Has anyone implemented a Hybrid Work Schedule?

8 Comments

1. AnonymousSeptember 17,2021 at 4:05PM UTC

   My company allows departments to be responsible for their own hybrid schedule since each department has different needs. Since my department does not have a need to be physically in the office, our director allows each person to decide on their own. Both heads of the department decided to remain 100% at home. A couple of colleagues want to be in 4 days a week 8+ hours. I go in 2 days per week (Tuesdays &Thursdays). It works great for us. The company receptionist is in the office full-time so if we need anything she's always there.

2. Deanna PegoraroSeptember 22,2021 at 12:37PM UTC

   Has the receptionist complained about being the only one that has to be in the office full time?

3. AnonymousSeptember 22,2021 at 2:53PM UTC

   No she volunteered because she wants out of her house. Originally they were going to rotate among admins & the receptionist and she said she wanted back full time. I think her husband is retired and is driving her crazy when she works from home.

4. ElysseSeptember 17,2021 at 6:35PM UTC

   My company has us working in the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and work from home on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with our all-staff meetings on Wednesdays so that people who are fully remote (we have a couple out of town employees) can be on the team call.

5. Orlagh CostelloSeptember 21,2021 at 4:00PM UTC

   We have a general rule that you can work from home 2 days a week, in the office 3 days a week. depending on the dept, this means there's agreed days when everyone's on site, but that's decided in local teams rather than corporately.

6. AnonymousSeptember 21,2021 at 4:49PM UTC

   We used to have a flexible work arrangements policy that allowed for telecommuting if it made sense for the position/employee, and many of our corporate (office-based) associates seemed to work from home maybe one day/week. Post-pandemic, HR rolled out a new Hybrid Work Arrangement that states all eligible associates can work remotely "up to 40%" of the time; this could mean WFH 2 days/week and on-site 3 days, or WFH in the mornings and going in before lunch, etc. HR wanted managers and employees to work together and figure out what made the most sense [i.e. if they wanted coverage in the office on different days, or preferred to work together on-site certain days every week]. There has been a surprising amount of pushback from folks who have worked 100% remotely since March 2020 and who do not want to return to the office 3 days/week [especially after it was announced that all would have to wear masks on-site, regardless of vaccination status]. Our return to office was recently postponed again, so it's moot, but I think HR is going to hold firm. Maybe more information than you wanted, but there you go :)

7. Brandy JensenSeptember 21,2021 at 9:54PM UTC

   This sounds quite similar to what is happening at my employer. There is a meme that addresses the pushback which is "You can't make working remotely mandatory for over a year, then suddenly decide it is a privilege again." People are less willing to put up with commutes, cubicle "drop-offs" and have learned to adjust to the lone work style. If the decision is that as a company, hybrid work is the new culture, I suggest that people are allowed to ease into that schedule. Be prepared to stand firm so that the hybrid schedule falls equitably. Consider what specific things will benefit from in-person interactions, then work to build schedules from that point. My employer feels that 60% in the office is the baseline requirement. If a group can come together collectively with a case for why less time is merited, that is something that will influence HR, rather than individual squeaky wheels. If MOST staff are opposed to coming back to the office, then an honest look at what was wrong in the office culture and how to improve that is a good idea, too.

8. Anna C AdamsSeptember 22,2021 at 11:42AM UTC

   My organization has/is doing the same. To sum it up, the actual date has been pushed back a couple times, not surprisingly, and for the most part, in-office folks who've been working from home will be asked to be in the office 3 out of 5 days. We can choose the days, and there is room for flexibility. We've also been asked to make an effort to be in the office on days when our department's services might be most needed. I'm in the L & D dept so they want us in the office on busing office days, when there will be more folks in the office.