Hybrid Work: What’s Sticking and What Isn’t

The world of work is becoming more complex each day. Who is working in the office? Who’s at home? Can organizations support hybrid work models that enhance employee productivity while including everyone? Hybrid work has not only shaped the office landscape—it’s also changed the way we live.

In 2025, Leesman, which touts the world’s largest workplace experience database, published its latest report on hybrid work: The Hybrid Future. This research initiative featured 8 distinct campaigns with the overall goal of understanding the new work landscape, uncovering the complexity of hybrid working in the corporate world, and exploring its far-reaching effects on people, organizations, and society.

The global study included 3,988 participants from 8 companies over a 2-year time span. These 5 topics summarize the findings:

1. Impact on Employees

People are an organization’s greatest asset, and the main reason attraction and retention are so important to leaders. In this study, the mixture of motivations and experiences underscore the complexity of hybrid working. For example, many employees like working remotely for work/life balance. It minimizes distractions and issues related to commuting.

The main reason they come into the office is to meet, collaborate, and socialize with others—or because an employer mandate requires them to be there. But when people are in the office, they still struggle with the ability to focus and be productive. And mixed-presence meeting formats—where some attendees are virtual while others are in a room—are still challenging. Most people prefer to be in-person, noting that brainstorming is significantly more effective when people are together, face-to-face.

2. Impact on Organizations

Remember life before the pandemic? Some organizations supported hybrid work, but back in 2019, half of the employees who took the Leesman Office Assessment didn’t work from home at all. In today’s extremely competitive job market, organizations must navigate evolving employee expectations and shifting priorities to attract and retain talent.

Hybrid work is also now embedded in organizational culture, to engage both remote and in-office workers equally. Leaders will need to shift to a more “results-driven” employee engagement approach, such as nurturing team connections and fostering inclusivity, through more communication. Their biggest challenge is predicting the workspace footprint and types of spaces needed. Leaders will require data to understand emerging patterns of office use.

3. Impact on Society & Urban Economy

Beyond the office landscape, hybrid working has been influencing the way we live—from social dynamics to cultural norms and inclusivity. Remote work opportunities open the door—and expand the talent pool—to employees who might be excluded from onsite work, such as those with disabilities or in caregiver roles. Flexibility for work/life balance and family responsibilities drives employee decisions in where they work, ultimately reshaping the real estate market.

The urban economy, impacted tremendously by pandemic behaviors, has shown reduced demand for city office spaces. Decentralization has increased demand in suburbs and smaller communities for local services, housing, and business development. In response, the residential market is adapting to people’s preferences. Commercial real estate footprints may also play a role in long-term sustainability goals as hybrid work leads to less commuting and smarter energy usage.

4. One Size Does Not Fit All

The need to recognize the distinct circumstances of each person and offer a more flexible framework that caters to those differences has created more complexity for organizations. Employee expectations are driving hybrid work models that both support the benefits of remote work and entice people to come into the office for collaboration, community, and connection.

Organizations that understand the unique needs of their workforce and embrace the idea that one size doesn’t fit all will ensure employees stay motivated, healthy, and productive. Yet many increasingly expect employees to fully return to working in-person, in an office. The Leesman study results are definitive, however: 91% of survey respondents like hybrid working.

5. The Future of Work Continues to Evolve

The survey outcomes show a strong global preference toward hybrid work. And no two companies are the same. Fostering a culture and best practices that meet the needs of your company helps determine the most effective hybrid work environment that supports well-being and enhances productivity. As the future of work evolves, each organization must navigate its own path to achieve a balance for long-term satisfaction and success