The shift to hybrid work was born out of necessity — but continues with over 60% of companies having some kind of hybrid arrangement, and they aren’t thrilled with the results. In fact, the recent statics show that 77% of Fortune 500 companies have flexible or partly remote arrangements, but report dissatisfaction from both organizations and individual employees. Not only that, but (part time) remote work has not radically fallen off since the pandemic nearly as much as people think. Return to office strategies have largely been a lot of noise with so many workarounds they are almost irrelevant.
Continuing without a clear strategy is a recipe for confusion, disengagement, and missed opportunities.
Let’s explore a critical starting point: the difference between treating hybrid work as a compromise and treating it as a strategy. Here are four key reasons why it’s time to go beyond just “making it work” — and start being intentional about how hybrid work supports your people, your culture, and your results.
Compromises React—Strategies Align with Purpose
When hybrid work is treated as a compromise, it’s often reactive: a quick fix to appease conflicting demands (like “let people work from home, but only Tuesdays and Thursdays”). A strategic approach, on the other hand, starts with the why — your organization's goals, values, and how work gets done best. It’s about designing hybrid work around outcomes, not just location. If you take this approach you’ll not only be talking about where work gets done, but what work gets done when.
Does your current approach reflect your culture and business goals — or are you just splitting the difference?
A True Strategy Builds Equity and Clarity
Compromises often result in uneven experiences — where remote workers feel left out of key decisions, meetings, or development opportunities. Those in the office feel penalized for showing up, (why do we get all the dirty jobs?) A strategic hybrid model is intentional about creating equity between in-person and remote team members. It ensures policies, communication norms, and performance expectations are clear and consistently applied.
If people are asking, “Am I missing something by not being in the office?” — you don’t have a strategy. You likely have confusion.
Strategy Enables Leadership at All Levels
In a compromise model, managers often feel like they’re constantly juggling logistics instead of leading. A well-defined strategy gives leaders tools, training, and frameworks to lead intentionally in a hybrid context — whether they’re onboarding new team members, coaching performance, or building trust across distances. Too many organizations think that teaching remote leadership skills is only important if you have a fully remote team. Not so.
Hybrid leadership isn’t just about tools or tech — it’s about mindset and behavior. Strategy makes that shift possible.
Without Strategy, Culture Happens by Accident
Every organization has a culture — whether they’ve designed it or not. Hybrid work without a strategy leads to unwritten arrangements, silos, and mixed signals. A strategic approach makes culture visible, repeatable, and aligned — across offices, time zones, and screens.
You don’t have to choose between flexibility and culture. But you do have to choose to be intentional about both. Making how you work a conscious strategy instead of letting it form by default will help you be more successful. We can’t recommend training all leaders in the principles of remote leadership even if it’s a hybrid arrangement. A good idea is to start with our Long-Distance Leadership series.
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