The Impact of Hybrid Work Arrangements on Employee Engagement and Performance

As COVID-19 cases decline and with most employees vaccinated, employers are looking to bring employees back to office. Many organizations are offering hybrid options to employees, involving employees working partly at home and partly at an office location during the workweek. The hybrid model is widely expected to be the future of workplace that allows employees to get the best of both remote and onsite work. Yet, this model also comes with some unknowns. Implementing the hybrid model is more complicated than a fully remote one as the model raises many questions: how many days per week is ideal to work from office? Who decides this ratio – organization or employees? What work is suitable to work remotely? How to balance the experience between those who work onsite and who don’t? Can leadership communicate with remote workers as effectively as they do with people in office? There are many more such questions for which there are no easy answers and evidence-based recommendations that could guide decision-making are missing. Technology companies attempting to bring employees back have been forced to put the plans on hold due to resistance and resignations. Organizations adopting a test-and-learn culture would be better able to implement hybrid work in a way that enhances employee performance and engagement. The proposed study aims to provide an evidence-based approach at understanding the consequences and success factors associated with implementing the hybrid model.