Setting Up a Hybrid Work Model

Gone are the days when success was measured by hours spent at a desk in a traditional office. Nowadays, our corporate world demands flexibility, and smart businesses are responding with hybrid work models that blend the best of both remote and in-person work.

If you’re a business owner considering making the shift to hybrid work, you’re not alone. Companies worldwide are discovering that this approach not only satisfies employee preferences but also improves overall productivity, reduces business costs, and helps attract top talent from around the nation or world. 

But here’s the thing: implementing a successful hybrid work model isn’t as simple as telling people they can work from home a few days a week. Let’s explore how to build a hybrid work model that works for your organisation and your people.

What is hybrid working?

A hybrid work model is built on a flexible work arrangement where employees split their time between working remotely and working in a physical office location. But it’s much more than just “sometimes at home, sometimes at the office.”

A true hybrid work model is a strategic approach that recognises different tasks may require different environments. Some work, like collaborative brainstorming sessions or team meetings, thrives more in person, while other tasks, like deep focus work, writing blogs, or individual projects, may be more productive in a quiet home office with fewer distractions.

The key is intentionality. Rather than randomly assigning remote and office days, successful hybrid models thoughtfully match work activities to the environment where they’ll be completed most effectively.

Why you should consider a hybrid work model

The benefits of a hybrid workplace extend far beyond just keeping employees happy (though that’s certainly important). Here’s why organisations are making the switch:

• Enhanced productivity: When people can be in their optimal work environment for specific tasks, they tend to be more productive. Schedules that align with personal productivity rhythms drive more motivation for individuals. Need to write a detailed report? Maybe that’s better done at home without office distractions. Planning a new project? That collaborative energy might be better in person. 
• Improved work-life balance: A hybrid model reduces commuting time and gives employees more control over their schedules. This leads to lower stress levels and higher job satisfaction, which translates to better performance and lower turnover.
• Cost savings: Many organisations find they can reduce their real estate footprint when everyone doesn’t need to be in the office simultaneously. They can then utilise smaller office spaces, which saves them money. Those savings can be reinvested in better technology, employee benefits, or other business priorities.
• Access to broader talent: When location becomes less of a constraint, you can recruit from a much wider talent pool. That developer in Brisbane or that marketing specialist in Sydney? They’re now viable candidates that can work hybrid from those cities while still connecting to team members in Melbourne. Offering a hybrid role is also an important point of difference for many prospective employees.
• Business continuity: Organisations with established hybrid models proved more resilient during unexpected disruptions. They already had the systems and culture in place to maintain operations regardless of circumstances.

Different hybrid work solutions

The right approach to hybrid working depends on your organisation’s culture, industry, and specific needs. It’s important to balance things in a way that will work.

Office-first hybrid model

In this approach, the physical office remains the primary workplace, but employees have the flexibility to work remotely on occasion. Think of it as “office by default, remote by choice.” This hybrid office model works particularly well for organisations that value in-person collaboration for brainstorming sessions, client meetings, and team building, but recognise that individual, focused work can often be more effective in a remote setting.

Best for: Teams that rely heavily on spontaneous collaboration, industries with compliance requirements, or organisations transitioning from traditional office-based work who want to maintain strong in-person connections while offering flexibility.

Typical structure: Employees might work in the office 3-4 days per week, with 1-2 days remote for individual work, appointments, or personal needs.

Preference-based hybrid model

This approach puts the choice in the employees’ hands. Based on their personal needs, work style, and life circumstances, individuals decide when to work remotely versus in the office. This model supports different people having different optimal work environments, and that these preferences might change based on life stages, projects, or even seasons.

Best for: Businesses with high trust cultures, knowledge workers who can perform most tasks independently, and companies prioritising employee autonomy and work-life integration.

Typical structure: Employees might have complete flexibility to choose their work location day by day, with perhaps some team anchor days when everyone comes together in person.

Time-based hybrid model

In this final approach, employees have specific days they’re required to work in the office, with the flexibility to work remotely on the remaining days. It’s typically decided by leadership based on what works best for business operations.

Best for: Those who need a predictable rhythm for meetings and collaborative sessions. Offers the perfect balance of days in the office and days at home, combining accountability to show up with independence. 

Typical structure: A common example is the ‘3-2’ model, which is where employees go in three days in the office and have the choice of the other 2 days.

Steps to set up an effective hybrid work model

Wondering how to create a successful hybrid work model? More than just policy changes, it demands a thoughtful transformation of how your organisation operates. Here are the steps we’d recommend:

Step 1: Assess your current state

Start by understanding where you are today. Survey your employees about their current work preferences, productivity patterns, and pain points. Analyse which roles and tasks truly require in-person presence versus those that can be done effectively remotely.

Look at your existing technology infrastructure, management practices, and company culture. Are your managers comfortable leading remote teams? Do you have the collaboration tools needed for seamless hybrid work? This honest assessment will reveal gaps you need to address.

Step 2: Define your hybrid vision

What does success look like for your business? Are you primarily trying to improve employee satisfaction, reduce costs, increase productivity, or expand your talent pool? Your vision should align with your broader business strategy and company values.

Be specific about the outcomes you want to achieve. Clear goals will guide your decisions and help you measure success.

Step 3: Choose your hybrid strategy

Based on your assessment and vision, select the hybrid position that best fits your business. Remember, you can also create a customised approach that combines elements from different strategies.

If you own a medium to large-sized business, consider starting with a pilot program. Choose a department or team to test your hybrid model before rolling it out company-wide. This allows you to identify and solve problems on a smaller scale.

Step 4: Invest in the right technology

A hybrid environment is only as good as the technology that supports it. You must have robust video conferencing tools, collaborative platforms, and secure remote access to necessary systems.

Think beyond just the tools themselves. How will you ensure remote employees feel included in meetings? How will you maintain security when people are working from various locations? These operational details matter as much as the technology itself.

Step 5: Redesign your physical workspace

Your office space needs to evolve, too. With fewer people in the office daily, you might need fewer individual workstations but more collaborative spaces, meeting rooms, and areas designed for video calls.

Consider implementing hot-desking or flexible seating arrangements by hiring a space in a co-working facility. Focus on creating spaces that support the activities that truly benefit from in-person interaction and improve connection: brainstorming, collaboration, training, and relationship building.

Step 6: Establish clear guidelines

Ambiguity is the enemy of a successful hybrid workplace strategy. If you’re not clear, your employees will feel unsure and question what’s right vs. wrong. Avoid this by creating clear policies about when employees should be in the office, how to request remote work days, and what constitutes core collaboration hours. 

Set expectations for communication, meeting schedules, and response times in a written hybrid work policy. Be explicit about how performance will be measured and ensure it focuses on outcomes rather than hours worked or physical presence. This will remove any confusion and make it clear for employees.

Step 7: Train your managers

Managing hybrid teams requires different skills than managing traditional in-person teams. This is because investing in training helps your managers lead by results rather than presence. This gives them the ability to conduct effective virtual meetings and maintain team cohesion across different work locations.

As a business owner, it’s important to help managers understand how to provide feedback, recognition, and support to both remote and in-office team members. The quality of management often determines whether hybrid work succeeds or fails.

Step 8: Create a connection

One of the biggest challenges in hybrid work is maintaining team cohesion and company culture. When transitioning into a hybrid environment, be intentional about creating opportunities for connection, both virtually and in-person.

This might include regular team meetings, virtual coffee chats, in-person team building events, or company-wide gatherings. The goal is to make sure that remote employees feel just as connected to the team and company as their in-office counterparts.

Step 9: Monitor and adjust

Launch your hybrid model as a learning experiment rather than a final solution. Regularly collect feedback from employees, managers, and customers. Monitor productivity metrics, employee satisfaction scores, and business outcomes.

Be prepared to make adjustments based on what you learn. The best hybrid models evolve over time as businesses discover what works best for their unique circumstances.

Step 10: Communicate

Keep everyone informed about how the hybrid model is working, what challenges you’re addressing, and what improvements you’re making. Transparency builds trust and helps everyone feel invested in making the model successful.

Celebrate successes and share best practices across teams. When people see that hybrid work is genuinely improving their work experience and business results, they become advocates for the model.

Get started with a hybrid working model today

Implementing a successful hybrid work model isn’t about finding the perfect balance between remote and in-person work; it’s about creating a flexible system that serves your people, your culture, and your business goals. The organisations that get this right will have a significant advantage in attracting talent, maintaining productivity, and building resilient operations.

Ready to get started? Hybrid working is easier than ever before with the perks of a coworking space like Haven Workspaces. In the heart of Canberra, Haven is designed for entrepreneurs, innovators, and business owners to come together and work in a vibrant community.

If you’re looking for a private office, a dedicated desk, or an open community that holds heaps of events, then you’re in the right place. Contact us to learn more.