Author: Dan Bladen

The recent move by Asda to mandate a three-day return to office (RTO) policy is raising eyebrows, especially considering the retailer’s earlier commitment to workplace flexibility. While the new policy might be aimed at boosting in-person collaboration, it risks clashing with the principles of true hybrid work, which emphasize employee autonomy and adaptability.

The Policy Shift: From Flexibility to Mandate

Asda’s leadership has rolled out a policy that requires corporate staff to be in the office at least three days a week. This shift comes at a time when flexibility is still a top priority for employees across industries. By enforcing a structured office return, Asda could be undermining its own commitment to flexible working, as highlighted in its employee benefits section.

Asda’s official flexibility policy says: “We know our colleagues want more flexibility to balance their work and home life. That’s why we offer hybrid working to support them.” This statement emphasizes empowering employees to tailor their schedules for productivity and wellbeing. But by mandating in-office attendance, Asda risks contradicting its own values, which could impact employee morale and retention.

Why Mandates Conflict with True Flexibility

Mandating office attendance can lead to unintended consequences that affect both individual performance and overall company culture. Here’s why enforcing a rigid RTO policy could pose some issues:

1. Productivity: Outcome Over Presence

The essence of effective hybrid work is measuring productivity by results, not just physical presence. Successful companies know that performance should be evaluated based on deliverables, not how many hours someone spends at their desk. Studies show that employees who have more control over where and when they work often achieve higher productivity. Enforcing a three-day office rule can limit flexibility and prevent employees from working in the setting where they perform best.

2. Wellbeing and Thriving

Employee wellbeing is at the heart of any thriving company. When people have the freedom to choose their work environment, they often report greater job satisfaction and less stress. This autonomy boosts mental health, leading to better performance and higher retention. A rigid RTO mandate could chip away at these benefits, making it harder for Asda to attract and keep top talent.

3. Technology-Enabled Collaboration

Over the past few years, we’ve seen impressive advancements in remote collaboration tools that help teams work together seamlessly from anywhere. These tools bridge the gap between remote and in-person work, keeping employees connected and productive. Companies that embrace hybrid models use these tools to strike a balance, so employees don’t always need to be physically present to collaborate effectively.

Rigid mandates often overlook these tech benefits, making it harder for employees to take full advantage of flexible working options. On the other hand, organizations that equip their teams with the right tools and trust them to choose their work environment tend to see stronger collaboration and more innovation.

How We Recommend Implementing Hybrid Work

Instead of mandates, organizations should aim for a more balanced approach to hybrid work. Here’s what we recommend:

• Focus on Outcomes, Not Attendance: Measure employee performance based on the quality of their work, not how often they’re at their desk. This builds trust and empowers employees to manage their workload in a way that fits their needs.
  
  
• Prioritize Employee Wellbeing: Flexibility supports mental health and overall wellbeing, which are crucial for long-term engagement. Policies should aim to create a workplace where employees feel trusted and supported.
  
  
• Leverage Technology: Equip teams with the right tools to collaborate effectively from anywhere. A strong tech setup ensures employees can stay productive and engaged whether they’re working remotely or in the office.

Some Final Thoughts

Asda’s three-day RTO mandate might be intended to boost in-person collaboration, but it risks going against the company’s own flexible work values. True hybrid work is built on trust, autonomy, and the understanding that productivity is measured by outcomes, not attendance. By prioritizing employee wellbeing and leveraging technology, companies can create a flexible work environment that benefits both employees and the business.

For any organization looking to find that sweet spot between structure and flexibility, the key is to empower employees and focus on clear, outcome-based success metrics.

Dan Bladen

“Hybrid work represents the biggest shift to how we work in our generation…it will require a new operating model, spanning people, places, and processes.” 

– Satya Nadella, CEO & Chairman, Microsoft

Are Companies Prepared for Hybrid?

The pandemic has changed how we work now 90% of companies are moving to hybrid working. Whether a company moves to hybrid or not is no longer the question – the question now is how to do hybrid.

The vast majority of companies are unknowingly sleepwalking into a hybrid model that has the potential to destroy not only their company’s culture but also its performance. This is due to a focus on managing hybrid real estate(their second largest cost) to the detriment of their most valuable asset and largest cost, their people.

As the world transitions to hybrid, more variables will be introduced to the everyday work experience – making it increasingly difficult to coordinate and work with colleagues. In fact, Adam Grant has stated that “the first and perhaps cardinal sin of hybrid work is a lack of coordination.”

Many solutions are stuck trying to solve today’s hybrid challenges with yesterday’s facilities management tools – making it impossible for employees to know where the best place to work is or, more importantly, who they can actually work with.

In this blog, we will look how we got to where we are today, the challenges that are presented by hybrid working, and most importantly – how companies can solve the challenges by adopting a people-first approach to hybrid work.

How We Got Here: Hybrid Phase 1

The pandemic didn’t just create the hybrid working model out of nowhere, it has simply accelerated the trend. In fact, the trend started in the early 2000s when the internet became good enough to be reliably used at home. In Hybrid 1, the work desk could be anywhere, as long as there was an electrical socket and an ethernet cable.

Shortly after this came Hybrid 1.5 – the birth of WiFi. WiFi meant that employees were no longer tethered to the desk by an ethernet cable. There were still some physical barriers though and it wasn’t until the Blackberry, and subsequently the iPhone, that work could truly happen anywhere and at any time. The iPad catalyzed the bring your own device (BYOD) movement and the global investment in WiFi infrastructure went into overdrive. The canvas was now set for people to work anywhere because the tools for work were now untethered from the office.

How We Got Here: Hybrid Phase 2

In 2020 the pandemic brought about Hybrid 2 (aka forced remote). It wasn’t hybrid per se, but an unexpected extension of hybrid that many of us were already familiar with.

Because the infrastructure for flexible working had already been laid over the last 20 years – Hybrid 2 worked – white-collar workers kept their jobs (though often at the expense of their mental health) and companies themselves largely continued to grow. By the Summer of 2020, the conversation had already turned to thinking about and planning for what work would look like after the pandemic. It became clear that what companies and employees wanted above all else was flexibility. Today, we still want the same flexibility and that trend has not changed.

Hybrid phase 2 proved that employees could be trusted to get work done anywhere. Naturally, employees wanted to keep the flexibility and autonomy they had gained during the pandemic. It also proved that companies could operate without all their expensive real estate and that employees worked just as hard at home as in the office. Furthermore, companies now had access to talent outside the confines of an acceptable commute to the office.

This brings us to today. Over half a billion people are now moving to hybrid – there hasn’t been a change to the way the world works like this since the Industrial Revolution. This change has huge implications for society, the environment, companies, and workers on a global scale. If we, as a society, get this right, everyone benefits.

Hybrid Phase 3: Uncoordinated Hybrid

Now years after the pandemic, we find ourselves in the midst of phase 3, a brand new chapter where work is fluid and dynamic.

In the office today, the permanent desk has been exchanged for a hot-desk. A trade has been made; an employee’s dedicated desk has been traded for their ability to work flexibly. Increased flexibility for employees means that not everyone is going to be in the office every day – this means that desks are being left empty 40-60% of the time, presenting a huge opportunity to reduce real estate.

“For every 100 employees, only 60 seats are needed, which will significantly reduce the need for costly real estate.” – Jamie Dimon CEO, JP Morgan

This means ‘hot-desking’ on a huge scale. The opportunity to make large real estate savings is so attractive that it is easy for companies to think hybrid is all about managing office real estate.

Hybrid 3 takes all the tools, infrastructure, and learning from the past two decades and attempts to create a ‘best of both worlds’ scenario where both companies and employees get what they want. However, companies’ hybrid plans are overly focused on managing their real estate – the tools of the trade – not empowering the people of the trade.

The Challenge: Uncoordinated Hybrid

The problem with Hybrid 3 is that it won’t work for everyone – employees or employers. Companies need to choose to operate in one of two ways:

Forced Hybrid: 2-3 Mandated Office Days a Week

Forced hybrid has the benefit of guaranteeing that employees will mingle in the workplace but does so at a high price – the loss of employee autonomy. The 2-3 forced hybrid approach usually means that the company mandate employees to be in the office on specific days, meaning that companies don’t realize any real estate savings. Furthermore, mandating that employees are regularly in the office naturally shrinks the talent pool a company can hire from.

The largest issue for companies however is that employees just don’t like being told what to do. When an employee is joining a company, they’re not just signing up for a job role and a salary, they are signing up for that company’s way of life.

Uncoordinated Hybrid

Without the right tools, uncoordinated hybrid can become a mess.

Companies around the globe is struggling to find a cadence that works for everyone. What companies need is a third way – a way that realizes the benefits of hybrid, without sacrificing employee autonomy, real estate savings, and company performance.

Employees need the ability to coordinate with the right people, in the right place, and at the right time. They need a way to determine when they should come together for a particular task. Business leaders need to think of the office as a tool that it offers to employees to help them do particular types of work.

When viewed like this, the office becomes part of the work stack, just like video conferencing, productivity suites, or project management tools. All of these tools facilitate different types of interaction and work in a hybrid environment, the key is that each tool is fit for purpose.

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Dan Bladen

As we’ve all come to realize, the workplace isn’t what it used to be. While many companies have clung to the idea that everyone needs to be back in the office full-time, others are challenging this notion—and succeeding in a big way. Enter Trip.com, a travel tech giant that ran a unique experiment with Harvard Business School to see if hybrid work could actually boost their bottom line. Spoiler alert: it did, by millions.

So, what exactly did they do, and what can the rest of us take away from it? Let’s break down Trip.com’s approach, what they learned, and how other companies can apply these lessons to make hybrid work not just possible, but profitable.

The Experiment: A/B Testing Hybrid Work

Trip.com didn’t just make the leap into hybrid work blindly; they decided to put it to the test. They split employees into two groups:

1. Group A: The usual 9-to-5 in-office setup, five days a week.
   
   
2. Group B: A hybrid model, where employees could work from home two days a week.

By comparing these two groups, Trip.com wanted to know if hybrid work actually made a difference in productivity, happiness, and (let’s be real) their expenses.

What They Found: Hybrid Work Pays Off

After running the test, the results were clear: the hybrid team performed just as well as the full-time office crew, if not better. This supports what many of us suspected—fewer office distractions and a break from the daily commute can actually help people get more done.

But here’s the kicker: by cutting down the number of people in the office each day, Trip.com saved a ton of money on operating costs, like utilities and office upkeep. We’re talking millions in savings. And to top it all off, hybrid employees reported higher job satisfaction, which means they’re more likely to stick around. Talk about a win-win.

Boosting Employee Happiness with Flexibility

One of the standout findings from Trip.com’s experiment was that hybrid work made employees happier. Being able to work from home two days a week gave people a better balance between work and life, and it reduced burnout. For those who have felt drained by the demands of traditional office life, hybrid work offers a much-needed relief valve.

This matters a lot when it comes to attracting and keeping great talent. People today value flexibility almost as much as their paycheck. If your company isn’t offering some form of hybrid work, there’s a good chance you’re missing out on top talent that’s looking for that flexibility.

The Hard Data

This lead to a huge 35% drop in attrition.

Before the experiment, managers expected hybrid work would cut productivity by 2.6%. But after six months, they saw a 1% productivity boost.

Employees in the hybrid model also reported higher satisfaction levels.

The hybrid approach not only keeps current employees happy but also makes Trip.com more appealing to future hires who expect that same flexibility.

Cutting Costs and Boosting Revenue

The financial benefits of Trip.com’s hybrid model were significant. By having fewer people in the office daily, the company cut back on expenses like utilities, office supplies, and even space requirements. This allowed them to reinvest those funds into resources that support hybrid work, like tech upgrades and remote-friendly tools.

So if you’re still thinking that hybrid work is just about giving employees a little more freedom, think again—it’s also a solid financial strategy.

Tech Makes It Possible

Trip.com didn’t just tell employees to “go hybrid” and call it a day. They invested in the right tools to make hybrid work run smoothly. With a solid setup of collaboration and communication platforms, employees could stay connected and productive no matter where they were working from.

If you’re considering the shift to hybrid, make sure your tech is up to the task. Tools like Kadence, for example, help manage hybrid schedules, keep teams in sync, and offer insights on team performance. It’s a good reminder that hybrid work isn’t just about where people are working—it’s about how they’re able to work effectively from any location.

Bringing Trip.com’s Success to Your Company

Ready to give hybrid work a try? Here’s what Trip.com’s experiment can teach us about doing it right:

1. Start Small, Measure Big: Like Trip.com, start by testing hybrid work with a pilot group. Track the impact on productivity and happiness to see what works best.
   
   
2. Set Up the Right Tools: Hybrid work requires solid tech, so invest in platforms that support team collaboration and scheduling.
   
   
3. Make Flexibility a Core Value: Flexibility shouldn’t just be a temporary fix; it should be part of your culture. Empower employees to work in ways that boost their productivity and well-being.
   
   
4. Keep Measuring and Adjusting: Regular check-ins and reviews can help you fine-tune your hybrid strategy to ensure it meets both employee and business needs.
   
   
5. Focus on Employee Wellbeing: Hybrid work can be a huge boost for work-life balance, but only if it’s done thoughtfully. Listen to employee feedback and make adjustments as needed.

Hybrid Work: More Than a Trend

What Trip.com’s experiment really shows us is that hybrid work is here to stay. Their results are proof that a flexible model can increase employee happiness, reduce costs, and even boost company profits.

For companies still debating whether to embrace hybrid work, Trip.com’s experience should make it clear: flexible work can drive real success, and not just in theory. It’s about creating a work environment where people can thrive and businesses can grow.

Dan Bladen

The departure of Cheryl Ainoa, Sam’s Club’s Chief Technology Officer, hit home for me and underscores a critical truth: flexibility isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore — it’s a non-negotiable. After nearly five years in her role, Ainoa stepped down instead of relocating to Bentonville, Arkansas, because Walmart enforced a strict return-to-office (RTO) policy. That decision speaks volumes about where today’s workforce is headed. Companies that insist on rigid policies? They’re at risk of losing their most valuable people.

Walmart’s push to get everyone back to headquarters is part of a larger trend we’re seeing with major corporations. They’re trying to rebuild that in-office culture they believe was lost during the pandemic. But here’s the thing: many executives, like Ainoa, are finding that forcing centralization just doesn’t align with the way they need to live and work anymore. I’ve seen this time and time again across industries—hybrid work, not relocation, is what leaders are looking for.

Why I Believe Leaders Are Choosing Flexibility Over Full-Time Office Policies

Ainoa’s departure resonated with me personally. I know what it’s like to balance the responsibilities of leadership with the demands of everyday life. Hybrid work isn’t a luxury for leaders like her—it’s essential. Gallup recently found that 61% of employees would explore new opportunities if forced into full-time, on-site work, and I can’t say I’m surprised. For executives, the stakes are even higher. Relocating doesn’t just mean new office surroundings—it means uprooting families, changing routines, and often facing higher living costs.

I’ve heard it from countless leaders:

• Personal Disruption: Moving means uprooting families, finding new schools, and adjusting to new rhythms.
  
  
• Loss of Talent: When faced with relocation, top executives like Ainoa may simply look for roles that provide more stability and flexibility.
  
  
• Higher Costs: Relocating often involves higher living expenses, which can diminish job satisfaction.

I get why Walmart would want to build a culture based on physical presence, but here’s the thing — hybrid work provides an answer that maintains culture while respecting the needs of today’s workforce.

Hybrid Work: A Competitive Advantage You Can’t Afford to Ignore

It’s not just about flexibility anymore. Hybrid work is a strategic advantage that can’t be overlooked. I’ve seen firsthand how hybrid models boost productivity, reduce burnout, and foster inclusivity. McKinsey’s research backs this up too — 87% of employees would choose a company offering flexible work options, and this includes executives. They need that balance between high-stakes work and personal commitments.

What’s been clear to me as I work with leaders across industries is this: hybrid work allows employees to operate where and when they’re most effective. That’s a huge advantage. At Kadence, we’ve been helping companies blend in-office and remote work in a way that makes sense. With the right tools and policies, teams can thrive without losing the culture that makes them unique.

The Data Doesn’t Lie: Hybrid Work Delivers Real Results

We’ve all heard the debate around hybrid work, but the data is clear — hybrid work delivers results. Let’s break down some of the key advantages:

• Increased Productivity: Employees focus on results, not the number of hours spent in the office.
  
  
• Reduced Burnout: Flexibility allows people to manage their well-being more effectively.
  
  
• Stronger Collaboration: With the right platforms, remote and in-office teams stay connected and aligned.

At Kadence, we’re partnering with organizations to implement hybrid models that leverage these benefits. I’ve seen it work when companies invest in the right tools to manage schedules, connect teams, and maintain accountability. The right hybrid approach is about more than just working from home — it’s about creating a seamless, productive environment for everyone.

A Wake-Up Call for Companies: Learn from Sam’s Club’s Hybrid Challenge

Ainoa’s departure is more than just an isolated decision — it’s a wake-up call. If businesses continue to enforce rigid relocation policies, they’re sending a message that flexibility doesn’t matter. And I can tell you from personal experience — it does. The labor market is tight, and companies that embrace hybrid work will retain and attract top talent. On the flip side, those clinging to traditional models will alienate high performers.

It’s a lesson we’ve seen time and time again. In fact, I’ve read that 67% of hybrid-working companies report higher employee satisfaction. It makes sense—leaders and top talent thrive in environments that focus on flexibility, results, and respecting individual needs.

How You Can Build the Ideal Hybrid Work Environment

For organizations looking to get this right, here are a few strategies that I’ve found make a big difference:

1. Encourage Flexibility: Give teams autonomy to choose when they come into the office and when they work remotely.
   
   
2. Invest in the Right Tools: Platforms like Kadence are essential for managing hybrid work efficiently and ensuring everyone stays aligned.
   
   
3. Focus on Outcomes, Not Hours: Judge success by results, not by how long someone sits at their desk. It’s about what they achieve, not where they are.

At Kadence, we’ve made it our mission to help organizations adjust to the changing expectations of today’s workforce. Flexibility isn’t just a perk anymore — it’s a necessity. And if there’s one takeaway from Ainoa’s departure, it’s this: embracing hybrid work isn’t just about survival, it’s about thriving.

The future of work is hybrid. The question is — are you ready for it?

Dan Bladen

Like many companies that have embraced remote work during the pandemic, Dell has prided itself on being a leader in offering flexible work arrangements. That’s why their recent decision to push employees back into the office is both surprising and disheartening—particularly for working parents. 

Dell’s recent decision to call all sales staff back to the office with just two days’ notice has left many employees scrambling, especially working parents who rely on remote flexibility. In some cases, parents were told to use their personal time off (PTO) if they needed to pick up their children, leaving many feeling unsupported. 

This sudden disruption highlights the real challenges of such a drastic policy change and its impact on employees who had grown accustomed to a hybrid model that provided much-needed balance.

While I understand the pressures companies face to maintain culture, collaboration, and productivity, a blanket return-to-office policy feels like a step backward for an organization that has long championed flexibility.

This Feels Out of Place for Dell

Dell, like many tech giants, has been a beacon of innovation not just in its products but also in its workplace policies. For years, Dell has been at the forefront of enabling remote work, understanding that flexibility isn’t just about convenience—it’s about trust, inclusion, and creating an environment where diverse teams can thrive.

What makes this recent decision so difficult to reconcile is that it runs counter to Dell’s established values. Hybrid work isn’t just a temporary measure—it’s become part of the DNA for many companies, including Dell. And it’s particularly vital for parents and caregivers who need that flexibility to balance both personal and professional commitments. 

A Pew Research study showed that 76% of working parents said flexibility was a key factor in staying with their current employer. This kind of data is hard to ignore, especially in a talent market where retention and recruitment are as competitive as ever.

The Impact on Working Parents and Caregivers

One of the most overlooked aspects of return-to-office mandates is their impact on parents. For those with young children, returning to the office full-time creates significant logistical and financial challenges. 

Research from Harvard found that working parents in hybrid roles reported lower levels of stress and higher levels of productivity than their in-office counterparts. It’s not hard to see why: the hybrid model allows for better work-life integration, which, in turn, leads to greater engagement and less burnout.

We Are Losing Focus on Inclusivity

Inclusivity is another major factor. Parents, caregivers, and those with specific health needs have benefited tremendously from the hybrid model. Gallup data shows that flexible work environments have improved workplace inclusivity, with employees feeling they have greater autonomy and control over their work-life balance.

A one-size-fits-all return to the office not only disregards these benefits but also risks alienating a large portion of the workforce. At Kadence, we’ve seen how the hybrid model can be a win-win for both employees and companies, particularly when it comes to keeping top talent engaged and productive.

I Empathize But Still Disagree

I empathize with Dell’s concerns. Like many organizations, they are likely wrestling with how to maintain team cohesion, collaboration, and a strong culture when employees aren’t physically present in the office. 

But forcing everyone back isn’t the answer. The hybrid model offers the best of both worlds: it allows employees the flexibility they need while still enabling teams to come together when collaboration is essential.

A Stanford study found that hybrid work models boost employee productivity by 13%, particularly when teams are allowed to come together in the office for key projects while maintaining flexibility at other times. 

It’s time to rethink what workplace success looks like. Hybrid work is not just a response to the pandemic—it’s a strategy for the future.

Dell’s workforce—and its culture—deserves better. Let’s champion flexibility, inclusivity, and the needs of working parents by embracing hybrid work as the future of business success.

We’re a team of hybrid experts. Book a Demo to find out how to make the most out of hybrid work.

Dan Bladen

Big changes have been announced to UK Work Law that supports employees looking for flexibility.

From April 6, all employees in UK businesses will be legally entitled to request changes to how long, when and where they work. Employers will only be able to reject requests on specific grounds.

It’s a huge milestone for hybrid work in the UK. The policy follows a string of legislative action in Europe, and broader movements bringing hybrid work to the forefront of the modern workplace.

So how can you prepare for these changes to UK Work Law as an employer in the UK and elsewhere?

Europe moves towards hybrid work

In Europe, legal infrastructure to support flexible work has been gathering momentum for some time.

Since remote work soared during the pandemic, multiple European countries have rallied to provide proper hybrid frameworks for employers and employees.

The Netherlands, Portugal, Germany and Ireland are just a few countries that have established — or are in the process of establishing — structures around how and where we work.

So it’s no surprise that the UK Work Law is now following suit with its own change in legislation. The new flexible working laws give all employees the legal right to request flexible working from the first day of their employment. Employers will have to cite one of eight business reasons as grounds for rejecting these requests.

Flexible work is gathering momentum, and European governments are spearheading the movement.

The impact of hybrid work is clear

This recent surge in official policies around hybrid work might not come as a surprise.

Recent research has made it abundantly clear that when we are flexible, we’re also happier, more engaged and productive.

A recent study by Gallup showed that 60% of respondents felt hybrid work helped reduce their burnout, while another 85% of people said they preferred hybrid models.

On the productivity front, research shows that fully flexible companies outperform others with a 16% lead in revenue growth.

The roadblocks are clearing. We’re finally able to move towards a model where people get to choose where they do their best work — and reap the rewards for it.

The next step is preparing our organizations for even bigger changes ahead. Now that modern work is less about where and more about how, it’s time to start getting smarter about how we organize our teams, and how we utilize physical spaces.

Give your office a makeover

For years, we didn’t have a choice about where we could go and work. It was the office or nothing.

Now that employees can just as easily get all their tasks done from home, it’s up to office managers and HR departments to ensure the office is an attractive place to come into. A destination, if you will. Nobody wants to spend two hours commuting into a bland, uninspiring space.

So it’s time to give the office a major facelift. To make it a place your employees want to spend time in. A place where they can get all sorts of tasks done — with focus booths for deep work and inviting open desk spaces for their everyday admin and cross-table chit chats with colleagues.

Most importantly – it’s time to make the office a place where your teams can collaborate together in ways they could never at home. That might involve arranging office neighbourhoods to get the right colleagues sitting by each other, introducing social zones for casual chats, or planning your meeting room spaces so they’re inspiring, colorful, creative hubs — not dreary white-walled boxes.

Lastly of all — don’t forget to make it green! Nobody has ever felt dragged down by a bonsai tree.

Get smarter about your hybrid work platform

The growth of hybrid work also comes with complications about how you manage your people.

With employees coming and going from your physical office and their home set ups at will, it can be harder than ever to keep track of where team members are, and how they’re going about their work.

That’s where a hybrid operating platform comes in.

Teams navigating the hybrid age need to ensure they’re partnering with tools that help them solve their hybrid headaches — rather than adding to them. Platforms like Kadence don’t just offer simple room and desk booking features — they are designed to help you bring teammates together when it makes most sense, so you never miss out on an opportunity to collaborate. That could involve being pinged when your teammates have booked a desk in a workspace nearby, or being part of a recurring office day with your wider team.

Hybrid work platforms are also built with the interests of business owners in mind. If you’re worried about how efficiently you’re using your spaces, tools like Kadence will give you all of the data and insights you need to make smart decisions about your real estate. By showing you the exact usage of your physical spaces (and flexible workspaces, if your platform supports it!) your hybrid work companion will empower you to make the right decisions about your real estate going forward.

It can also be a strong contributor to your company’s ESG goals. By leveraging insights about office occupancy trends and any underused areas, you can take action straight away to switch off inactive work zones or group hot desks together. The result? Lower building emissions and a reduction in your carbon footprint.

Understanding exactly what different hybrid work platforms can offer you is the first step to working with a partner that will grow with you for years to come.

The UK has become the latest country to put a marker down for flexible work.

I hope I’ve showed you how the move to flexible working doesn’t have to come at the cost of the physical office — nor the organization of your people.

The more we transition to fluid ways of working, and the more governments actively encourage it, the more we need to pair with the right technology to help fully support us along the way.

Hybrid work platforms aren’t just tools to help us manage a more flexible workplace, they’re catalysts for change. They support the shift towards a model that values output over presence, wellbeing alongside productivity, and choice over rigidity.

In doing so, they not only respond to the current legislative and cultural shifts but also pave the way for a future where work is more adaptable, more humane, and ultimately, more rewarding.

If you’d like to hear more about hybrid work platforms and what they can do for you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’d love to hear from you!

Dan Bladen

In a world rapidly being transformed by artificial intelligence, how we work is evolving at an astonishing rate; especially with the rise of hybrid workplace AI.

The implications are profound, and they touch every aspect of our professional lives. From copywriting to coding, and schedule management to creative brainstorming — AI has become an invaluable work partner overnight.

Many are apprehensive about AI and its role in the job market. 37% of Americans are said to be worried about AI displacing them from their jobs, while projections estimate that automation could eliminate 73 million US jobs by 2030.

As we navigate the next phase in our relationship with AI, Kadence is committed to being at the forefront of change. We strongly believe in focusing on how AI can bring out the best in people, and help us get our best work done.

Below are not just our projections for how workplace AI will shape (and is shaping!) the future — they are our pledge to continue delivering game-changing products that help people flourish at work — alongside AI.

Optimization, in real-time

There’s a reason that experts predict AI will boost global growth by 4-6% per annum.

Workplace optimization and automation are coming in thick and fast — and so are the growth benefits associated with them.

For most companies that work under today’s hybrid model, optimization is an asynchronous, ongoing task. This means that business leaders spend a lot of their time trying to figure out how to get the best results from their resources – and a lot of their time waiting for these results to show.

This is the first major way we’ll see workplace AI have an impact. Once fully AI-assisted, workplaces will begin to optimize synchronously – with the right measures applied as and when they appear as possibilities to managers.

This impact will be seen across every area of a company’s operations: from the way a physical office space is managed and organized to the daily intricacies of scheduling and bringing people together.

A shapeshifting workspace

There’s no getting around it – physical offices have taken a big hit in recent years. As a result, average office utilization rates are down at just 60%, and real estate value is estimated to drop up to $1.3 trillion in value by 2030.

In short, the role and purpose of physical office space are in crisis — and in dire need of transformation.

AI is poised to play a crucial role in that transformation.

With the right implementation of workplace AI, the physical workspace will become a flexible hub, catering to the specific Kadence and preferences of each employee. Trained on the data it’s given, your hybrid work AI will suggest regular updates to office neighborhoods and work areas, and it will allocate rooms and desks according to their optimal usage.

The days of searching for a meeting room or a quiet spot to focus will be long in the past — your workplace AI will have optimized your time in the office and made sure you’re always in the best place to get work done.

It’s time to give the office a facelift!

The end of human schedule management

57% of workers surveyed by Timewatch revealed they don’t feel in control of their working schedules for at least two days a week. That’s a lot of uncertainty for a lot of people.

Luckily for them, us, and you, we’re about to see the end of human schedule management – at least on a professional level.

That’s because AI in the workplace will soon be on hand to organize and refine your work schedule in real time. For example:

• You were supposed to have a team meeting in the office, but two of your colleagues cannot attend physically. Your hybrid work AI clocks that the majority of people are attending remotely, and sends you a smart suggestion ahead of your trip into the office — saving you a commute.
• You always meet remotely with your line manager because you’re based in different cities. But — as it happens — they are in town to meet with the CEO this week and forgot to tell you. Not to worry — your workplace AI has taken note, and suggested a physical meeting room for your catch-up. You get to meet face-to-face for the first time.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. In time, hybrid work AI will purr away in the background, pulling the strings behind you and your colleagues’ work schedules — ensuring everyone’s time is in perfect harmony with their surroundings.

AI-powered ESG

Perhaps the broadest application of workplace AI will be how it caters to a company’s overarching business strategy. Desk booking, room booking, and team coordination may all seem like formalities — but, stacked up, they make up a substantial part of a company’s bottom line.

Workplace AI will not only act as a tool that helps us navigate the complexities of everyday work; it’ll become a partner in achieving wider organizational goals.

Whether the objective is to boost productivity, reduce environmental impact, or enhance employee satisfaction and happiness, workplace AI will act as our strategic ally in ensuring our work always goes towards the right common goals.

For companies that openly disclose and seek to reduce their environmental impact (estimated to be over 70% by KPMG) – the implications will be dramatic. Hybrid work AI will be on hand to optimize corporate carbon footprint — whether that be through switching off underused office neighborhoods, suggesting optimal schedules for office attendance based on its energy usage data, or even arranging smart commuting or car-sharing initiatives.

For those organizations that are equally concerned with fair hiring practices and transparent governance, workplace AI will be able to point to blind spots and help companies introduce timely policies to keep to their targets.

The future of ESG is around the corner — and AI assists it.

Shared intuition

The ultimate vision we have for future hybrid organizations is the development of shared intuition between workers and their hybrid work AI.

This means an AI assistant that deeply understands your preferences, anticipates your needs, and guides you toward the best choices on a daily — even hourly — basis.

We spend so much time sweating the small stuff at work: schedule clashes, miscommunication about office attendance, and the pressure of having to manage the minutiae of your work life. So much so, in fact, that we forget about the big stuff: feeling part of a flourishing company, collaborating with our teammates, producing amazing results together.

Workplace AI will deal with the small stuff precisely in a way that also maximizes the big stuff. Understanding what makes you and your team tick, it’ll ensure that each and every tiny decision contributes to your own personal bottom line: feeling happy and fulfilled at work.

Kadence and the future of work

At Kadence, we won’t just be bystanders as the world of work undergoes some of its most dramatic changes.

We vow to be right there at the forefront — guiding and leading the introduction of workplace AI into our workflows, and making sure it always acts in the interest of people, profits, and the planet.

That’s why we’ve been hard at work building something that will be the first step towards our vision of the future. A hybrid work AI tool that will help us all transition into the next phase of AI-assisted work.

Get in touch with us today and let us show you how your AI-enhanced workplace could look.

Author bio

Dan Bladen