Hybrid working models in comparison

A hybrid workplace or "work from anywhere" is currently the ultimate buzzword for attracting new employees and positioning a company as an attractive employer. Learn more about what this means in detail and which hybrid work models truly work in our article.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to work from home overnight. What was once unthinkable suddenly became possible. Companies realized that employees could work from home and still be effective in their jobs. The pandemic has since been declared over. Nevertheless, many employees still want to work from home — at least for part of their time. In a candidate-driven market, companies must therefore offer hybrid work models and accommodate these preferences.

What is hybrid work?

Hybrid work is a modern and flexible approach that allows employees to work both in the office and remotely. This can be from home or from wherever employees choose. The implementation varies in its degree of flexibility, depending on how many days the employer allows remote work. 

However, some jobs are not suitable for this model. Professions involving physical labor are usually location-dependent. Employees who work at a desk, on the other hand, can easily relocate their workplace, as long as technical requirements allow. Hybrid work leverages the advantages of digitalization: employees access the necessary data and information via the internet. This can happen at home, in a café, on a train, or even from a beach abroad.

What types of hybrid work models are there?

Hybrid work means flexible choice of location and flexible working hours. There isn't one single solution, but rather various approaches to implementing hybrid work:

Office First

In this model, employees spend most of their time in the office and only a few days (if any) per month working remotely. Employees must primarily be on-site, although exceptions may be made in individual cases.

Limited Remote Work

This model is also known as a fixed hybrid work schedule. As the name suggests, managers determine the number of days employees are allowed to work from their homes or elsewhere. In this case, employees have greater flexibility than with the Office-First model. Some companies define a maximum of X days per year, X days per month, or X days per week for remote work.

Fully Flexible

Often referred to as "work from anywhere" or "hybrid by choice." This means that employees can choose their workplace completely freely — with the exception of working from abroad, as this can lead to tax issues. Some may go to the office on certain days, while others prefer to work entirely remotely. In any case, there is no mandatory office attendance with this model.

Remote First

In this case, mobile work or working on the go is the predominant form of work. Therefore, there is usually no fixed workplace for employees, but workplaces can be booked as needed, e.g., via desk-sharing apps like Flexopus. This model often includes one or two fixed team days per week, with the rest of the work being done remotely.

‍Flexopus: Your Partner for Organizing Hybrid Work Models

Many people perceive hybrid work as a balancing act between flexibility and chaos. The belief that combining office and remote work inevitably leads to disorder is widespread. However, in reality, hybrid work offers practical solutions and tools to create an organized work environment.

One of these tools is called Flexopus. Flexopus is a Desk Sharing Software that offers innovative solutions to simplify the organization of hybrid work models. With its intuitive booking platform, employees can flexibly plan and book workstations, meeting rooms, and parking spaces in advance. Users can decide whether they prefer to use the progressive web application, the smartphone app, or the Microsoft Teams integration. In short: Whether it's about coordinating team days, flexible use of office spaces, or promoting collaboration – Flexopus helps companies optimally leverage the benefits of hybrid work models.

What hybrid work models are there?

Hybrid work models are characterized not only by the freedom to choose the work location but also by temporal flexibility. Employees can decide not only where they want to work but also when they complete their tasks

Fixed Working Hours

This is the standard 9-to-5 work model where employers set the work schedule. A fixed work schedule is a strict timetable that specifies at what times of day and for how many hours per day employees must work. This is still common in businesses and professions with fixed daily routines.

Partially Flexible/Flextime

Employees enjoy a certain degree of flexibility in structuring their working hours. With so-called flextime arrangements, employees can, for example, change the start and/or end time of their work, as long as they work the intended or expected hours. This is the most common form in office jobs.

Fully Flexible

With the fully flexible work model, employees can work whenever they want — provided, of course, that legal regulations are observed. However, the specific time is usually irrelevant for the company in this case. This work model is most common in companies that have individual employees who don't really work in teams. An example of this would be location-independent sales representatives in the sales sector.

Are hybrid work models the future of work?

Flexible work arrangements strike a balance between the benefits of working in the office and the advantages of remote work. Likewise, flexible, hybrid models contribute to a better work-life balance. Failure to offer flexible work arrangements can be costly for companies. Employees today expect the highest possible flexibility and consider these points when choosing an employer. Therefore, the proportion of companies with flexible models is expected to continue to increase.