What Does "Hybrid" Actually Mean?

I'm seeing a lot of pieces in the media that are confusing the topic of hybrid working and my conversations with customers have also led me to think that words are getting in the way of progress. So here's a simple framework that I think can help.

Let's start by understanding that the overarching driver is distributed work, which simply means that work is happening in more and more locations than it once was. This is enabled by changes in technology and has been growing for more than a decade. Work can now happen in a broader number of locations within a building, across a city, or around the world.

Some organizations are ignoring this mega-trend (which is a really bad idea, by the way) but for organizations who want to better support distributed work, they can choose from a number of strategies. The top three that are typically discussed are as follows, and it's worth noting that people may incorrectly refer to any or all of them as "hybrid" which is the source of much confusion. They are actually distinct strategies, requiring different approaches to support them.

Office or Remote (very often called the Binary strategy) - all employees are assigned to work at either home or the office, and that location is where they will do most of their work. Most will still be assigned to an office, but due to a renewed belief that work can be successfully done elsewhere, many organizations are growing the percentage of employees assigned to work from home offices.

Hybrid - most employees are allowed to split their time between the office, home, coworking spaces, and elsewhere. There is a spectrum here, from organizations that say "it's okay to work from home one or two days per week" to organizations that say, "work wherever you want throughout the week."

Remote-First - home offices become the primary workplace for most employees, supplemented by other options, including regional offices or coworking memberships.

Each has its pros and cons, but organizations increasingly need to work to make their intentions clear with employees and among key support functions (CRE, HR and IT, to start) because the words we use can cause as much confusion as they do clarity unless purposefully defined.

(and by the way, Herman Miller is well-prepared to assist you as you determine which one is best for your organization and to support your choice - we've been supporting work at home, in the office, and beyond for the last 80 years!)