Hybrid Is Here, and Employees Want It That Way
Morgan McKinley’s 2024 report revealed a striking truth:
92% of employees in Ireland now prefer a hybrid or fully remote setup. Only 8% favour a full-time office return, yet 42% of employers are pushing for it. That disconnect is creating tension—but also opportunity.
The takeaway? Companies that listen, adapt, and evolve their hybrid approach will win the war for talent. Hybrid isn’t just a perk anymore. It’s an expectation.
From Logistics to Leadership: What Real Hybrid Success Looks Like
At Pendulum 2025, Christine Armstrong delivered practical wisdom on the mindset and infrastructure needed to thrive in hybrid environments.
The top takeaways from their keynotes? :
- Build trust through clarity, not control
- Replace presenteeism with purpose-driven outcomes
- Prioritise communication rituals that bring people together, not just online
Check out this short clip from Pendulum Summit 2025 of Christine Armstrong on the Push-Pull of Office Culture
Rethinking Communication: Why Fewer Meetings Can Mean More Progress
One of the biggest challenges in hybrid work? Constant meetings. Back-to-back Zoom calls leave little room for deep thinking and focused work.
That’s why more high-performing teams are embracing non-simultaneous communication. This refers to tools and practices that let people respond on their own time instead of always being “on” in real-time.
Think:
- Shared project boards that track progress
- Recorded updates instead of live check-ins
- Written feedback instead of endless video calls
This kind of flexibility lets team members work when they’re most productive, while still staying aligned. The key is clarity..clear expectations, timelines, and goals. It’s not about cutting connections, it’s about creating space for focus and flow.
Hybrid Is a Leadership Test
Stanford research shows that hybrid workers (2 days remote, 3 days in-office) are just as productive and less likely to quit than their fully in-office counterparts. But the deciding factor isn’t the model, it’s the manager.
Leaders who succeed in hybrid environments:
- Create psychological safety regardless of location
- Champion flexibility without sacrificing accountability
- Recognise and reward output, not just availability
These aren’t soft skills. They’re survival skills for the new world of work.
Final Thought: Hybrid Done Right Isn’t a Compromise—It’s a Competitive Edge
The future of work isn’t about choosing between remote and in-person, it’s about finding what unlocks your team’s best performance.
When designed with intention, a hybrid work model becomes more than just that, it becomes a culture of trust, autonomy, and growth. And that’s what every leader at every level should be striving for in 2025 and beyond.
