Promoting equity becomes a key focus as hybrid arrangements dominate

Hybrid arrangements have become the dominant work model for knowledge workers worldwide, according to the latest Future Forum Pulse survey.

Nearly six in 10 respondents globally said they are hybrid workers, up from 46% last May. More than two-thirds now say their preferred work environment is hybrid, underscoring the urgent need for leaders to determine how they can embrace flexibility while ensuring an equitable experience for all members of their workforce.

“It’s past time to move beyond the ‘remote vs. office’ debate,” said Brian Elliott, executive leader of the Future Forum. “The future of work isn’t either/or — it’s both. A hybrid model can foster a more flexible and inclusive workplace but only if leaders are intentional about establishing guardrails to ensure all employees have equal access to opportunity and can participate on a level playing field.”

The desire for flexibility is particularly strong among those who historically have been underrepresented in knowledge work, including people of color, women and working mothers, according to the survey report:

• In the United States, 86% of Hispanic/Latinx knowledge workers and 81% of Asian/Asian American and Black knowledge workers would prefer a hybrid or remote work arrangement, compared with 75% of white knowledge workers.
• Globally, 52% of women want to have work location flexibility at least three days a week, compared with 46% of men.
• Half of working mothers want to work remotely most or all of the time, compared with 43% of working fathers.
• The number one concern among executives with respect to flexible work is the potential for inequities to develop between remote and in-office employees.

“Executives are now acknowledging that there has been a shift in the past two years, and they don’t know how to create equity in this new normal,” said Ella F. Washington, an organizational psychologist and professor at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. “This is an opportunity for organizations to reevaluate, refresh or maybe even start over with some of their management processes, from performance evaluation to diversity and inclusion. No one wants to hear that, but it’s not effective for us to shift over old models to this new way of working. A blank slate can be a real opportunity.”

To combat proximity bias and ensure equity between remote and in-office employees, leaders need to intentionally align on principles and guardrails for how hybrid work in their organizations.

“Principles ground an approach in core company values, like inclusivity or equality, while guardrails guide behavior to maintain a level playing field for all employees,” the report concluded. “With this framework in place, leaders can turn to the important work of deepening their investment in diversity and inclusion, such as reskilling managers as empathetic coaches instead of gatekeepers, building trust through transparent communication and measuring outcomes instead of inputs. Leaders should also evaluate how they can redesign offices to enhance belonging and social connection when employees gather in person.”