82% of business leaders told Gartner that the hybrid work model is here to stay, which indicates that even if the RTO mandates bring employees back to offices, it likely won't be five days a week.

This trend, and the fact that employees no longer do their work just by sitting at their desks all day, means workplace leaders need to invest in creating hybrid offices that work. 

This guide will show you how.

What is a hybrid office?

A hybrid office blends in-person and remote work, offering team members flexibility in where they work while maintaining access to physical office space. It’s not just about giving employees freedom. It’s about designing a purposeful workspace that enhances employee engagement and aligns with business objectives.

Key characteristics of a hybrid office:

• Flexible work policies: Team members split their working arrangements between home, coworking spaces, and the office on specific days.
• Dynamic office design: Workspaces are optimized for in-person collaboration rather than assigned seating.
• On-demand workspaces: Hybrid teams can book meeting rooms, desks, or shared spaces based on need.
• Technology-enabled collaboration: Seamless integration of workplace technology ensures remote and in-office employees remain connected.

Why companies are investing in hybrid offices

Companies aren’t just embracing hybrid offices to follow trends. They’re making strategic moves to future-proof their workplaces. 

With employee expectations shifting toward flexibility, organizations that invest in hybrid strategies attract and retain top talent while reducing overhead costs and creating adaptable work environments that support long-term business sustainability.

A well-executed hybrid office reduces real estate waste, minimizes energy consumption, and optimizes space usage. A

t the same time, offering hybrid flexibility fosters higher employee satisfaction and engagement, reducing costly turnover.

Here’s why companies are prioritizing hybrid offices:

Attracting and retaining talent

The competition for top talent has never been fiercer, and today’s workforce isn’t just looking for a paycheck - they’re looking for flexibility, autonomy, and trust. A 2024 Gallup report found that 74% of employees consider hybrid work a non-negotiable benefit.

If your company still expects employees to be in the office five days a week without a compelling reason, you’re already losing the race in the top talent pool. 

The impact of ignoring hybrid work? Lower engagement, higher turnover, and difficulty filling key roles. Employees today expect flexibility, and when organizations fail to provide it, they risk losing their best people to competitors who do. 

Optimizing office space usage

Right now, businesses are wasting thousands on outdated real estate strategies. Desks sit empty, meeting rooms go unused, and office buildings designed for pre-pandemic workdays no longer align with how teams use them.

A study by McKinsey found that companies can reduce real estate costs by up to 30% with hybrid models. That’s money poured into underused office space when it could be reinvested into growth, employee benefits, or innovative workspace solutions.

Forward-thinking companies are adopting on-demand workspaces, coworking solutions, and dynamic layouts to ensure every square foot adds value to the employee experience.

If your office space isn’t designed for how employees work today, you’ll waste resources and make in-office work less appealing.

Enhancing productivity and well-being

Forcing employees into an office drains productivity. A 2024 Owl Labs study found that hybrid employees report 22% higher productivity than their fully in-office counterparts. 

This isn’t surprising. Employees who control their environment are more focused, engaged, and less stressed.

Hybrid work is about flexibility, maximizing performance, and protecting employee well-being. When team members can work from a space that fits their tasks—whether that’s a quiet home office or an in-person collaborative space—they bring their best selves to work.

The alternative? An outdated, one-size-fits-all office environment that leads to burnout, disengagement, and lower-quality work.

Challenges of running a hybrid office

Companies must proactively address potential roadblocks, from maintaining structure to ensuring employees have access to the right spaces and technology. 

Fortunately, with the right strategies, these challenges can be turned into opportunities for a more seamless and productive hybrid work environment. 

Workplace policies employees will get behind

Challenge: Without a well-defined hybrid work policy, employees may feel uncertain about expectations, leading to inconsistent attendance and communication breakdowns. A vague policy can create friction between leadership and employees, causing frustration rather than engagement.

Solution: Establish clear, structured guidelines outlining in-office expectations, team collaboration days, and workspace booking procedures. Involve employees in shaping policies to ensure alignment with their needs. Regularly review and adapt the policy based on feedback and workplace analytics to maintain effectiveness.

Give the office purpose and meaning

Challenge: If employees feel they can work just as effectively from home, they will see no value in commuting to the office. Empty desks and low attendance can create a lackluster atmosphere, reinforcing the idea that the office is unnecessary. Without intentional design and structure, employees may feel disengaged from in-office experiences.

Solution: Redefine the office as a hub for collaboration, innovation, and social interaction rather than just a place to sit at a desk. Create engaging work environments with dedicated areas for brainstorming, teamwork, and deep-focus work to support different working styles.

Redesign spaces to fit different needs

Challenge: Traditional office layouts no longer serve the diverse needs of hybrid teams. While some employees thrive in open, collaborative areas, others need quiet zones for deep work. An office designed only for one type of work environment will limit productivity and discourage employees from coming in.

Solution: Offer a variety of workspaces, including hot desks, private booths, and team huddle areas, to accommodate different work styles. Flexible furniture, soundproofing solutions, and reservable spaces ensure employees can find the right environment when they need it.

Manage office space effectively

Challenge: With fluctuating attendance, office spaces can become either overcrowded or severely underused. Without insight into how and when spaces are used, businesses risk unnecessary real estate costs.

Solution: Implement a workspace management platform, like Gable, to track usage patterns and optimize office layouts. Allow employees to book desks and meeting rooms in advance to prevent overcrowding. Adjust meeting room availability and shared spaces based on real-time data to create a seamless office experience.

Provide the right workplace technology

Challenge: Hybrid teams rely on technology to bridge the gap between remote and in-office collaboration, but outdated or fragmented tools create barriers. Team members may struggle with unreliable video conferencing, lack of access to shared documents, or difficulty reserving workspaces.

Solution: Invest in hybrid-friendly workplace technology that supports smooth transitions between remote and in-office work. This includes AI-powered video conferencing, digital whiteboards, workspace booking tools like Gable, and cloud-based project management platforms.

Visibility into on-site schedules

Challenge: Without insight into who will be in the office and when teams miss collaboration opportunities. Employees may commute in expecting to work with their colleagues, only to find themselves in an empty office.

Solution: Provide a transparent scheduling system where employees can indicate their planned office days and coordinate with their teams. Use workplace analytics to identify peak in-office days and recommend the best times.

How to design a high-performance hybrid office

1. Rethink office space allocation

The traditional office layout, like dedicated desks, large conference rooms, and unused common areas, no longer fits the way employees work today. 

Instead of maintaining oversized buildings, companies are optimizing office space and reallocating their budgets to on-demand, flexible workspaces. This shift enables organizations to provide employees with professional, well-equipped offices only when they need them, rather than paying for unused space year-round.

Checkr, a leading background check platform, faced challenges optimizing office space for its hybrid workforce. By leveraging Gable’s flexible workspace solutions, Checkr reduced workplace costs by 51% while ensuring employees had access to high-quality, on-demand workspaces. This shift allowed the company to scale its office space based on real-time demand, eliminating unnecessary overhead while improving the employee experience.

How to implement this:

• Audit your current office usage - are desks and meeting rooms frequently occupied?
• Consider workspace platforms like Gable, which provide on-demand access to 12,000+ vetted coworking spaces worldwide, ensuring employees always have a place to work without locking into expensive leases.

Convert underused office space into collaboration hubs, hot-desking zones, or quiet work areas to align with employees’ needs.

2. Implement a purposeful workplace policy

Successful hybrid work schedules don’t mean letting employees work from anywhere, anytime, without structure. You must create a clear, intentional framework that ensures flexibility while maintaining alignment.

Without defined hybrid work policies, the workspace can quickly become chaotic, leading to confusion about when employees should be in the office and how teams should collaborate.

What does a great hybrid work policy include?

1. In-office expectations – Outline when team members are expected to be on-site. Some companies require employees to be in the office for all-hands meetings or specific collaboration days. You may require office time for a set number of days or based on project deadlines.
2. Meeting guidelines – Define when meetings should be in-person vs. virtual. For example, brainstorming sessions may be best conducted in the office, while status updates can remain remote.
3. Workspace booking system – Provide an easy way for employees to book desks and meeting rooms ahead of time, ensuring they always have a space when coming in. Gable’s workspace booking platform lets employees reserve desks and collaboration spaces in advance, ensuring they always have a spot when they come in. This flexibility makes the office experience more intentional, productive, and hassle-free.

3. Leverage workspace analytics

Data-driven decision-making is essential for optimizing office space, employee attendance patterns, and workplace efficiency. If a company isn’t tracking how its office is used, it’s likely wasting valuable resources on underused areas while failing to support office workers’ evolving work preferences.

What should companies measure?

• Space usage – Which office areas are frequently used, and which remain empty?
• Peak office days – When do hybrid workers naturally choose to come into the office?
• Meeting room demand – Are team members struggling to book collaboration spaces due to limited availability?

Ironclad used Gable’s workplace analytics to make data-driven decisions about their hybrid strategy. By tracking workspace usage, they optimized their office layout, ensuring employees had access to the right spaces at the right times. This improved collaboration and efficiency, creating a seamless hybrid work experience.

4. Prioritize collaboration and culture

One of the biggest concerns about hybrid work is maintaining a strong company culture. If your hybrid workforce feels disconnected from their teams or lacks opportunities for meaningful engagement, productivity will suffer. A hybrid office needs to actively support interaction, teamwork, and relationship-building - not just provide a place to work.

How to build a culture-driven hybrid office:

• Team collaboration hubs – Designate office spaces specifically for brainstorming sessions, project work, and team check-ins.
• Social zones – Create lounge areas, casual meeting spots, or coffee bars where employees can build relationships organically.
• Hybrid meeting tech – Invest in AI-powered video conferencing and noise-canceling microphones so remote employees feel just as included in meetings as those on-site.

5. Provide team members with the right tools

A hybrid office thrives when employees have access to the right workplace technology. Without the right digital tools, collaboration can become fragmented, and productivity can decline.

What hybrid work software is essential?

• Workspace scheduling software – Platforms like Gable allow employees to easily book desks and meeting rooms in advance.
• Hybrid meeting solutions – High-quality video conferencing, AI-powered cameras, and smart microphones ensure seamless virtual collaboration.
• Project management tools – Cloud-based platforms like Asana, Trello, or Microsoft Office keep hybrid teams aligned on tasks and deadlines.

Docker embraced Gable to streamline workspace access for its hybrid workforce, allowing employees to book coworking spaces when needed. This shift improved employee satisfaction and reduced the hassle of office management, ensuring teams had the right environment to work productively, no matter where they were. By providing employees with seamless workspace solutions, Docker enhanced collaboration while maintaining cost efficiency.

The future of hybrid offices in 2025 and beyond

Hybrid offices are the future of work, and companies that adapt to flexible work environments will attract top talent and foster a culture of innovation.

With tools like Gable, businesses can offer employees workspace freedom without sacrificing structure, collaboration, or efficiency.