In 2024, many organizations continue to steer away from traditional office spaces and toward hybrid and remote work. Many employers have shifted to a more flexible, employee-oriented approach. However, the best hybrid work trends and practices depend on your organization's specific needs.
What Is the Hybrid Work Model Going to Look Like Next Year?
Hybrid work models have shifted dramatically since 2020. While some organizations previously pushed to cut down on these practices, more employers are now recognizing the benefits of flexible hybrid schedules.
Because every company's culture is unique, there's no universal best fit — especially for 2024's hybrid workforce. Leaders must instead look to their teams' needs and preferences to make decisions. They should also consider the environmental impact of running a large yet mostly empty office. Most importantly, leaders must be willing to revise their hybrid work arrangements as they learn more about their teams.
Top 6 Hybrid Work Trends You Should Expect in 2024
The office of the future ultimately depends on the office employees of the future. As such, many of today's workplace practices focus on employee retention and satisfaction. Explore the top hybrid work trends below.
1. DEI Will Be Essential for Good Hybrid Work Environments
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) remain a major focus for hybrid and remote office work moving into 2024. Unfortunately, modern political discourse has shrouded some employees' and employers' views of what DEI initiatives are really about.
Effective DEI practices make hybrid and remote workers feel more comfortable, often boosting their motivation, trust, and creativity. These practices focus on the following values:
- Diversity: Diversity represents your organization's various people and backgrounds — or lack thereof. Workplaces should be willing to include everyone, regardless of their gender, age, race, ethnicity, physical abilities, and other attributes.
- Equity: Extending beyond hiring, equity refers to individuals' pay, treatment, and professional opportunities. A person's identity should not prevent them from being considered for promotions or equitable pay.
- Inclusion: Inclusion comprises each individual's experience within the workplace, often beyond their job title. For example, how often is someone given a genuine opportunity to contribute during group discussions? People who don't feel included are less likely to contribute their ideas and expertise, which impairs your entire team's potential.
2. Flexibility Will Be Key in the Modern Workplace
According to hybrid workplace statistics, nearly half of hybrid and remote employees say they would rather quit than return to full-time in-office work. As such, flexible schedules continue to be essential for employee satisfaction and retention, especially as non-traditional hours become more normalized.
In 2022 and 2023, many hybrid offices participated in a tug-of-war between employees wanting fewer in-office days and leadership wanting more. Fortunately, these conflicts have somewhat slowed down, as 80% of employers say they regret their return-to-the-office plans. In 2024, many organizations' priorities should return to their workers' needs, as employee engagement is essential for productivity.
3. Organizations Will Need to Prioritize Employees' Well-Being
In today's competitive market, many hybrid work trends put even more of a focus on industry-standard salary and schedule expectations. This is often in an effort to prevent employers from underpaying or misusing employees with viable skills, experience, and productivity. More employees recognize their value and are willing to switch jobs or even careers to balance their personal lives.
Every individual is unique, so there's not always a universal solution for prioritizing hybrid workers' well-being and mental health. Instead, you should listen to each employee's needs, preferences, goals, and best work environments. Aligning your hybrid work model to hybrid employees' needs can make them feel more comfortable, appreciated, and motivated.
4. Leaders Will Develop Skills for Managing Hybrid Teams
By 2024, leaders should be well-adapted to their hybrid environments — especially if they expect the same from their employees. Ideally, employers and managers should understand hybrid practices, such as how to use specific software, before anyone else on the team. This way, they can help other employees learn the ropes. Unfortunately, leaders who haven't yet adapted to virtual practices may not be prepared for hybrid work's future.
5. Organizations Will Rethink Their Traditional Office Spaces
Office parks and other traditional workspaces are on the decline, with more than 20% of office properties being vacant at the end of 2023. This is because hybrid and remote companies simply no longer need the space they did before.
Many hybrid businesses continue to reconsider their workspaces with various solutions and results. For example, some offices with only a few in-person days per week are wasting money renting the workspace for the other days. A few possible solutions for this issue could include:
- Switching to an entirely remote model
- Asking employees to work in person full-time
- Moving to a smaller office and making many employees fully remote
- Renting a shared office space for in-person days
Each office space solution has its own advantages and disadvantages, many of which come down to the organization's needs. Bringing employees back into the office could make the most of the company's workspace and money, but some employees may leave over their new schedule. Meanwhile, shared offices or "coworking spaces" may be ideal for one hybrid team's weekly meetings, but other teams may dislike the public setting.
6. Collaboration Tools Will Be a Must for the Hybrid Model
The hybrid workplace landscape heavily relies on technology to complete daily tasks. Unfortunately, some employees face challenges blending their at-home and in-office workflows, while others struggle to collaborate with remote coworkers.
Because of this, it's essential to pick the right remote tools for your team's needs. First, consider your hybrid employees' preferences and best work environments. For example, does your team's communication rely on video calls, instant messages, or file sharing? Then, examine the best available tools for your goals. Hybrid work platforms such as Scoop offer various collaboration features that suit different preferences and projects.
Help Create a Modern Hybrid Workplace With the Best Platform
No one really knows exactly what the future of workspaces will look like, so organizations must be ready to adapt to whatever hybrid work trends they may face next. Scoop and the other tools you use will play a significant role in this process, helping you meet various employee, client, and industry needs. Get started with Scoop for free to learn more.
