Why the Mild Hybrid Workweek Needs to End

I'll go ahead and say it: the 1-day remote, 4-day onsite hybrid work model is a sham. And, foolish. Also, it should henceforth be called a mild hybrid workweek.

Employees and employers are presently tangled in an ungainly dance around hybrid work schedules. According to Gallop, the vast majority of surveyed employees prefer working 2 or more days remotely. In the opposing dance space, CEOs want to reduce the number of hybrid days available to team members; there is already a significant decline in remote work days in 2023 compared to 2022, as reported by Chief Executive Group.

The aforementioned CEOs either believe employees can't possibly be productive at home and/or that maintaining effective communication structures and cultures is too difficult. Below are actual quotes from CEOs in the #ChiefExecutiveMagazine study (followed by my unvarnished 2 cents):

• “Without becoming a sort of Big Brother, we’d like to have a better track of our activities conducted remotely." (Nancy's 2￠: Crazy thought ... have you tried goals with deadlines?)
• "It kills innovation." (Nancy's 2￠: This is a clear example of the pot calling the kettle....perhaps if you modeled innovative behavior, like, say, innovate ways to maintain a creative culture in a hybrid structure, employees would follow suit.)
• “We’ve extended remote work flexibility to some of our office staff, and while they get their work done timely, it is difficult and sometimes frustrating to get them involved in team projects, instantaneous ideation, etc." (Nancy's 2￠: You've put the emphasis on the wrong syllable (read in your best Austin Power's voice), Mr. CEO. You are focusing on employees' lack of participation as the problem, yet the emphasis should be on leadership's inability to generate engagement. If you are going to throw in the towel on hybrid work, as least be honest about the reason ... leaders aren't up to the task of, well, leading.)
• ...it is ... more work for leadership at all levels of the organization, with a greater need to be deliberate in communications, work sharing and relationship development. (Nancy's 2￠: Did you think leading was easy? Step up to the challenging work or step aside.)

This glimpse into the mind of these CEOs' reveals why a mild hybrid workweek is nothing more than a feigned nod to the employee experience. While attempting to reap benefits of a hybrid model (e.g., attracting and retaining talent) and avoiding negative consequences of mandating a full return to office (e.g., mass resignations), CEOs are really only accommodating their biased fears of low productivity and disengaged culture when working away from the office. A mild hybrid workweek does nothing to eliminate those fears and perceptions; it does nothing to build a trustful relationship between the CEO and the employees; it does nothing to address the root causes of low productivity and an apathetic culture. A mild hybrid structure allows the CEO to maintain a facade of control while avoiding an assertive stance on their preferred work model.

Show me a CEO who's implemented a mild hybrid workweek and I'll show you an indecisive leader. Nancy Stewart, Talent Alchemists

A mild hybrid workweek not only lacks authentic concern for employee preferences, it is ill-advised. A 1-day/week offsite hybrid model will beckon the slow death of corporate reputation, culture, and employee loyalty. Employees will see through the inauthentic gesture to their experience and leave for more progressive pastures. Candidates won't even see job posts as they will be filtered from results for legit hybrid and remote work. Culture will erode as the company attempts to force 2018 habits on 2023 mentalities.

Kudos to the rare group of CEOs who have gotten the hybrid/remote/onsite model correct for their organization (and to those who don't have a hybrid/remote option, kudos to retaining your team through other creative programs). To the remainder of you, stop dinking around with a mild hybrid schedule. Commit and own your truth - either you believe a legit hybrid model can work (so make it happen) or you believe employees need butts in office seats to be productive (so call them back in.) If the latter truth is the calling you hear, I have a fantastic idea to mitigate the potential negative consequences referenced above...... a 4-day, 32-hour, onsite workweek. ?? I've shared some ideas on prepping for a 4-day workweek on TalentAlchemists.com.

If you are interested in discussing how to plan, communicate, and implement an alternate workweek, please message me or reach out here. I'm also available to share truthbombs as an unbiased sounding board.