Hybrid is Not Where We Work. It's How We Connect.
HYBRID IS NOT WHERE WE WORK. IT'S HOW WE CONNECT.
The vast majority of employees prefer hybrid work. Asking people to come in to the office 5 days a week is a recipe for pissing off your people and losing top talent. Just 6 out of 158 U.S. CEOs said they'll prioritize bringing workers back to the office full-time in 2024 (Conference Board).
And yet, as a recent podcast episode of The Daily titled "The Hybrid Worker Malaise" discusses, even though the overwhelming majority of employees prefer hybrid work, they are more disengaged and disconnected than ever before.
Hybrid isn't about a policy, it's about a purpose. It's are we connecting when we are in-person? And are we connecting when we are remote?
Too often, people are being dragged into the office: "You gotta come in on Thursday... Thursday's our in-person day!" Then they get there at 9am; they commuted for 40-minutes, they sat in traffic, or got on the subway, they even had to put on real pants (OMG, not sweatpants!)... only to find their boss (who called them into the office!) isn't even in the office and that everyone else is sitting at their computer on wall-to-wall Zoom or Teams calls all day long, with noise-cancelling headphones on, leaving them to wonder, "WHY THE HELL DID I JUST SIT IN TRAFFIC FOR 40 MINUTES?! Why didn't I get to have breakfast with my partner this morning?! Why didn't I get to spend an extra 20 minutes with my kids? Why wasn't I able to exercise this morning?!"
People don't come into the office for the work, they come in for each other. They come for the connection.
Again, hybrid is not where we work. It's how we connect. It's ARE WE CONNECTING when we're in-person, remote, and in between?
It's building human connection into the entire employee experience, not a happy hour or a one-off team building event. It's about understanding that yes, sometimes in-person connection is mission-critical, and that, yes, sometimes people do better work and are happier when they work from wherever they want to work.
It's about understanding that there is not a one-size fits all approach that is going to work for every company or even every person at every company; it's going to differ based on role, and the stage someone is at in their career or life. Gen-Zers and early career folks often tell me how much they value in-person mentorship and if they live nearby and are able to, appreciate going into the office to make new friends, build relationships, and get access to professional development opportunities. While new parents often favor remote/hybrid work.
Flexibility is challenging. It requires curiosity, experimentation, openness and most of all, connection. What are your thoughts on hybrid work?
Want to build more human connection in a hybrid workplace?
Read my LinkedIn article on “How to Build Human Connection in a Hybrid Workforce”
Listen to my “Getting Hybrid” podcast interview on Man of the Year podcast with Matt Ritter + Aaron Karo.
Smiley Poswolsky is a workplace belonging expert and keynote speaker on creating a culture of belonging and human connection in the future of work.
Photo by: Kadeem Olijah
This article was originally published by the author on LinkedIn and on his Substack Newsletter on February 15, 2024.
