Make hybrid work your business as usual, not a temporary compromise

Winning the battle for talent: In today’s competitive job market, organisations that treat hybrid work as a core business strategy, not a reluctant compromise, are leading the way in attracting and retaining top talent, writes Lisa George.

I believe that hybrid work is not a passing trend, but the modern operating system for businesses is serious about talent attraction and retention.

We’re now in a moment where research is catching up to what other forward-thinking leaders and I have long understood: hybrid is not temporary; it’s a long-term structural shift.

Consider the data:

• Employee and employer satisfaction: A 2024 Unispace report found that 97 per cent of Indian employees and 98 per cent of employers are satisfied with hybrid arrangements. That’s not a fluke; it’s a global signal that hybrid is working.
• Job market trends: Robert Half’s 2025 research showed that hybrid job postings jumped from 9 per cent in Q1 2023 to nearly 24 per cent by early 2025. That kind of growth doesn’t happen by accident; it reflects a strategic response to workforce expectations.
• Work patterns: In April 2025, Aura reported that 29 per cent of all paid US workdays were done from home, with no signs of that number decreasing. This isn’t a trend; it’s the new normal.
• Leadership outlook: The Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research found that most US executives have accepted hybrid work as a permanent fixture in their operating model. No more “wait and see”.
• Productivity evidence: TIME’s 2025 reporting confirmed what many of us already knew: remote workers are just as, if not more, productive than those in the office, especially when you focus on outcomes over hours.

I didn’t wait for COVID-19 to jump on the flexibility bandwagon. In 2004, frustrated by micromanaged, rigid workplace structures, I launched Momentum OT, a fully remote occupational therapy company built on autonomy, trust, and meaningful work. At the time, the idea of a remote healthcare workforce was radical. Today, it’s proof of concept.

Over two decades later, Momentum OT is a thriving, award-recognised business with a high-performing team, a deeply engaged workforce, and a market-leading reputation. Flexibility is not just a perk; it’s the foundation.

3 strategic shifts leaders must make

My experience, backed by global data, indicates that HR professionals and business leaders must drive three key shifts to embed hybrid work as a sustainable advantage.

1. From permission to policy: Build hybrid into your system

Too many organisations still operate on ad hoc flexibility, where one manager permits remote work and another doesn’t. This leads to confusion, resentment, and inequality.

Instead, hybrid work should be part of organisational policy, with:

• Clear guidelines on eligibility, expectations, and communication.
• Training for leaders to manage distributed teams effectively.
• Technology and systems that support seamless collaboration.
• Transparent, measurable performance outcomes.

Hybrid work should not depend on who your manager is or their capability to lead it. It should be a supported, systemic way of working.

2. From control to trust: Rethink leadership

One of the biggest challenges to sustainable hybrid work is outdated leadership. Many managers equate visibility with productivity, resulting in forced returns to office and productivity “theatre”.

The hybrid work environment demands a shift from traditional management approaches to more adaptive leadership styles. McKinsey & Company (2022) suggests that leaders need to manage performance through outcomes, impact, and ownership rather than direct supervision.

A study on the evolution of leadership styles in hybrid work models underscores the necessity for leaders to develop empathy-driven leadership, inclusivity, and technological proficiency to ensure team cohesion and organisational success.

I’ve always said, remote work isn’t the problem; poor leadership is. When you focus on trust, not control, you unlock performance.

What this shift looks like in practice:

• Train managers in outcome-focused leadership.
• Prioritise emotional intelligence and psychological safety.
• Move from micromanagement to mentorship.
• Use data and feedback loops, not digital surveillance, to support staff and guide performance.

We don’t need more control; we need better leadership.

3. From isolation to inclusion: Design for connection and collaboration

Hybrid work doesn’t erode culture – poor communication and disengaged leadership do. Successful hybrid workplaces design for connection.

At Momentum OT, we’ve spent two decades designing for inclusion. We don’t leave connection to chance. We build it, intentionally, through:

• Weekly virtual huddles and one-on-one check-ins.
• Peer mentoring and cross-functional collaboration.
• Recognition rituals that celebrate brilliance and effort.
• Platforms that promote open, inclusive communication.

Zoom’s 2025 data backs us up – hybrid teams that are well-designed report stronger interpersonal connection and higher psychological safety than their in-office peers.

Can you afford to stay stagnant?

Clinging to rigid, office-based models isn’t just risking culture, you’re risking your business. Here’s what’s at stake:

• You’ll lose candidates: Top talent now filters job ads based on flexibility. If you’re not offering it, you’re invisible.
• You’ll lose engagement: Employees who feel controlled or undervalued are more likely to disengage or quietly quit.
• You’ll lose innovation: Diverse, autonomous teams solve problems better. Flexibility enables that diversity.

The companies that are winning this moment are doing so not with ping-pong tables and coffee machines, but with trust, autonomy and human-centric work design.

As one who has been working this way for over 20 years, I’m not just advocating for flexibility, I’ve built and sustained a long-term business on it.

So, how do you win the war for talent?

• Stop treating flexibility like a favour.
• Build it into your business.
• Trust your people.
• Invest in your managers.

Hybrid work was once radical but is now the norm. It is not a temporary adjustment that requires a simple recalibration back to how we were; the world of work has changed, and we need to catch up – fast. Flexibility is the future of work. In a world where people are increasingly designing their lives around autonomy, purpose, and meaningful contribution, companies that lead with rigidity will be left behind.

So, ask yourself, are you building a workplace of the past or the future?

Lisa George is the founder of Momentum OT and has been leading a fully remote team for more than 20 years.