that companies with fewer than 50 employees had a smaller increase in foot traffic whereas larger organizations with over 250 employees were among the earliest adopters of hybrid work. The key is creating a work plan that suits the unique needs of your business and its employees.

Does your organization have a hybrid work policy in place? By using this post as a guide, you can take on hybrid work challenges before they happen.

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Want to learn more about how to help your employees thrive in a hybrid work model? Download our ebook, How to identify and solve hybrid work challenges.