Structured Hybrid Working Is The Future, According To Fortune 500 Companies

Nearly four years on from the start of the pandemic and the great debate surrounding remote work still rumbles on.

In one corner, employers are insisting employees return to the office for either all or the majority of the week–according to McKinsey’s most recent American Opportunity Survey, 58% of US workers spend four days per week in the office. 

In the opposite corner, staff are requesting that remote working options remain: as many as 87% of US workers say they would prefer to work fully remotely if given the chance. 

Since the pandemic restrictions lifted, many organizations have attempted to get around this quandary by implementing a hybrid working structure, whereby employees are permitted to work from home for some of the working week and spend the rest of their days in-office. 

And structured hybrid—whereby all staff are present in-office on set days of the week—is proving to be the most popular solution for Fortune 500 companies, with 77% of companies with 50,000 to 100,000 employees opting for a structured hybrid model. 

Interestingly, smaller companies with less than 50,000 employees are more likely to be flexible on in-office days. 

Why structured hybrid makes sense

You’re probably already aware of the benefits remote work affords. The results can be seen on both a data-driven and anecdotal basis: increased wellbeing, greater work-life balance, and the ability to effectively manage household responsibilities such as childcare or caring for a relative. 

But from a professional standpoint, structured hybrid allows employees to gain the most from their days in-office. 

For starters, presenteeism is reduced and proximity bias, whereby those who come into the office more frequently are therefore looked upon more favorably by managers, is also removed as a stumbling block for those who favor working from home. 

The importance of 'face time'

Structured hybrid also facilitates different types of working—deep focus work can be reserved for days spent working at home, for example Mondays and Fridays, while in-office days can be used for face-to-face meetings, more collaborative group work or inter-department projects that require input from different teams. 

This is particularly important for younger workers who are at the start of their careers and need mentorship, guidance and the opportunity to learn from those who are more experienced.

Data from Unispace highlights that Gen Z are more eager to be back in the office and found that 79% of those aged 18-34 expect to be back in the office four days per week compared to 65% of those aged between 25 and 44.

Looking for a job that follows a hybrid working structure? The BusinessBecause Job Board is the ideal place to focus your search, featuring thousands of roles in companies that are actively hiring, including the three below. 

MBA Internship - Investment Management, Vanguard, Malvern

Vanguard’s MBA Internship Program—Investment Management Track is an opportunity to use your real passion for investments to directly impact the financial future of investors. 

During your internship you will engage in a high-impact strategic assignment in one of Vanguard’s key business areas, helping to meet the financial needs of investors while also receiving rigorous coaching and mentorship from an MBA program manager and a senior department management to help prepare you for a leadership role. 

Applicants should have an undergraduate degree and currently be enrolled in an MBA programme. If this sounds like the kind of opportunity you are looking for, here’s where you can apply. 

JBP - MBA Leadership Development Program, JB Poindexter Company, Sturgis

JB Poindexter & Co (JBPCO) is a privately held diversified manufacturing company forecasting $2.5B in annual revenue and housing 8,000-plus team members in 2023. Its MBA Leadership Development Program is designed to identify future leaders for JB Poindexter & Co and to offer an accelerated path to Senior Manager, Director, and Vice President level roles, in operations or supply chain. 

As part of the program, you will have direct access to senior leaders across multiple companies and the corporate office and participate in a two-year rotation program where you will spend six months in an operations or supply chain position with the intent of being able to learn about the operations and the broader business unit. Interested? See the full job description here. 

Internal Audit Intern, InterBank, Oklahoma City

Are you currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or other related fields? InterBank is seeking an Internal Audit Intern to assist in performing, documenting, and communicating the results of internal audits and other projects. 

As such, you will perform and document fieldwork for internal audit and other control testing, analyze results of testing and investigate exceptions through discussions with appropriate personnel, identify internal control deficiencies, accounting errors, or compliance violations and the related root cause and assist in the preparation of written audit reports and communicate findings and recommendations to management and the audit committee. Find out more here. 

Accelerate your career today via the BusinessBecause Job Board

This article was written by Aoibhinn Mc Bride