For decades, the traditional office routine was non-negotiable. In the classic 9-5, everyone typically arrived at a shared physical workplace to work, and clocked in productivity between water cooler chats and long commutes to and from their homes.
Then, remote work took center stage, proving that results mattered more than location. Now, companies are asking: What if we could have the best of both worlds?
Businesses that get it right aren’t just letting employees work from home a few days a week—they’re designing systems that enhance collaboration, boost engagement, and maximize efficiency.
In this blog post, we’ll explore standout hybrid work model examples and how you can make them work for your team. 🚨
Inspiring Hybrid Work Model Examples & How to Implement Them
⏰ 60-Second Summary
Hybrid work models blend in-office and remote work, giving employees flexibility while boosting productivity for companies. When implemented well, they improve work-life balance and reduce costs for both sides. Here are 11 hybrid work model examples to boost team efficiency:
- 1. Fixed hybrid model
- 2. Flexible schedule hybrid model
- 3. Remote-first model
- 4. Week-by-week model
- 5. Full autonomy hybrid model
- 6. Shift arrangement model
- 7. Split-team model
- 8. Core hours model
- 9. Employee-driven hybrid model
- 10. Asynchronous work arrangement model
- 11. Dynamic work schedule model
- is designed to help hybrid teams collaborate, stay organized, and get work done efficiently with:
- Docs, a centralized space for creating, sharing, and collaborating on documents in real time
- Brain, an AI-powered assistant that helps generate ideas, automate workflows, and streamline productivity
- Chat for real-time messaging
- Whiteboards, a visual collaboration tool that fosters teamwork
- Forms, a powerful tool for collecting data, gathering feedback, and streamlining workflows
Understanding Hybrid Work Models
Hybrid work models combine traditional in-office work with remote work, offering employees flexibility and autonomy.
Flexible work policies are taking off for a reason—they work for both employees and employers. Employees get better work-life balance, companies see higher productivity, and everyone saves money. It’s a win-win when done right.
Here’s a table to help you understand hybrid and traditional work settings. 💁
| Criteria | Traditional Work | Hybrid Work |
| Location | Primarily in office | Mix of in-office, remote, and on-the-go |
| Flexibility | Low flexibility; fixed location and schedule | High flexibility; employees can choose work location and schedule |
| Work-life balance | Can be challenging due to rigid schedules | Improved due to flexibility and reduced commute |
| Collaboration | Primarily face-to-face communication | Relies on remote work tools to maintain communication |
| Cost | Higher overhead; higher commuting costs for employees | Reduced overhead for employers and lower commuting costs |
| Talent access | Limited to local or regional talent | Wider talent pool due to remote options |
| Productivity | May vary based on employee and environment | Can be higher with increased autonomy |
| Employee experience | May lack flexibility, potentially affecting satisfaction | Greater independence and job satisfaction |
🧠 Fun Fact: 25% of employees would prefer a ‘flexible hybrid’ model if they switched employers.
Successful Hybrid Work Model with Examples
Every company approaches hybrid work differently. Some lean heavily on remote flexibility, while others prioritize in-person collaboration. But the most successful ones have figured out how to make both work.
Let’s look at some standout hybrid work policies and lessons we can take from them. 📃
1. Fixed hybrid model
The fixed hybrid model is all about structure. Employees have set days in the office and set days to work remotely, making it easy to plan ahead.
Need to schedule a big team meeting? No problem—you already know when everyone will be in. Got a project that requires deep focus? That’s what remote days are for.
✅ Key Benefits: The biggest perk of this model is its predictability. There’s no guesswork about when coworkers will be available, which makes collaboration smoother and office space easier to manage.
♦️ Potential Challenge: However, there’s a lack of workplace flexibility. Employees who prefer to structure their workdays around personal productivity rhythms or external commitments might find the rigidity frustrating. It’s great for teams that thrive on routine and in-person connection, but for those who value autonomy, it might feel restrictive.
📌 Example: Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Salesforce have implemented this approach, designating specific office days while still allowing remote work.
2. Flexible schedule hybrid model
The flexible hybrid model is all about choice. Employees get to decide when they come into the office and when they work remotely, based on their workload, projects, or just personal preference. Some might pop in for team meetings or brainstorming sessions, while others might prefer quiet, focused work from home.
✅ Key Benefits: It’s a setup that puts employees in control, which can lead to higher job satisfaction and better productivity. This setup is particularly appealing for companies looking to attract top talent, as it accommodates different working styles and life situations.
♦️ Potential Challenge: However, flexibility comes with challenges. If half the team decides to come into the office while the other half stays remote, meetings and collaboration can become fragmented. To make it work, companies need strong digital tools, clear communication plans, and a culture that values accountability.
📌 Example: Cisco allows employees to choose when and where they work, giving them the autonomy to manage their schedules.
🔍 Did You Know? 95% of business leaders say their organization has become more flexible since 2023, and 82% plan to make it more flexible soon.
3. Remote-first model
The remote-first hybrid model flips the traditional office setup. Instead of the office being the default, remote work takes center stage, and in-person meetups are more of a special occasion.
Employees might come in for quarterly planning, team retreats, or big meetings, but day-to-day work happens from home (or anywhere with Wi-Fi).
✅ Key Benefits: Many tech companies have embraced this approach, recognizing that employees don’t need to be in a physical office to be productive. It also allows businesses to hire talent globally, removing location as a barrier to recruitment.
♦️ Potential Challenge: However, working remotely most of the time can lead to isolation. Without a conscious effort to build connections, employees can start to feel disconnected or isolated. That’s why successful remote-first companies go all in on virtual check-ins, remote team bonding, and solid communication tools to keep everyone aligned and engaged.
📌 Example: Zapier operates on a remote-first approach. Employees work remotely from anywhere, and the company provides tools and resources to ensure seamless communication and collaboration, no matter where people are located.
4. Week-by-week model
The week-by-week hybrid model strikes a balance between structure and flexibility. Employees spend one whole week in the office, followed by a week of remote work.
✅ Key Benefits: It’s a rhythm that allows for focused collaboration during office weeks while giving employees uninterrupted time to tackle deep work from home. Plus, it makes work planning easier—both for teams and office resource management.
Industries that require a consistent on-site presence, such as manufacturing, security, or healthcare, often adopt this model. It ensures that key staff are on-site when necessary while still allowing them to enjoy the perks of remote work.
♦️ Potential Challenge: Spontaneity takes a hit—if an urgent meeting or project comes up during a remote week, employees might have to adjust their schedules unexpectedly. And for those who prefer a mix of office and remote days instead of switching week by week, this setup might feel a little rigid.
📌 Example: InnoTech Software Solutions adopts a week-by-week model, where employees work in the office one week and remotely the next.
5. Full autonomy hybrid model
In this setup, employees have complete control over when and where they work—no fixed office days, no mandatory schedules. As long as the work gets done, everything else is up to them. Companies using this model focus on outcomes rather than hours logged, making it ideal for professionals who thrive on independence.
✅ Key Benefits: One of the biggest advantages is flexibility. Employees can structure their days around when they’re most productive, leading to higher job satisfaction and better performance. It also allows companies to hire from anywhere, since location is no longer a limitation.
♦️ Potential Challenge: However, this level of autonomy requires trust, accountability, and strong performance management systems. Without clear expectations and the right remote collaboration tools, teams can become disconnected.
📌 Example: Automattic (the company behind WordPress) offers full autonomy in their hybrid model. Employees can choose their preferred work location and schedule, as long as they meet their responsibilities.
6. Shift arrangement model
Some businesses need coverage around the clock or have limited office space. The shift arrangement model solves this, dividing employees into different shifts—either at different times of the day or alternating between remote and in-office work.
This model is common in customer service, IT support, and healthcare, where ensuring continuous operations is critical.
✅ Key Benefits: A major advantage is efficiency. It prevents overcrowding in offices and makes sure there’s always someone available to handle important tasks. Plus, it allows employees to work during the hours that suit them best while still meeting business needs.
♦️ Potential Challenge: Scheduling conflicts and handover issues. If shifts aren’t properly coordinated, work gets ignored.
To make this model work, companies need clear shift schedules, seamless communication tools, and well-documented processes to ensure smooth transitions.
📌 Example: Cisco adopts a shift-based hybrid work model where employees can choose shifts that suit their time zone or personal preference.
🧠 Fun Fact: According to a study, respondents working from home saved an average of 56 minutes that day from not commuting. This time was spent on rest, exercise, sports, and well-being.
7. Split-team model
This model splits employees into groups based on location or hybrid work schedules. One team might work in the office while another stays remote, or they could rotate. Many global companies use this approach to manage teams across different time zones while maintaining a local office presence.
✅ Key Benefits: You get flexibility without losing structure. Teams can collaborate in person when needed, while still keeping remote options open. It also helps companies reduce office space costs while allowing employees to work in the way that suits them best.
♦️ Potential Challenge: However, communication can be tricky. If remote and in-office employees aren’t given equal opportunities to contribute, collaboration can suffer. Companies that adopt this model successfully—especially in tech and finance—rely on video calls, asynchronous updates, and clear documentation to keep everyone aligned.
📌 Example: Microsoft has employed a split-team model during certain periods, ensuring that only a portion of their employees are in the office at a time.
💡 Pro Tip: A great way to build rapport in hybrid teams is to have hybrid lunch settings. Host informal meetings where team members, or even guest speakers like family, share insights on fun, non-work topics. It can be anything, from productivity hacks to travel stories!
8. Core hours model
Some teams need regular face-to-face interaction but don’t want to commit to rigid office schedules. The core hours model strikes a balance, requiring employees to be available during set hours, like 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., while allowing them to choose when they work outside of that window.
✅ Key Benefits: The best part is consistent collaboration. Meetings, brainstorming sessions, and real-time decision-making happen during core hours, making it easier to align teams. It’s especially popular in consulting, project management, and client-facing industries, where availability matters.
♦️ Potential Challenge: That said, it’s not ideal for everyone. Employees with unconventional schedules or those who prefer complete flexibility might find it restrictive.
To make this model work, companies need to set clear expectations on how core hours should be used—not just as a block for endless meetings but as a time for meaningful collaboration.
📌 Example: HubSpot allows employees to work remotely but requires them to be available for meetings and team collaboration during core hours of the day.
9. Employee-driven hybrid model
Some companies let employees decide their own hybrid schedules based on what works best for them. Rather than enforcing fixed office days, management gathers employee input and continuously refines the approach to fit evolving needs.
✅ Key Benefits: This model fosters trust, autonomy, and higher engagement. Employees feel empowered to choose what makes them most productive, leading to better job satisfaction.
♦️ Potential Challenge: Of course, too much freedom without structure can create inconsistencies. If expectations aren’t clear, teams may struggle with coordination. The key to success here is having regular check-ins, feedback loops, and clear communication guidelines to ensure work stays on track.
📌 Example: Zoom operates with an employee-driven hybrid model where employees can choose their work environment without being required to return to the office.
🔍 Did You Know? Improved staff well-being is one of the most frequently reported business reasons for using or intending to use increased hybrid and remote models.
10. Asynchronous work arrangement model
The asynchronous work model prioritizes flexibility—employees work on tasks independently, without needing to collaborate in real-time. Instead of constant meetings and instant responses, communication happens through digital tools like project management platforms, shared documents, and recorded updates.
✅ Key Benefits: This setup is a great way for global teams spread across different time zones, making it easier to work without interruptions and stay productive.
♦️ Potential Challenge: However, success in this model hinges on having clear communication protocols, well-documented processes, and the right tools to keep everyone aligned.
📌 Example: GitLab operates almost entirely asynchronously. Instead of relying on real-time meetings, they use detailed documentation, issue trackers, and communication tools.
11. Dynamic work schedule model
The dynamic work schedule model takes flexibility a step further, allowing employees to adjust their work hours based on project needs, workload, or personal commitments.
✅ Key Benefits: There’s no rigid schedule—work adapts to the individual and the demands of the business. This setup is great for improving work-life balance and responding to fast-changing priorities, but it requires strong coordination and smart scheduling tools to prevent misalignment.
♦️ Potential Challenge: Dynamic schedules can sometimes lead to perceptions of favoritism or unfair allocation of tasks if not managed carefully. Clear communication and transparent processes are essential to address these concerns.
For businesses looking to implement this model, investing in a scheduling software and fostering a results-driven culture is key to making it work effectively.
📌 Example: X has embraced flexible scheduling, allowing employees to structure their workdays while ensuring projects stay on track.
How to Implement a Hybrid Work Model Successfully
To make hybrid work successful, companies must rethink how they communicate, collaborate, and build culture across distributed teams.
The key is to be intentional with your approach.
is the everything app for work that combines project management, knowledge management, and chat—all powered by AI that helps you work faster and smarter. 🤩
Paired with the Remote Team Project Management Software, you’ll get the perfect solution to manage remote teams. Here’s how to implement a hybrid work model with ! 👀
Set clear policies and expectations
A hybrid work model works best when everyone knows what to expect. Define policies around office attendance, meeting norms, and communication channels.
Are there set office days, or is it up to employees?
Should meetings be remote-first or hybrid-friendly?
Having clear guidelines removes uncertainty and ensures fairness.
Docs
Docs helps teams create, manage, and share policies seamlessly in one place. Instead of outdated PDFs, build a dynamic knowledge hub with real-time collaboration.
Document everything from hybrid work guidelines and communication norms to performance expectations and meeting etiquette to ensure everyone, remote or in-office, stayed aligned.
Need to refine policies as your team evolves? No problem, just update your Doc with embedded tasks, checklists, and due dates directly into policies to track compliance and accountability. Want immediate feedback? Inline comments and @mentions let employees ask questions or suggest improvements right within the doc!
Brain
And the best part? It integrates with Brain! It acts as your team’s AI-powered knowledge assistant, instantly surfacing the right information when and where you need it. Instead of sifting through endless files, just ask Brain and it’ll pull up the latest remote work policy, team guidelines, action items, or project SOPs in seconds.
Beyond just organizing documents, Brain helps teams build and refine policies effortlessly. It can summarize complex guidelines, suggest improvements based on industry best practices, and even generate new policy drafts based on team inputs.
For instance, a new hire can just ask Brain, ‘What’s our remote work policy?’ and it’ll instantly pull up the latest guidelines from everywhere in your workspace, saving time.
🔍 Did You Know? 48% of hybrid and remote employees reported feeling more energized than they did a year prior.
Leverage the right tools for collaboration
To stay connected, hybrid teams rely on technology, so investing in the right tools is essential. Video conferencing platforms, project management software, and instant messaging help bridge the gap between remote and in-office employees.
Tasks
Hybrid work has its perks, but without a transparent system, tasks get ignored, priorities get lost, and before you know it, chaos takes over.
Tasks come in here. They’re the backbone of a well-oiled hybrid team, helping everyone stay aligned, accountable, and productive—whether they’re at home, in the office, or halfway across the world.
No more, ‘Wait, who’s handling this?’ Every Task comes with assignees, due dates, priorities, and statuses, so there’s no room for confusion. Need to break down a big project? Subtasks make it easy to assign smaller pieces to different team members while keeping everything connected.
Automations
Think of Automations as your personal assistant for all the little things that keep work moving. They follow a simple rule: When this happens, then do this. You set the trigger, takes care of the rest.
Let’s say your hybrid team has urgent client requests coming in, but you don’t want to track them down every time manually, so you automate it. Whenever a new task is marked ‘High Priority’, the platform automatically assigns it to the right team member, moves it to the top of the task list, and notifies the project lead.
⚙️ Bonus: Use the Remote Work Plan Template to create a comprehensive plan for your team members to transition to remote work, outline expectations and roles, and organize and track task progress.
Foster a strong hybrid work culture
Culture is about how people work together. Encourage inclusivity and ensure remote employees are as engaged as in-office employees. Hold virtual team-building activities, celebrate wins in company-wide meetings, and train managers on leading hybrid teams effectively.
Here are some engaging communication games to increase employee engagement! 🎲
- Show and tell, culture edition: Have team members share something unique about their background, culture, or hobbies. This can be a quick slideshow, a fun fact, or even a short cooking demo 🌎
- Virtual coffee roulette: Automatically pair up team members each week for a 15-minute virtual coffee chat. It’s a great way to encourage spontaneous conversations between colleagues who might not normally interact ☕
- Hybrid team games: Create fun challenges like daily step challenge, photo scavenger hunts, and wellness bingo to encourage engagement regardless of location! 🎯
Chat
Chat makes hybrid collaboration effortless, centralizing team conversations, project updates, and task management in one place. No more switching between multiple apps, every discussion stays connected to your work.
From a quick check-in to a long brainstorming session, Chat helps keep communication actionable, organized, and accessible for everyone.
Here’s how you can use Chat: 💭
- Keep teams engaged with instant messaging that integrates seamlessly with tasks, docs, and projects for context
- Connect HR, leadership, and employees in a unified space to maintain transparency
- Stay informed with smart notifications without getting overwhelmed
- Jump into quick video or audio calls for hybrid meetings with SyncUps
- Convert messages into Tasks with owners, due dates, and descriptions
- Flag key discussions, set reminders, and take care of task dependencies with FollowUps
📮 Insight: 60% of workers reply to instant messages within 10 minutes, yet each interruption steals up to 23 minutes of focus—leading to a productivity paradox. Meanwhile, 83% of knowledge workers rely on email and chat as their main communication tools, causing critical information to get lost in scattered, disconnected channels.
helps teams stay focused by reducing context switching and keeping communication, tasks, and knowledge in one place.
With a centralized workspace, teams can discuss work without losing important details in scattered emails and chats. Messages can turn into actionable items, ensuring nothing gets overlooked. This structured approach cuts down on interruptions, prevents information loss, and keeps productivity on track.
Whiteboards
In a hybrid setup, you don’t have the luxury of gathering around a whiteboard in a conference room. But you don’t need to! Whiteboards bring the same energy into a shared digital space where anyone can sketch, write, and build on each other’s ideas in real time.
💡 Pro Tip: Set up a shared Whiteboard where employees can shout out their teammates for great work, collaboration, or just being awesome! This boosts morale and includes everyone, even those in different time zones. You can turn it into a monthly tradition with a virtual ‘Wall of Fame.’
Continuously evaluate and improve
Hybrid work isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it model. Regularly gather employee feedback to see what’s working and what needs tweaking. Monitor productivity, engagement, and team satisfaction to adjust policies and tools as required.
Forms
Building a great hybrid work environment requires ongoing adjustments based on real employee feedback. Forms give you a simple, automated way to collect insights and turn them into action.
For instance, your company wants to check employees’ feelings about their hybrid schedule.
You can create a hybrid work schedule feedback form and once employees submit their responses, automatically organizes the data into tasks, letting you spot trends, address issues, and make real improvements—without sorting through endless sheets.
Overcoming Challenges in Hybrid Work Models
Hybrid work offers flexibility and efficiency, but it also brings challenges like miscommunication, scheduling conflicts, and culture gaps. Success lies in tackling these hurdles with smart strategies that keep teams connected, engaged, and productive.
Here’s how to make hybrid work seamless.📝
- Communication barriers: Virtual hybrid meetings can make it tough for some people to speak up, and time zone differences slow things down. The fix? Invest in better video conferencing and hybrid work software so teams can stay connected, no matter where they are
- Coordination struggles: When half the team is remote and the other half is in the office, keeping everyone on the same page isn’t easy. Using project management tools, setting clear expectations, and ensuring remote employees aren’t left out of key decisions can smooth things out
- Team disconnect: Remote work can feel isolating, and networking or mentorship opportunities can get missed—especially for underrepresented groups. Regular virtual check-ins, hybrid team-building activities, and structured mentorship programs help everyone feel included
- Creativity slump: Digital brainstorming sessions don’t always have the same spark as in-person ones. A little structure can help—schedule in-office collaboration days, use interactive brainstorming tools like Whiteboards, and create dedicated spaces for idea-sharing
- Fragmented culture: When some employees are remote and others are in the office, it’s easy for a divide to form. Leaders should focus on making everyone feel equally valued, reinforcing company culture across all work setups, and ensuring remote workers aren’t an afterthought
🔍 Did You Know? Professionals working hybrid have the highest engagement rates at 35%, followed by fully remote employees at 33% and in-office employees at 27%.
Work It Out Hybrid-ly with !
The hybrid work structure is here to stay, blending flexibility with collaboration.
The right model depends on your team’s needs and company goals, but success comes from clear expectations, transparent workflows, and open communication.
, the everything app for work, is the ultimate all-in-one platform to simplify hybrid work. It doesn’t matter where your team is—office, remote, or a mix of both—it aligns everyone using its powerful task management and real-time collaboration features.
What are you waiting for? Sign up to for free today! ✅
Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.
