Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the world of work has undergone a substantial and enduring shift. In large parts of the world, a significant portion of working hours are spent at home – and many would-be recruits now expect their new employers to grant this kind of freedom.
So, how can an employer offer hybrid working without compromising on productivity and standards? Let’s take a look at the changes you might consider.
Create a clear hybrid and flexible-working policy
To begin with, it’s worth puzzling out which roles withing your company might be suited to hybrid work. It’s also worth coming up with a formal process for dealing with requests. When workers can see that there are consistently enforced rules governing their requests, and their expectations are managed in advance, they’ll be less likely to experience resentment. It’s partly for this reason that Acas updated their guidance in June 2026 to explicitly recommend a policy that sets expectations.
Give employees more choice over where they work
It might be that employees seeking hybrid work are looking to spend time at home – but this needn’t always be the case. A variety of work locations, including purpose-built communal workspaces, might be suitable. You’ll be able to find a co-working space in most major cities in the UK. Thus, it’s worth looking beyond the home-versus office binary.
Make health, safety and communication work remotely
When you agree to allow remote work, it’s important that you don’t just weigh the needs and desires of the worker against the commercial needs of the organisation. Other factors, like health and safety, matter too. Remote workspaces will need to be risk-assessed in the same way, and you’ll need to enforce the same policies around health and safety.
Equip teams with the right technology for hybrid working
Of course, what’s powered this modern revolution in remote working is modern connectivity. Workers are able to work remotely largely because they’re able to transmit the products of their work via and internet connection.
But if you’re taking advantage of the internet in order to work from home, then you’ll need to take the right precautions around cybersecurity. Virtual Private Networks, Multi-factor Authentication, and other measures might be helpful, especially when sensitive client data is being transmitted.
All of this matters a great deal more when unsecured public wi-fi networks are being used. This is another point in favour of purpose-built communal workspaces; they tend to take cybersecurity more seriously than the average cafe. On the other hand, it’s vital that you don’t make any assumptions, and have a clear policy surrounding what constitutes a safe working location and what doesn’t.
