How hybrid works best: Developing 4 key workplace personas

It was recently reported that in 2023, 50% of companies want workers back in the office five days a week. However, most of the workforce doesn’t want to return to the office full time. So, how do companies end this tug-of-war between the C-suite and its people? By listening to what workers want. And, with the latest data from Achievers Workforce Institute (AWI) finding that 85% of employees prefer hybrid or remote working options, it’s clear what modern workforces want: autonomy and flexibility in how they work.  Therefore, moving into the new year, business and HR leaders that are diligent in building out workplace models that are autonomous and flexible will witness stronger performance, stronger trust, and stronger loyalty from their workforce.

The birth of new workplace personas

Building a workplace that best supports each of your employee’s differences catalyzes increased productivity and engagement levels, trust and retention rates. The tricky part of being a leader is that every employee is distinctive and has different needs both personally and professionally.

However, tailoring a work environment to everyone is no easy task, but it is certainly not impossible. In fact, the Achievers HR team has made great progress in building an inclusive, engaging place for their people by establishing a persona-based flexible work model that is adapted to the ever-evolving, increasingly flexible world of work. Achievers’ four personas model is a simple system that empowers executives to better understand employees’ “typical working behavior,” while meeting the diverse needs of the differing workplace personas: in-office, hybrid, remote-by-choice and remote. When done right, an organization can encompass your entire company’s preferences, which helps facilitate trust, empowerment, and flexibility.

Defining the four personas

The number one reason employees identify leaving a job is to find better work flexibility. Employees expect employers to meet them where they are; however, there is no one-size-fits-all answer and too much flexibility can actually hinder employee experience. The four personas model offers the flexibility employees want, while still providing the structure needed to empower purposeful workplace policies.

The four personas identify the typical behavior pattern of employees:

1. In-Office: Local employee that spends most days in the office
2. Hybrid: Local employee that works in the office for two plus days a week, with the flexibility to work remotely the rest of the week
3. Remote by Choice: Local employee that spends most days at home but will come to the office for organizational and team events
4. Remote: Long distance employee that is 100% remote and rarely or never comes to the office for team events

Related: How going hybrid will help recruit and retain employees

Why the personas are so impactful is they support habits around office usage (or lack thereof) and can combat inconsistencies and unclear expectations around coming into the office. These inconsistencies can make every day unpredictable and difficult to plan for office cultural efforts such as getting lunch for a team, meetings, or any other activity. Knowing who is onsite and who is remote is essential to every element of the employee experience — from office design to perks and benefits, to onboarding processes and employee friendships.

Although the personas are designed to describe typical working behavior, every department is distinct, and roles may require various behaviors at different times. For example, an HR team needs to be onsite for onboarding but may choose hybrid or remote for other typical working days. Not all situations are created equal, but these personas highlight what is common and not common between the return to office experiences. In-office workers get office space, breakfast, access to all the people that are around them. And remote workers get ultimate freedom and flexibility. This persona-based model can adapt to any company’s working habits and your workforces’ critical yet varied needs.

Key considerations for the four personas

Establishing specific workplace personas allows employees to play a key role in re-envisioning the future of work. Yet, to transition to this model seamlessly, keep three things in mind:

1. Set expectations in the recruitment process: Don’t hire with remote expectations and then change the story on your people. If executives are truly considering some form of office culture, then discuss that early in the hiring process and share expectations with all employee prospects. You’re going to be happier with your new hire’s commitment, and they will be happier joining in on an experience that meets their workspace needs.
2. Allow employees to “persona jump” within reason: These personas aren’t stagnant. Just because employees put themselves as a certain persona now, doesn’t mean their personal circumstances might change. Managers should sit down with your direct reports and ask how their workplace hybrid model for them, and how the company can further empower them in their role. While the conversations about experiences should be frequent, the switching isn’t an everyday thing. This is in part because the power of the persona is building habit and consistency.
3. Prioritize workplace belonging: Employee belonging is a huge driver of business performance and putting belonging in action can completely revamp a company culture, as employees with a strong sense of belonging are more than twice as likely to be resilient and almost three times as likely to say they’re highly productive at work. AWI defines its proprietary Belonging Model with 5 key pillars – making employees feel welcomed, known, included, supported, and connected. However, office workers sometimes have a leg up on belonging because it’s easier to connect, collaborate, listen, and build friendships in your office.

Luckily, employers can help bridge the social gap between in-office and remote work with powerful HR tools and resources. Examples? Establishing and maintaining community groups and employee resource groups (ERGs) and using technology solutions that create opportunities for employees to connect across job levels, provide meaningful feedback, and give recognition, regardless of geographic location.

Priming your company culture for the future of work

Company culture is closely related to employee trust and trust is essential for a strong team in the future of work. Adopting a persona-based work model that empowers flexibility and autonomy in your workforce not only helps establish trust, but it can also increase employee retention rate and overall business performance. Nonetheless, organizations cannot simply ask your people to self-select a persona and remain rigid in this workplace strategy going forward. HR and business leaders set specific expectations from the first interview, consistently evaluate where your new system can improve, lean on managers to gather feedback from their direct reports and remain diligent in empowering workplace belonging across all personas.

Hannah Yardley is Chief People and Culture Office at Achievers.