… and what you can do to help them thrive.
The world of work has changed beyond recognition. Going into the office 5 days a week feels like a relic of the past, yet we’re also beginning to see the drawbacks of a fully remote system.
Thousands of companies are moving to a hybrid model. A recent study found that 74% of US companies had already implemented, or were in the process of implementing hybrid work—rushing to give their employees flexibility.
But what does it actually mean to give employees flexibility, when every employee is so different?
Knowing the types of workers that have emerged into the hybrid era is the first step to understanding how you, as an employer, can give them just the kind of flexibility they need.
Let’s dive in.
Old School Oliver lives and dies by the office. The mere thought of not having a permanent, dedicated desk space sends shivers down his spine.
Adaptive Adam is the chameleon in the company. He’s just as happy getting in the zone at home as he is hunkering down at a desk in the office—and he recognises the benefits in both.
He expects a dynamic workplace culture that moulds to his needs, with meeting spaces for effective collaboration and focus booths or quiet rooms for deep work. As he’s always flitting between home and office, Adam desperately needs his company to provide a tool that helps him manage those transitions smoothly.
He still remembers that one time when his favourite desk in the corner was occupied by Angela from Marketing. But she always works from home on Tuesdays!
What does Adam need? A modern workspace with a variety of meeting spaces and focus rooms, and a hybrid management tool that enables painless and transparent room/desk booking.
Solo Sarah has taken to home-based work like a duck to water.
She’s fiercely independent and she thrives when she’s left to get on with things — with minimal distraction. Though she doesn’t mind coming into the office for a meeting once in a while, she will default to remote work whenever possible.
Perhaps she has a busy family life or she lives a long way from town— whatever it is, you’ll probably next see her at the company Christmas party.
What does Sarah need? Support to craft the ultimate WFH set up —but also the right incentives and encouragement to bring her to the office on days when she is a crucial cog in the machine.
Old School Oliver lives and dies by the office. The mere thought of not having a permanent, dedicated desk space sends shivers down his spine.
For him, offices are THE environment where he knows he can thrive. Sure, he just about got through two years of home office, but he did it kicking and screaming. It’s just not his thing. Nothing makes Oliver happier than the sight of a work station set up for him to succeed — cactus, coffee cup and all. That’s where you’ll find him — all day, every day.
What does Oliver need? A permanent desk. Simple as. If that’s absolutely not possible, then he’ll make do with a desk management tool that allows recurring booking.
Claire deeply appreciates the flexibility to work from home. That’s what makes her one of the 83% of workers who believe a hybrid model is optimal.
Cultural Claire is also a big fan of the office. Unlike Oliver, who relies on the office to enable his productivity, Claire seeks it out for the social rewards.
She comes in regularly for the feeling of human connection — Chris from Product cracking puns by the water cooler, Angela’s infectious laugh, Friday after-work drinks.
As much as she loves office-based work, Claire also deeply appreciates the flexibility to work from home. That’s what makes her one of the 83% of workers who believe a hybrid model is optimal.
What does Claire need? A destination workplace. Collaboration hubs, cosy open areas and biophilic design are just a few things that will make her feel fulfilled and happy at work.
The greatest mystery of all. Ulrich the Unpredictable.
You haven’t seen him in half a year, and suddenly he’s coming in every day. He comes in every day, then he disappears to the Azores, where he works from a goat farm for three weeks. He comes back from the goat farm and suddenly he’s dialing in from a café in Toronto.
You can try to understand him, but you might not get very far. Ulrich is… well, Ulrich.
What does Ulrich need? A hybrid workplace tool that can cope with even the most unpredictable work regimes. And a quick word from the boss, perhaps 😉
Stretched Selma is the poor soul trying to make all of this work.
Her role in operations has undergone by far the biggest changes in the company since the pandemic. Not only is she still having to oversee the day-to-day fundamentals of people and culture management, she’s also now been tasked with making hybrid work work for everyone.
She has a vision for how this can be done, but no time to execute her ideas. That means, for now, the team will have to make do with Google Calendar when it comes to scheduling and coordination.
What does Selma need? The Swiss Army Knife of hybrid work management systems. A platform that will cover the essentials of hybrid work—and, as a bonus, provide tools to maximise the potential of this new hybrid reality.
It means that it’s more complicated than everyone coming in two days a week. A nuanced set of employees requires a nuanced approach to hybrid work.
The biggest challenge is not making sure everyone has a desk when they come into the office. It’s making sure that they are coming into the office for the right reasons.
Tools like Kadence go above and beyond basic facility management (i.e who has what desk). They empower team members to be 100% in sync with one another, so that the unique benefits of office-based and home-based work are properly taken advantage of.
When you get Claire, Adam and Sarah in a room together, great things can happen.
The office has become another tool for work. Let’s make good use of it.
