Report: Hybrid Work is Here to Stay

Microsoft Corp. has released a new report suggesting that a mixed model of working from an office and working from home is likely to be the status quo at many companies, moving forward.

According to the company’s first-annual Work Trend Index, entitled, “The Next Great Disruption Is Hybrid Work — Are We Ready?”, business leaders should resist the urge to see hybrid work as business as usual. It will require the rethinking of long-held assumptions.

“The choices you make today will impact your organization for years to come,” said Jared Spataro, corporate vice president for Microsoft 365. “These decisions will impact everything from how you shape culture, to how you attract and retain talent, to how you can better foster collaboration and innovation.”

The report finds that time spent in meetings has more than doubled globally, and over 40 billion more emails were delivered in February of this year compared with last.

73% of workers surveyed want flexible remote work options to continue. Remote job postings on LinkedIn increased more than five times during the pandemic. Over 40% of the global workforce is considering leaving their employer this year and 46% are planning to move now that they can work remotely.

In short, addressing flexible work will impact who stays, who goes, and who joins a company.

The 2021 Work Trend Index outlines findings from a study of more than 31,000 people in 31 countries and analyzes trillions of aggregate productivity and labor signals across Microsoft 365 and LinkedIn. It also includes perspectives from experts who have studied collaboration, social capital and workspace design at work for decades.

Channel Impact^®
The report reveals and validates trends that leaders should consider as the next phase of work unfolds.