Hybrid Work Model vs Work From Office: Why Hybrid is a Clear Winner

Ronaldo vs Messi, Tea vs Coffee, Winter vs Summer… the never-ending debate continues. Similarly, in the corporate world, the all-time favourite discussion of HYBRID WORK MODEL vs WORK FROM OFFICE continuously arises when evaluating work cultures. 

On one side, Gen X leans towards working from the office, while millennials and Gen Z favour the hybrid work model or work from home.

The question remains: which of the two is better? Hybrid work model or work from the office? 

Recently, you may have heard that many companies like TCS, Amazon, and now potentially Meta are eliminating remote work culture and calling back their employees to the office. Meanwhile, a survey conducted among corporate employees by IWG reveals that 79% of respondents favour a hybrid work culture and are ready to sacrifice some salary to maintain their hybrid work facility.  

This shows hybrid work is a clear winner between the "hybrid work model vs. work from the office." Now, let's shed some light on both work cultures and explore what makes hybrid work more favourable than work from the office. 

What is Hybrid Work?

A hybrid work model splits time between the office and home. Employees come into a central workplace two or three days a week for in-person collaboration, meetings, and Facetime. The rest of the week is spent working remotely. 

Unlike fully remote setups, hybrid arrangements give you flexibility and structure. You can put on real pants, interact with colleagues a few days a week, and lounge in your PJs at home when you need to crank stuff out solo. 

It's an approach that offers personalization based on different roles, teams, and individuals. Sales reps may come in more often to use company resources while developers code from home without distraction. Managers retain visibility while giving people the space to produce great work. What's not to love? 

Why Employees Want Hybrid Models

Surveys indicate a strong preference for hybrid working arrangements post-pandemic. In a study by McKinsey, over 87% of participants wanted location-flexible options. Of those, 58% favoured a hybrid solution specifically.  

Many employees, especially Gen X, enjoy aspects of the office, like face-to-face meetings and socializing with coworkers. But they also appreciate working from home benefits like no commute, flexible schedules, and fewer distractions. Hybrid models let employees get the social perks and advantages both settings offer.  

Hybrid Work Increases Productivity 

Regarding hybrid work vs work from the office, multiple studies reveal that hybrid workers log more hours and get more done than their office-bound and fully remote peers. Employees gain roughly 1.3 productive days per month under hybrid schedules. That's 15+ extra days yearly!

Without long commutes cutting into personal time and constant office interruptions, workers have more uninterrupted hours for meaningful work. Fewer instances of colleagues popping by your desk to chat about last night's game help, too!  

Creating a comfortable, customized environment at home also boosts productivity for specific tasks. Cranking the A/C when it's hot, playing your favourite playlists, and using multiple monitors are all easier in your own space. And small home office setups mean fewer workplace germs and health issues. By splitting time between locations optimized for different activities, output sees a nice bump.  

The Social Argument for Hybrid Models 

Some old-school managers argue that hybrid workers miss out on "culture" and "hallway conversations" that strengthen team bonds. After two years of evidence, we can put that myth to rest.

Apps like Google Meet have already created a communication bridge between remote team members. Most hybrid work schedules ensure employees come together regularly at the office to collaborate face-to-face. 

In fact, one MIT study tracking email data discovered that hybrid groups had more cross-team interactions than fully on-site teams! Splitting time working remotely prompted people to communicate more intentionally and frequently across locations. Deliberately organizing in-office days increased purposeful knowledge sharing, too.  

For many, Peer bonding and culture creation happen even better in hybrid models. Who knew?  

The Recruiting Advantages of Hybrid   

Many job seekers today expect location flexibility from prospective employers. In a random survey by a job search platform, over half of participants ranked hybrid policies as "very important" when weighing offers. And 35% percent said they'd reject positions that didn't offer flexible or remote options. 

That means embracing hybrid approaches has become vital for companies to hire quality candidates. Instead of losing top talent to organizations with flexible policies, hybrid models help attract those candidates.

Hybrid Work: The Best of Both Worlds

While fully remote and fully in-office setups work for some, hybrid approaches offer the ideal blend of flexibility and structure for most modern organizations. Employees enjoy greater work-life balance and autonomy while retaining social connections and access to central resources.  

While some old-school managers who don't have much trust in their employees still resist flexible approaches, believing "real work" only happens with entire teams physically together, the evidence doesn't support those views. Tools exist to establish connections remotely and intentionally organize in-person office days to facilitate meaningful face-to-face collaboration.

When managed right, hybrid models give organizations the best of all worlds: happy employees, more robust recruitment and retention, increased productivity, and a collaborative culture. 

Finding jobs at companies with a hybrid work model has become even more convenient with Xcruit. Sign up for Xcruit today to effortlessly explore millions of hybrid job opportunities at your fingertips.  

As the ultimate job search platform, Xcruit enables you to assess advanced features like CV Parser for effortless profile creation, Video Resume, EQ-Competency Analysis via xVerse, In-App Quiz with a leaderboard for global business insights, and Live Chat for direct communication with employers to make your job hunting experience as smooth as possible. 

So, why wait? Sign up for Xcruit now and secure your dream job today.

References: 

Why there’s no need for a ‘return-to-office’ stalemate - IWG plc.

Flexible and Effective: Leadership Strategies for the Hybrid Workplace - MIT Sloan Management Review

Is remote work effective: We finally have the data | McKinsey

How hybrid work has changed society | McKinsey