Hushed Hybrid

“Hushed Hybrid” - is this happening where you work?

Hushed Hybrid is where UK employees work from home more frequently than company policies might allow. It can boost employee happiness, candidate attraction and reduce staff turnover without compromising productivity. Sometimes RTO rules aren’t enforced as strictly where teams are delivering results.

Hushed Hybrid is quietly supported by managers who may either selectively enforce return-to-office (RTO) rules, mandate office presence only when absolutely necessary, or even misreport attendance. Its aims to maintain employee satisfaction and retention, despite potentially conflicting with company-wide directives.

However, this clandestine flexibility carries risks, especially for managers who enable it. They could find themselves in a precarious position, balancing the company’s RTO mandates with their employees’ preferences for remote work.

The “hushed hybrid” approach is not without its downsides. It can lead to perceptions of favouritism, potentially demoralising employees who do not receive similar flexibility.

Uneven enforcement of RTO policies can create resentment among staff, with some feeling unfairly treated compared to their peers who enjoy more lenient arrangements.

As UK organisations navigate from remote and hybrid working to RTO, employers may find it beneficial to tailor RTO policies to the diverse needs and functions of their workforce. This could mitigate the need for “hushed hybrid” strategies and promote a more transparent and equitable work environment.

When recruiting, it is very important to be clear with recruitment partners and candidates what the company policy is for work location and expectations around any remote or hybrid working. Best start as you mean to go on to avoid hushed hybrid.

Posted 16.08.2024

Category: For candidates | For clients