As office space designers that have dealt with the many changes we have all experienced over the past five years, we are often asked about the experiences our clients have had pivoting to a hybrid work model and the effects on staff productivity.

In our experience, the various different industries have expressed mixed views but the trend appears to be that those who worked in highly competitive environments where performance is displayed to team members and competition encouraged, productivity declined somewhat. There appears however to be a difference between productivity in male and female employees in these environments which is discussed more fully below.

The other factor that appears to have been experienced is that management needed to adjust their management styles in order to get the best performance from the staff members under their guidance. Changes in management style have been necessary to bring the culture and performance in line with company outcomes expectations.

In-office work environment

Male employees

Productivity Advantages

Many men reported benefits from a more structured environment and face-to-face collaboration, especially in team-oriented roles like sales or operations.

Some studies suggest men are more likely to thrive in competitive, in-person environments where peer visibility is higher.

Challenge identified with in-office work

Staff became accustomed to working from home and longer commutes to the office can lead to fatigue and reduced work-life balance. Staff may face distractions from office socializing or interruptions.

Female employees

Productivity advantages

Women often excel in collaborative environments, particularly in roles requiring team-building and interpersonal skills.

Opportunities for mentorship and networking are more accessible in-office, which can help women progress in their careers.

Challenges for women

Women frequently take on a disproportionate share of household responsibilities. The rigidity of in-office schedules can exacerbate stress and reduce overall productivity.

Childcare logistics can interfere with focus and performance.

Hybrid Work Environment

Male Employees Productivity Advantages

Flexibility allows men to optimize their work hours, leading to higher energy and focus during peak productivity periods.

Hybrid models reduce commute-related fatigue, improving mental clarity.

Challenges experienced by male employees

Some men struggle with the autonomy of remote days, especially if their roles lack defined goals or metrics.

Fewer in-person interactions might hinder performance in collaboration-heavy roles.

Female employees productivity advantages

Flexibility in hybrid work often benefits women by allowing better integration of work and personal responsibilities, particularly in the case of women who have children and are the primary care giver.

Remote days can create a quieter, more focused environment free of office interruptions.

Challenge experienced by women

Women are more likely than men to feel “invisible” in hybrid settings, particularly if they spend more time working remotely. This can impact their perceived contributions and career progression.

Hybrid environments can blur the boundaries between work and personal life, leading to burnout.

Insights for consideration

Gender differences

Women tend to benefit more from hybrid work’s flexibility, given their higher likelihood of juggling household and childcare responsibilities.

Men often report higher productivity in structured, office-based settings due to social and professional dynamics.

Role-specific productivity

In collaborative roles like marketing, operations or project management Women may benefit from hybrid models for focus but thrive in the in-office setup for collaboration.

Independent, output-based roles like software development, administration and  analytical roles both men and women perform equally well in hybrid models due to fewer interruptions and greater autonomy.

Workplace culture considerations

Workplace culture significantly influences outcomes. A company promoting inclusive practices and equal recognition in hybrid settings sees fewer gender disparities.

Management style shift from monitoring to outcome-based management

The traditional approach by managers often measured productivity through visibility, observing employees in the office and tracking hours worked.

The hybrid model shifts the focus to outcomes and results, requiring managers to define clear objectives, key performance indicators (KPIs), and deliverables.

Management skills

Many managers were unfamiliar with outcomes-based management, particularly the older managers. The transition for management was perhaps more profound in that new skill sets needed to be developed and learned as well as trusting employees to perform.

In the early stages of at-home and hybrid working models trust was a hotly debated topic. Can employees be trusted to perform their tasks and deliver when unsupervised.

Some managers had to learn new skills to feel comfortable in the hybrid environment.

Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) goals.

Using tools to track progress without micromanaging (e.g., project management software).

Trusting employees to manage their time effectively, especially on remote days.

Communication skills

Traditionally, managers relied on informal, face-to-face communication, such as hallway conversations or quick desk visits.

In the hybrid model , managers had to adopt structured and deliberate communication across multiple channels (email, video calls, instant messaging) to ensure clarity and alignment.

Digital skills

Effective use of digital communication tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom and others.

Active listening and empathy, particularly in virtual meetings.

Balancing over-communication (to avoid micromanagement) and under-communication (to avoid isolation).

Increased emotional intelligence and empathy

Managers often focused on tasks and deadlines in the in-office model, with less emphasis on personal well-being.

In the hybrid model approach, managers needed to prioritize employee well-being and demonstrate empathy, as hybrid work blurred the lines between personal and professional life.

Management attitude shift

Recognizing individual challenges (e.g., childcare, mental health, or lack of a home office).

Providing support through flexible arrangements and wellness initiatives.

Active empathy during one-on-one check-ins.

Identifying signs of burnout or disengagement remotely.

Encouraging work-life balance by setting boundaries (e.g., discouraging after-hours emails).

Adaptability and change management

With the in-office approach, change was slower and less frequent in stable office-based setups.

In the hybrid model approach, managers had to navigate constant changes, such as fluctuating schedules, evolving team dynamics, and new technologies.

Attitude shift

Embracing flexibility and uncertainty as part of the new normal.

Maintaining resilience and optimism to inspire confidence in their teams.

Rapid learning of digital tools and platforms.

Problem-solving and decision-making in dynamic environments.

Leading teams through change with clear communication and transparency.

Fostering inclusion and fairness

Traditionally, employees had equal access to office facilities, resources, and visibility.

With the hybrid model approach, managers had to ensure that remote employees were not overlooked for promotions, projects, or recognition compared to their in-office counterparts.

Attitude shift

Recognizing the potential for unconscious bias favoring in-office employees.

Promoting equitable access to opportunities, resources, and information.

Skills required

Creating inclusive hybrid team policies.

Ensuring equal participation in meetings (e.g., involving remote employees in discussions).

Standardizing performance evaluations to focus on results rather than physical presence.

Digital and technology adoption

Old school managers were not always expected to be tech-savvy, as most work processes were in-person.

Hybrid workplace managers had to become proficient in digital tools to manage distributed teams effectively.

Skills required

Mastering collaboration tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, Google Workspace).

Facilitating engaging virtual meetings and workshops.

Using analytics to monitor team performance and engagement.

Building team culture remotely

Team culture was built through in-person events, daily interactions, and shared office experiences.

In hybrid models managers had to intentionally foster culture by creating opportunities for connection in virtual and physical spaces.

Shift in attitudes

Understanding that culture isn’t tied to a physical office but to shared values and experiences.

Encouraging both formal and informal virtual interactions (e.g., virtual coffee breaks or team-building exercises).

Designing hybrid-friendly team-building activities.

Recognizing and celebrating achievements remotely.

Encouraging collaboration between in-office and remote workers.

Hybrid work generally supports higher overall productivity for women due to flexibility, but there’s a risk of under-recognition and career stagnation if hybrid models are poorly managed.

In-office work can provide structured productivity boosts, particularly for men, but rigid schedules may hinder those with significant non-work responsibilities.

To maximize productivity, organizations should, Offer hybrid flexibility tailored to individual and role needs.

Provide equal visibility, feedback, and development opportunities, regardless of work mode.

Address unconscious biases that may undervalue remote contributors, especially women.

All of these things and many others have fundamentally changed the attitudes, skill sets required, technology required and management of workplace environments. With such significant change, comes workplace environment and technology changes to make your business effective and appealing to customers and employees alike.

All this said and done, when considering an office revamp or upgrade to best take advantage of the opportunities presented with hybrid workplace models, access to technology and the provision of equipment and services needs to be high on the priority list. More open plan spaces with smaller private spaces or pods for both formal and informal meetings where quiet is required. Furniture selection is vitally important in the transition from traditional to hybrid models and needs to be flexible.

Contact us for a more in depth discussion on how best to get the most from your existing office space or to discuss moving to new premises, what is involved and what it will cost.