Hybrid working: Promises under pressure

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, hybrid working has become the norm in many organisations. It generally involves one to three days of remote working per week, with the rest of the time spent in offices that have been redesigned as flexible, unassigned spaces; employees equipped with digital tools and multiple communication channels; and formalised rules for the use of spaces and technologies. These transformations are often accompanied by change management measures, such as workshops on hybrid working, and supported by top-down communication relayed by employee representatives. The whole process is part of a discourse promising agility, modernity, cross-functionality, enhanced collaboration and a better work-life balance. However, far from fully delivering on these promises, hybrid working can give rise to friction and tension. This is highlighted in a longitudinal study conducted in an organisation that has implemented this way of working (Hasbi & van Marrewijk, 2024). The results show that these tensions are not a matter of individual resistance that needs to be eradicated. Rather, they are tell-tale signs of different expectations, heterogeneous practices and routines, and sometimes contradictory needs. The challenge, therefore, is not to eliminate them, but to recognise them and develop appropriate management and learning methods.