How to Win in the New Normal of Hybrid Work
The Moment We Can’t Afford to Waste
The pandemic changed everything about how and where we work. Two years of disruption gave us lessons we can’t afford to ignore.
For leaders, this is not a “return to normal.” It’s a rare opportunity to design a better version of work, one that honors what people have been through, acknowledges how they’ve adapted, and creates conditions for lasting engagement and innovation.
The question is not whether to bring people back to the office. It’s why and how.
When Leaders Miss the Mark
Some organizations stumbled early by sending “return to office” messages that ignored what employees had just endured.
Apple employees called leadership’s first email “dismissive.” JP Morgan’s Jamie Dimon declared, “We want people back to work… and everyone is going to be happy with it.”
But people had been working — longer hours, under harder conditions, with blurred boundaries and higher stress.
Microsoft’s research confirmed the reality: flexible work is here to stay, and digital exhaustion is real. Productivity rose for many companies, but so did burnout. According to Bain & Co., inspired employees are twice as productive as satisfied ones. The difference? Feeling listened to, acknowledged, and trusted.
What Employees Told Us
Through our workshops across 30 global cities, employees shared their realities of remote work:
Top Pain Points
Unclear boundaries between work and home
Longer hours and over-supervision
Difficulty concentrating and unreliable tools
Uncertainty about the future
Fear that leaders would “go back to normal” as if nothing had happened
Moments That Mattered
Feeling genuine care from leaders
Staying socially connected
Accessible leadership and honest communication
Flexibility and empathy
Leaders asking, “How are you really doing?”
Hope for Permanent Changes
More flexibility and less commuting
Speed and agility
Greater empathy and trust
Freedom to choose how and where to work
What people valued most was acknowledgment. They wanted recognition for what they endured — and inclusion in shaping what comes next.
What We Learned from Mapping Remote Work
In our global workshops, we asked leaders to map a typical “day in the life” of working from home. The picture was clear:
Days started early and ended late. Parents juggled schoolwork and caregiving while leading meetings. People exercised in brief windows, took calls while cooking, and often ate lunch “over the kitchen sink.”
Despite the chaos, they kept organizations running. That deserves more than a thank-you email, it calls for designing the future of work with empathy.
How to Design for the New Normal
Here’s how leaders can build a more human, high-performing workplace now:
Start by listening deeply.
Use Human-centered Design methods to ask people about their lived experiences, not just their preferences. Conduct focus groups, capture stories, and create journey maps of how work actually happens.
Acknowledge what people have gone through.
Recognize the sacrifices, challenges, and creativity that kept your organization afloat. Honor the “Moments that Mattered.”
Ask about motivation, not just preference.
Instead of asking where people want to work, ask why. “I go into the office when ___, so that I can ___.” Understanding outcomes reveals what really drives performance.
Segment by Persona.
Identify different types of workers (office, remote, hybrid) and design experiences tailored to how each group collaborates, communicates, and finds meaning in work.
Experiment and co-create.
Combine the best of digital and physical. Test new ways of working with your teams. Be intentional about why you bring people together in person, for innovation, connection, or learning, not just to monitor activity.
The Culture You Create Now Will Define You Later
Talent markets have shifted permanently. Flexibility is no longer a perk. It’s a baseline expectation. Nearly 40% of employees say they’ll quit if their company removes it.
This is a pivotal moment. Leaders who blend empathy with experimentation will build cultures that attract and keep great talent. Those who ignore what’s changed will lose them.
Work is no longer about where people show up, but how they show up and how they feel when they do.