Leading a Hybrid Workforce (Part I)

The reactive (panicked) move to remote work that occurred in 2020 is about to replace by a return to normal…right? Wrong! The pandemic drove us out of the last months of the industrial view of work that said we all have to be in the factory, we all have to be in the office, we all have to be together. That era is past. Welcome to the Hybrid Workforce!

There are a lot of factors driving this and as leaders we need to understand them and relate to them. We can’t just dictate our way backward. Some will try. They will fail. The smart, forward looking leader will devote himself/herself to understanding and leading the emerging hybrid.

Hybrid means blended. Our workforce is and will be a blend of totally remote workers, totally on-location workers, and those who split their time between home and office.

A recent survey by Inc. Magazine, revealed these workforce sentiments. The question was “What is your ideal balance of going into the office and working from home?” Here are the results:

21% prefer 70% in office and 30% WFH

23% prefer 50%-50% in office vs WFH

49% prefer 30% in office and 70% WFH

You can see the challenge. It’s real. And it means that growing our leadership skills to address this new “shape of work” is paramount. Stay tuned to this series for more ideas, principles, and practices.