Over the past few years, the traditional 9-5 workday has seen new work models emerge; one such is the hybrid work model — a blend of in-office and remote work. In fact, 54% of companies have a remote or hybrid work schedule and aren’t planning on returning employees to the office full-time.
There are many hybrid work models that organizations can adopt and implement to suit the varying needs of their employees. Let’s explore some of the most popular hybrid work schedules below.
Contents
1. Fixed/specific onsite days
2. Full autonomy
3. Asynchronous work arrangements
4. Shift arrangements
5. Core office hours
6. Remote-first
7. Half-day on-site, half-day remote
8. On-site/office-first
9. One week/month in the office
10. Four days on-site, one day remote (4/1)
11. Three days on-site, two days remote (3/2)
12. Two days on-site, three days remote (2/3)
13. Day on-site, four days remote (¼)
14. Alternating weeks
15. Optional on-site days
16. Team-driven
17. Company-driven
17 hybrid work model examples
1. Fixed/specific onsite days
A fixed hybrid work model means that there is one common approach set by the company that everyone follows. For example, everyone works in the office on Monday and Tuesday, with work-from-home options on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Or, everyone works in the office on the first day of each month but can work from anywhere they like every other day.
2. Full autonomy
Each employee gets to decide when and where they work without any restrictions. Envoy’s AT Work survey found that 56% of companies surveyed who have adopted a hybrid work model allow employees to choose which days they come into the office.
3. Asynchronous work arrangements
Asynchronous work means that employees are not required to work at a specific time, which means that the majority of communication will not be in sync; for example, replies to emails will be delayed. Employees can work the hours that best suit them, enabling people in different time zones to work as part of a team.
4. Shift arrangements
Another hybrid work schedule is shift arrangements. Employees are given specific days they should be at work and start and finish times. Schedules are then staggered to ensure there are always enough workers “on” and available throughout the day or night. This model can also be used across time zones for roles such as customer service or technical support for software.
5. Core office hours
A core office hours model is where employees are given a set of hours each day when they are expected to be available for meetings, reply to emails, and collaborate, whether they are in the office or working remotely.
For example, core hours could be 10 am-3 pm, and employees can choose when they would like to complete their additional hours. If they’re required to work 8 hours per day, they might choose to start work at 7 am and finish at 3 pm. Alternatively, they might work 10 am-3 pm, then take a break, and complete their hours by working 6 pm-9 pm.
6. Remote-first
There are many companies that take a remote-first approach to work, especially following the pandemic. This hybrid work schedule means that employees are never expected to come into the office but can if they would like to.
7. Half-day on-site, half-day remote
Another hybrid remote work schedule offers employees a split between working in an office and working from home each day. Employees are often given the choice of whether they want to come into the office in the morning or the afternoon.
8. On-site/office-first
Organizations that take an office-first approach require employees to primarily come to work in an office and occasionally permit working remotely. There may be certain positions in a company that are more suitable for remote work compared to others, and work schedules will be agreed on a case-by-case basis.
9. One week/month in the office
An underutilized hybrid work schedule is the one-week-the-office approach. Employees are allowed to work from anywhere they like (including the office) for three weeks each month, and the final week sees everyone uniting in the office for team meetings, in-person learning and development, and social events.
10. Four days on-site, one day remote (4/1)
The 4/1 hybrid work schedule requires employees to be in the office at least four days each week and allows them to work remotely for one day each week. Gallup found that the percentage of hybrid workers working on-site for four (or more) days each week dropped from 35% in 2022 to 30% in 2023.
11. Three days on-site, two days remote (3/2)
This is one of the most popular hybrid work schedules, where employees are required to work in the office for at least three days each week and can work remotely for the remaining two days. Gallup found that the percentage of hybrid workers working on-site three days per week rose from 18% in 2022 to 24% in 2023.
12. Two days on-site, three days remote (2/3)
This is another split-schedule hybrid work model that requires employees to work on-site two days each week and allows them the freedom to work remotely for the other three days. Some companies will specify the days required in the office, while others will leave it up to employees. According to Gallup, on average, employees prefer to be in the office between two and three days per week. This hybrid work schedule has been found to optimize employee engagement for many roles.
13. Day on-site, four days remote (¼)
The final variation of a split schedule approach is where employees work one day on-site and the remaining four days remotely. Gallup found that in 2022, 32% of hybrid employees worked one day or less on-site, which dropped to 29% in 2023. For many companies, this suggests a move to a greater balance between days in and out of the office.
HR tip
If you’re operating on this hybrid work schedule, encourage employees to make the most of this one day on-site by engaging in face-to-face meetings, discussions, and collaborations — work and tasks that can’t be done solo at home.
14. Alternating weeks
In this hybrid work model, employees spend a full work week in the office, followed by a full week working remotely at a location of their choice. This hybrid schedule aims to strike a balance between in-person collaboration and the flexibility of remote work.
15. Optional on-site days
Some companies take a remote-first stance but also offer employees the opportunity to work on-site if and when it benefits them. This means that remote work is the default, but the office remains open to everyone at all times.
16. Team-driven
With this hybrid work schedule, each team determines the days that employees will work in the office.
17. Company-driven
A company-driven hybrid approach is where leadership decides on the days that everyone will work in the office and the days that are remote. This could be a standard policy for everyone or altered for each team, depending on their needs.
To sum up
By providing these 17 hybrid work schedule models, we hope to inspire HR professionals to craft a working setup that’s both efficient and benefits both the organization and the employee. Finding the right hybrid work model requires you to examine your organization’s and employee’s needs, the company culture, and what will lead to better productivity and collaboration for all.
