A hybrid work model is a way of organizing work in which employees split their time between the office and wherever else they are productive, such as home, a coffee shop or a coworking space. It combines in-office collaboration with the freedom of remote work.
The four most common types are flexible hybrid, structured hybrid, office-first hybrid and remote-first hybrid. Making any of them succeed takes more than Zoom links and hot desks. It takes a system that benefits both employees and the business. For the wider plan around your model, see the hybrid work strategy guide.
What is a hybrid work model?
A hybrid work model is the set of rules and habits that decides where and when employees work. At its core, people split their time between the office and other places where they do their best work. The model defines who chooses the days, how much time is spent in the office, and what the office is used for.
Hybrid work means working partly in the office and partly elsewhere. A hybrid work model is the specific version an organization adopts, from fully flexible to mostly in the office.
The model shapes cost, culture and space: how many desks you need, which days the office is busy, and whether people find the colleagues they came in to see.
What are the main types of hybrid work models?
The four main types of hybrid work model are flexible hybrid, structured hybrid, office-first hybrid and remote-first hybrid. They differ in two ways: who decides where and when people work, and how much of the week is spent in the office.
Flexible hybrid
The employee decides where and when to work.
Structured hybrid
Work follows specific in-office days and specific remote days.
Office-first hybrid
Work happens mostly in the office, with some remote flexibility.
Remote-first hybrid
The focus is on remote work, with occasional office time.
Why are there so many versions of hybrid work?
There are many versions of hybrid work because flexibility is the point. For some teams, daily in-office collaboration is essential. For others, asynchronous workflows and remote independence work better. Hybrid work adapts to what the organization needs while still giving employees flexibility, so the right model differs from company to company and even team to team.
Kadence customers across the world use a variety of hybrid work models. Booking data shows different mixes of mostly-office, hybrid, occasional and fully remote workers from country to country.
A practical first step is to survey your employees to find out which hybrid model fits best. Every company and workforce is different.
What are the benefits of a hybrid work model?
A hybrid work model benefits both employees and employers. It lets people choose the right setting for each task, supports work-life balance, widens the talent pool beyond one city, and can lower real estate costs by reducing the office space a company needs. Employees save money too, mainly on commuting.
- Higher productivity. Some people thrive in a busy office, others in a quiet home workspace. Hybrid work lets employees pick the setting that fits the task: brainstorming in the office, deep focus at home.
- Better work-life balance. Flexibility helps employees manage school pickups, medical appointments or a midday workout, so they show up as their best selves.
- Attracting and keeping talent. The job market is competitive, and hybrid work is a major advantage. A Gallup survey found that nearly 6 in 10 employees prefer jobs with flexible work options. Hybrid work also lets you hire the best candidate in Texas, New York or Florida, not only in your local city.
- Lower costs. Less office space means lower rent, utilities and maintenance costs. Employees spend less on commuting and eating out.
What does the data say about hybrid work?
Research published before November 2024 pointed the same way:
- Nearly 30% of U.S. employees worked in a hybrid setup, according to Gallup.
- A Stanford University study found that hybrid setups can cut employee turnover by 33%, thanks to better work-life balance and job satisfaction (Stanford News).
- In 2024, Business Insider reported that companies offering flexible work arrangements were 22% more likely to see higher revenue growth than those keeping traditional in-office policies.
What are the challenges of hybrid work?
The main challenges of hybrid work are communication gaps, keeping culture alive and fairness. Remote employees can feel out of the loop when half the team is in the office. Team-building is harder when people are spread across locations. And not everyone has the same resources at home, or the same visibility to managers.
- Communication gaps. Without deliberate communication habits, teams risk siloed workflows and misunderstandings.
- Keeping culture alive. Virtual happy hours are fun, but they do not fully replace the casual conversations and connections that happen naturally in the office.
- Fairness and equity. Some employees lack a quiet workspace, reliable internet or the right tech tools. There is also the risk of proximity bias.
Proximity bias is the tendency of managers to unconsciously favor employees they see in the office over remote workers when assigning promotions or projects.
To counter it, give remote employees the same access to opportunities, training and recognition as their in-office peers. Schedule shared collaboration days, coordinate who is in the office so remote workers are included in key meetings, and pair this with anonymous performance reviews and regular one-on-ones.
How do you implement a hybrid work model?
To implement a hybrid work model, set clear expectations about office days and meetings, give teams the right tools, make meetings inclusive for remote participants, and protect employee well-being. Together, these four steps turn a policy into a way of working that people can follow and the business can measure.
1. Set clear expectations
Answer the key questions so everyone is on the same page:
- Which days are employees in the office and which are remote? Give people choice, and ask them to share their plans through a tool such as Kadence.
- What is the protocol for meetings? Are they virtual by default?
- How do teams communicate across time zones?
2. Invest in the right tools
Equip teams with software and hardware that make hybrid work smooth:
- Hybrid work management: a platform such as Kadence WorkOps helps teams book desks and rooms and find their rhythm for coming in.
- Collaboration: Slack, Microsoft Teams or Asana for communication and task management.
- Video conferencing: Zoom or Google Meet for face-to-face conversations.
- File sharing: cloud platforms such as Google Drive or OneDrive.
3. Keep it inclusive
Adopt a remote-first mindset for meetings so everyone feels included. Record meetings for colleagues in other time zones, and use collaborative tools such as Miro to level the playing field in brainstorming sessions.
4. Prioritize well-being
Hybrid work should not feel like always-on work. Encourage employees to set boundaries, log off at reasonable hours and take mental health days when needed. Consider stipends for home office setups so people have ergonomic, efficient workspaces.
What are examples of companies with a hybrid work model?
Dropbox, MOO, Trip.com and GWI are examples of companies that adopted a hybrid work model, each by a different route. Dropbox made remote work the default and turned offices into collaboration spaces. MOO, Trip.com and GWI used hybrid work to improve office use, productivity and engagement.
- Dropbox adopted a hybrid model it calls Virtual First. Employees can work from anywhere, and offices became collaborative spaces. The result was more engagement and savings on underused office space.
- MOO embraced hybrid work to improve office utilization and collaboration. Using Kadence, it identified patterns in workspace usage and reshaped its spaces to support team collaboration while reducing overhead. Read the MOO office utilization story.
- Trip.com ran a hybrid work experiment in which employee satisfaction rose, productivity increased and the company saved millions in operational costs. Read how Trip.com made millions with hybrid work.
- GWI adopted Kadence so teams could coordinate their in-office schedules, which increased collaboration between remote and office-based workers while keeping flexibility. Read the GWI employee productivity story.
A well-run hybrid model supports both connection and productivity, but it takes the right tools and data. Kadence brings desk booking, team schedules and meeting room reservations into one platform, and its workplace analytics show how space is actually used, so leaders can plan space and reduce cost.
Frequently asked questions
What are the four types of hybrid work models?
The four types are flexible hybrid (employees choose where and when to work), structured hybrid (set office days and set remote days), office-first hybrid (mostly in the office with some remote flexibility) and remote-first hybrid (mostly remote with occasional office time).
What is an example of a hybrid work model?
Dropbox’s Virtual First model is a well-known example. Employees can work from anywhere, and offices were turned into spaces for collaboration. MOO, Trip.com and GWI are other examples of companies that adopted hybrid work to improve office use, productivity or engagement.
Which hybrid work model is best?
No single hybrid work model is best for every organization. Some teams need daily in-person collaboration, while others work well asynchronously. Survey your employees, look at how your office is actually used, and choose the model that fits your work, your people and your space.
What is the biggest risk of a hybrid work model?
The biggest risks are communication gaps, weaker culture and unfairness, including proximity bias toward people who are seen in the office. Clear expectations, inclusive meetings, shared collaboration days and equal access to opportunities reduce these risks.
