The Hybrid Manifesto is a set of hybrid working principles for building a hybrid workplace policy. Kadence published it in February 2023 as a framework that helps companies create a work environment that benefits their People, Profits and the Planet.
This page summarizes it. The full text is at hybridmanifesto.org.
What is the Hybrid Manifesto?
The Hybrid Manifesto is a document that sets out the guiding principles for implementing a hybrid workplace policy. It gives companies a framework for a work environment that benefits their People, Profits and the Planet, built on four pillars and three benefits of hybrid work.
A hybrid workplace policy is the set of rules that decides where, when and how employees work. The manifesto does not prescribe office days; it describes the foundations a policy should rest on.
Why did Kadence write the Hybrid Manifesto?
Kadence wrote the manifesto because organizations faced a hard balance. Tools for fully remote work mean people no longer need to commute to do their jobs. Yet coming together in person has unique benefits: accomplishing shared goals, connecting as human beings and building community. Balancing the two is daunting without the right support.
Having helped many organizations move to hybrid work, the team wanted to give every organization the foundations of hybrid work and a framework for a better hybrid workplace policy.
This summary is by Dan Bladen, who writes about hybrid work for Kadence. Kadence’s guide to hybrid work strategy covers how organizations turn principles like these into a working policy.
What are the four pillars of hybrid working?
The manifesto defines four hybrid working principles it treats as essential for successful hybrid work: Trust, Alignment, Execution and Flourishing. They run from how a team communicates today to the long-term health of the organization.
- Trust is the foundation for all team health and performance. It is established through effective, transparent communication.
- Alignment means everyone is rowing in the same direction, in sync with their team members and the company.
- Execution means everyone on the team can articulate the organization’s strategy and carry it out.
- Flourishing is a hybrid organization’s commitment to the long-term health of People, Profits and the Planet.
What are the key benefits of hybrid work?
The Hybrid Manifesto promotes three key benefits of hybrid work, each framed as one value placed above another. Together they describe a workplace where people share goals, choose where to work and protect time for collaboration instead of burning out alone.
1. Shared vision above corporate controls
Personal goals and company goals are aligned, rather than set top-down.
2. Situational flexibility above rigidity and repetitiveness
Empowering people to choose where to work yields better performance and happier employees.
3. Meaningful collaboration above individual burnout
The social role of collaboration is protected and valued as an important work tool.
How do the principles translate into results?
According to the manifesto, organizations that implement its principles can achieve increased productivity, reduced burnout and greater employee retention. The principles are the starting point. A policy still has to turn them into day-to-day rules for where teams work and when they meet.
In practice, that means deciding how people will coordinate their office days and how the office supports the collaboration the policy values.
If your company is thinking about moving to hybrid work, you can talk to the Kadence team.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote the Hybrid Manifesto?
Kadence published the Hybrid Manifesto in February 2023, drawing on its experience helping organizations move to hybrid work.
What are the four pillars in the Hybrid Manifesto?
The four pillars are Trust, Alignment, Execution and Flourishing. Trust comes from transparent communication, and Flourishing is the commitment to the long-term health of People, Profits and the Planet.
Does the Hybrid Manifesto say how many days to spend in the office?
No. The manifesto sets out principles and benefits rather than a fixed schedule. It favors situational flexibility, where people are empowered to choose where to work, over rigid and repetitive patterns.