Hybrid Work Through the Eyes of 3 Experts

The hybrid model, a blend of remote and on-site work, has truly put us to the test. Over the past months, it has pushed us to re-examine the opinions and habits we'd built up around work. And hybrid, being hybrid, keeps changing. It's hard to predict where it will head in the coming years. So today we're trying to capture where things stand right here, right now, to see what the mixed model means at present, including for a topic like onboarding. Helping us out are our guests, experts and practitioners who have been running one form of hybrid model or another inside their own organizations for some time now.

We invited Andrzej Borczyk from Żywiec Group, Agata Boroń from DHL Parcel, and Jadwiga Jadziewicz from Dentsu Poland to talk about the realities of hybrid work.

What is hybrid work?

Although hybrid work has been around for years, there's no denying the pandemic did a lot to popularize it. Today it's hard to find anyone in the workforce who isn't aware of what hybrid work is. Still, for the purposes of this article, it's worth a quick refresher on what defines a hybrid work setup. After all, we've largely moved past how the virus reshaped our lives, yet many companies chose to keep this new model, and there's no sign that trend is about to reverse.

The core idea behind the hybrid model is flexibility. It means combining traditional on-site work with home office. For years, the latter was a rare privilege for many employees, granted maybe a few days a year, whereas today we've grown used to it and come to treat it as the standard. Hybrid work mainly applies to office jobs, of course, because their nature is what allows in-office presence to be replaced with remote work. But the hybrid system comes in many flavors, and every organization develops its own way of rolling it out, as our experts' comments clearly show.

Sometimes, in a hybrid setup, it's largely up to employees to decide when they'll come into the workplace and when they'll choose home office. In other cases, employers organize hybrid work so that at least part of the team is always on-site.

Hybrid work also enables another phenomenon that takes things a step further: the workation. Here we're talking about remote work, but not from home, rather during a trip where, after hours or once the day's tasks are done, the employee can enjoy all the perks of being somewhere with real tourist appeal.

Hybrid work is still a fairly new phenomenon, which makes it hard to fully assess the long-term effects it will have on organizations. But since so many companies continue to choose it post-pandemic, it must be delivering some benefits. There's plenty to suggest that hybrid work doesn't limit employee productivity. In fact, higher motivation is often cited. According to some experts, employees' overall well-being improves when they gain more flexibility.

The hybrid model can also benefit companies by reducing office footprint. If at least some employees work remotely on almost any given day, there are savings to be found there. What else do we know about hybrid work? Let's hand it over to our experts!

Rolling out a hybrid work model: expert opinions

We asked our guests three short questions. Their answers gave us a wealth of valuable insight into hybrid work, including what's at its heart, the manager's role in leading this model, which best practices act as the philosopher's stone that turns the remote work experience into hybrid gold, and what it actually means to onboard people in a hybrid way. See for yourself!

What are the benefits and the challenges of hybrid work?

Jadwiga Jadziewicz:

The biggest advantage of the hybrid system is its flexible approach to employees' needs and the nature of their work. At Dentsu, we offer two work scenarios: office first and home first. Every employee can agree on their own individual work mode with their manager, though the final call always rests with the manager.

In this approach, the main challenge is striking a balance between focusing on business needs and accounting for the needs of the whole team. We define those needs together and write them into a "Team Contract."

The second challenge hybrid work brings is fostering team cohesion, which has a real impact on engagement, culture, and a sense of support among employees, and often on how effectively tasks get done. That's why at Dentsu we've introduced things like a requirement to turn cameras on during meetings and to attend status meetings in the office (every so often).

The third challenge is maintaining work-life balance, which is why we offer employees extra days off, so-called "Wellness Days," and dedicated webinars. In some teams, staying effective in remote mode can also be a challenge, especially where brainstorming is involved. Creativity thrives on face-to-face contact.

Andrzej Borczyk:

At Żywiec Group, the option to work remotely existed even before the pandemic. We were also introducing elements of flexible work, and those are exactly the things I see as the essence of hybrid work.

And the benefits here are significant: we can fit work to our lifestyle, carrying out planned tasks that can be done away from the office. We also match the way we work to the tasks themselves. So: if I need to work with my team, I meet with the team; if I have conceptual or individual work to do, I work from wherever is most comfortable for me.

As for the challenges hybrid work brings, I see mainly three. First, building a sense of teamwork; second, building a sense of belonging to the organization; and third, effectively connecting the work of teams operating in different models.

Agata Boroń:

Working in a hybrid model comes with many benefits for employees. Among the most appreciated are flexibility, convenience, and savings of both time and money thanks to fewer commutes. It's worth noting that employers and employees alike are increasingly aware and environmentally responsible. So the eco angle matters too: fewer car trips means lower CO2 emissions.

As with many solutions, though, the right proportions are key in the hybrid model. Remote and on-site work should complement each other, since each model meets different needs. Working in the office lets team members see each other regularly and creates space for the informal relationships that drive effective collaboration.

A major challenge hybrid work poses is the situation where remote work is required (for example, due to infrastructure constraints) while the employee doesn't feel comfortable in that model. The ideal setup, then, is one where the employee has a choice.

What can we do to make hybrid work function better in our companies?

Jadwiga Jadziewicz:

From my own experience, as someone involved in introducing the hybrid work system, I know the following help:

• setting up a working group that acts as an advisory body to the board. This group reviews market benchmarks together, recommends solutions, identifies various challenges around technology, legal regulations, or office redesign, and sets the rollout and communication plan;
• collaborating and exchanging experiences with partner companies or the company's branches in other countries;
• drawing on market benchmarks and staying current with legal regulations;
• transparent, multi-channel communication;
• time to test, gather employee feedback, and make any adjustments;
• offering employees a choice of work scenario, while still leaving the final decision to managers.

Agata Boroń:

It's very important to keep employees' emotional well-being in mind. With remote work, you need to clearly define when the workday starts and ends. It's also worth building in well-being breaks. Often, despite a packed calendar, simple tweaks are enough, like scheduling 55-minute meetings instead of full-hour ones.

A culture of camera-on video calls is also gaining ground, for the sake of better communication. During remote work, informal gatherings and rituals, like a virtual coffee with the team, are increasingly valued too.

Andrzej Borczyk:

A lot depends on the nature of the work. So it's good to start by defining which kinds of work can be done in this model and which can't, if only to keep tasks running smoothly. Technology matters too. If I work remotely, I need to be confident I can fully do my job outside the office and take part effectively in meetings and company life. Personally, I believe the foundation is building strong, trust-based relationships with your manager and clearly defining expectations and ways of working. One-on-one meetings help with that, and ours happen face-to-face. The hybrid model has to be backed by the organization's working culture.

What does onboarding new employees look like when hybrid work is the dominant model?

Jadwiga Jadziewicz:

At our company, we switched to e-onboarding when the pandemic began.

Only on the first day does a new hire need to come into the office to sign documents, pick up equipment, and collect a welcome pack. Meetings with experts take place online over the next two days, with each expert making sure their session is engaging for participants. After the company-wide e-onboarding comes additional team-level onboarding and dedicated onboarding for managers. 

With the new online format, we introduced plenty of fresh ideas: a virtual walk via Google Street View, a group photo from the e-onboarding that we post in an internal Facebook group, and a wrap-up quiz. The greater accessibility of e-onboarding, regardless of where you work, is definitely a plus, as is the modern, professional format. That said, we had to give up certain elements, including a shared lunch, an office tour, and a visit to our Brand Laboratory. 

Andrzej Borczyk:

Through the pandemic, we had the chance to learn what works remotely and what functions better on-site. We regularly asked employees how they were feeling and what support they needed. We know from experience that we can effectively share knowledge about the company, its products, and safety rules with a new employee online. But when it comes to getting to know the team and building relationships, in our view nothing beats meeting in person.

Agata Boroń:

An employee's onboarding period is one of the most important stages of the job, often largely determining success or failure in a new role. When onboarding happens online, you have to do everything you can to give new remote employees the chance, despite the circumstances, to experience as much interaction with colleagues as possible, learn the expectations and rules that matter in the organization, and feel the company's atmosphere and culture, so that they can truly become part of it.

The hybrid work model: what does the future hold?

We've now had a valuable account of how things stand today. Time will tell which way hybrid work and its various models develop. We'll be watching this fascinating topic closely, and we hope to do it together with you. It's just as compelling from the point of view of remote or hybrid employees as it is from the perspective of the employers who decided to adopt this model. Keep your finger on the pulse with us!