Understanding Hybrid Work Models in Corporations

Just out in Harvard Business Review, summary of the Hybrid Experiment results and lessons on how to make hybrid succeed. Experiment: randomize 1600 graduate employees in marketing, finance, accounting and engineering at Trip.com into 5-days a week in office, or 3-days a week in office and 2-days a week WFH. Analyzed 2 years of data. Two key results A) Hybrid and fully-in-office showed no differences in productivity, performance review grade, promotion, learning or innovation. B) Hybrid had a higher satisfaction rate, and 35% lower attrition. Quit-rate reductions were largest for female employees. Four managerial lessons 1) Hybrid needs a strong performance management system so managers don’t need to hover over employees at their desks to check their progress. Trip.com had an extensive performance review process every six months. 2) Coordinate in-office days at the team or company level. Schedule clarity prevents the frustration of coming to an empty office only to participate in Zoom calls. Trip.com coordinated WFH on Wednesday and Friday. 3) Having leadership buy-in is critical (as with most management practices). Trip.com’s CEO and C-suite all support the hybrid policy. 4) A/B test new policies (as well as products) if possible. Often new policies turn out to be unexpectedly profitable. Trip.com made millions of dollars more profits from hybrid by cutting expensive turnover.

A reality check from my decade coaching Fortune 500 leaders: The data is undeniable: -Approximately 41% of U.S. employees with jobs that can be performed remotely are engaged in hybrid work arrangements, working from home some days and from the office on others. Pew Research Center -Companies that cultivate strong hybrid work cultures often experience lower turnover rates, as flexible work arrangements contribute to higher employee satisfaction and loyalty. -Leaders who effectively manage hybrid teams by focusing on outcomes and fostering inclusivity tend to see enhanced team performance and engagement. McKinsey & Company The most successful hybrid leaders aren't attempting to replicate traditional office culture in a virtual setting. Instead, they're pioneering entirely new frameworks tailored to the hybrid model. Three Proven Strategies from Top-Performing Clients: 1. Digital-First Communication Architecture -Prioritize asynchronous communication to respect diverse schedules. -Allocate synchronous meetings for meaningful collaboration. Result: Notable reduction in meeting fatigue, leading to more productive work hours. 2. Core Hours Framework -Establish designated overlapping hours across time zones for real-time interactions. -Protect blocks of time for deep, focused work. -Implement documented decision-making processes to maintain clarity. Outcome: Accelerated decision-making processes and heightened employee engagement. 3. Connection Catalysts -Create intentional opportunities for relationship building. -Organize structured informal interactions, such as virtual coffee chats. -Rotate team members in these activities to foster cross-functional collaboration. -Impact: Strengthened team cohesion and improved cross-departmental communication. Takeaway: Leading hybrid teams effectively requires a focus on outcomes rather than processes, building trust over surveillance, and ensuring clarity to prevent misunderstandings. Don't miss this opportunity to transform your leadership approach for the hybrid era. #HybridLeadership #RemoteWork #LeadershipDevelopment #TeamBuilding #FutureOfWork

Turns out hybrid work is just as productive as full-time in-office work! Trip . com ran a 2-year hybrid vs in-office A/B test: The Experiment—1,600 employees split into two groups— 1/ full-time in-office vs. 2/ hybrid (three days in-office & two days WFH). Findings—No differences in performance, learning, or innovation between hybrid and in-office. The hybrid group had a 35% lower quit rate, especially benefiting female employees. Hybrid is also more profitable for the company. They did need to implement managerial systems like preformed reviews, performance management systems, & coordinated in-office days on a team & company level. These findings are super interesting and counter intuitive to what most companies & leaders are pushing at the moment. Thanks for the write up & insights, Nick Bloom & Harvard Business Review. Turns out hybrid isn’t just about employee flexibility—it’s a winning business strategy.

RTO is a hot topic these days. One Company A/B Tested Hybrid Work. Here's What They Found. As recently published in Harvard Business Review - Trip.com, one of the world's largest online travel companies (40,000+ employees), ran an experiment with 1,600 employees: 👉 Group 1: 5 days in office 👉 Group 2: 3 days in office (Mon/Tue/Thu) The results after 6 months? 💡 Same productivity 💡 Same performance reviews 💡 Same promotion rates 💡 35% lower employee turnover 💡 Significantly higher satisfaction But here's the most compelling part: 💵 The hybrid model saved millions annually. The cost to that company when someone quits is roughly $30,000 in recruiting and training. The quit-rate reductions were largest among: 👍Female employees 👍Non-managers 👍Those with 1.5+ hour commutes They attributed the success to these key factors: 🎯 Clear performance expectations 🎯 Coordinated in-office schedule (no empty office syndrome) 🎯 Full executive support from the CEO and leadership team What's your experience with hybrid work? Has your company found similar results? #changemanagement #leadership #futureofwork