The next step

Hybrid working

[Policy]

On whether you can force hybrid workers back to the office

[Previous article]

Should you be concerned about “hushed hybrid”?

How widespread is hushed hybrid?

Many employers whose office-based staff worked from home during the pandemic have now put in place agreed hybrid working arrangements under which employees must typically work in the office for 40-60% of the working week (see The next step ). We discussed whether you can force hybrid workers back to the office in yr.25, iss.13, pg.2 (see The next step ). However, large numbers of employees are working from home on days when they should be in the office and line managers are secretly permitting it. This has been coined “hushed hybrid” . According to a March 2024 survey by workplace technology provider Owl Labs, 70% of UK line managers admit they’ve allowed staff to work from home despite there being an official return to the office policy in place.

Problems with hushed hybrid

Whilst some employees would argue that hushed hybrid boosts team morale as it provides more flexibility on homeworking, problems with it include that it can: (1) create a divide between those who abide by their hybrid working arrangements and those who don’t, fostering resentment; (2)  cause employees to lose trust in their managers if they feel remote working is being quietly allowed contrary to official policy; (3) lead to misunderstandings about what official policy is; (4) result in allegations of unfairness, favouritism, inconsistency of treatment and discrimination; and (5) result in employees believing it’s acceptable to disregard other company policies.

Preventing hushed hybrid

Start by investigating with managers their reasons for allowing hushed hybrid to see if there’s anything you specifically need to address. Encourage them to be entirely honest by saying that no action will be taken against them or their team in relation to what may have taken place to date. In some cases, such as where an employee has a disability, hushed hybrid may be a reasonable adjustment.

Tip. Ask managers to inform you if an employee’s needs aren’t currently being met by your hybrid working policy. Then, if necessary, take appropriate action to accommodate that employee in line with your legal obligations.

Tip. If an employee occasionally needs to work from home to deal with an urgent domestic matter, advise managers that they should agree with them to swap their remote days in that week, rather than granting them an additional remote day.

Tip. Managers should then be told that they must toe the company line from now on and consistently enforce your hybrid working policy. Send an email to staff clearly emphasising what your hybrid working policy requires in terms of their office attendance. Separately warn managers in writing that they must take responsibility for enforcing the policy within their respective teams.

Tip. Warn both that disciplinary action may be taken against them in the event of an unjustifiable future breach of your policy. Also state that breach could result in termination of an employee’s hybrid working arrangement (assuming it’s non-contractual and you have the right to terminate it).

For a hybrid working policy and our previous article on whether you can force hybrid workers back to the office, visit https://www.tips-and-advice.co.uk , Download Zone, year 26, issue 16.