Pros and cons of hybrid work

When the pandemic pushed teams out of the office, some loved the freedom of remote life. Others missed the energy of face-to-face moments. For many small, modern teams, hybrid work became the sweet spot. But what is hybrid work, exactly? 

The hybrid model gives people the freedom to split their time between home and the office, balancing structure with flexibility in a way that works best for their productivity and lifestyle. It’s a flexible way to work without losing the heartbeat of the team. Let’s talk about why so many people love it—and the challenges it brings without the right preparation.

The pros of hybrid work

Hybrid work took off for a reason. It solves a lot of problems for small teams, like office space constraints and workplace distractions. With the right setup, the benefits of hybrid work can help your team get more done, stay connected, retain happy employees, and build a setup that works for everyone.

More flexiblity, more loyalty

Hybrid work makes it easier to blend work and home life without one steamrolling the other. You can book a dentist appointment without burning half a day of PTO or start a load of laundry on your lunch break rather than after a long commute home.

And more importantly, for the good of your company, flexibility keeps people around. Research from Stanford University shows that teams with hybrid schedules see 33% fewer resignations than full-time in-office teams. When employees feel trusted and empowered to manage their schedules, they’re more likely to stay long-term.

Home days boost focus

A recent survey found that 74% of hybrid workers feel more productive at home, where they can control the little things and have fewer interruptions to keep them in the zone.  

Working from home is quieter, more comfortable, and more customized. There are no spontaneous desk drop-ins, and employees control the thermostat, lighting, and whether the dog makes a cameo, which makes room for deep work. This productivity boost can translate to better work quality and job satisfaction.

Tip for optimizing your team’s at-home days: Encourage deep work blocks during home days and use Marco Polo to give updates or feedback without pulling someone out of focus mode.

Cost savings

A 2024 report found that workers spend $61 for each trip into the office, up 20% from the previous year. Remote days mean fewer dry cleaning bills, coffee shop lunches, and gas tank refills. Without in-person work expenses, employees can save more of their paycheck for things they want to spend it on.

For team leads, this also means you don’t need a desk for every single person. A smaller office or coworking setup can free up room in your budget for better tools, snacks, team offsites, stipends, or other little things that make work more enjoyable.

Access to a larger talent pool

Hybrid teams aren’t limited by ZIP codes. A 2025 report found that nearly 48% of job seekers are looking for hybrid roles. Small teams can punch above their weight in the hiring game by offering flexibility and saving on relocation costs. You can find the best person for your team, even if they’re a time zone away. 

The bigger picture: Environmental benefits

The environmental hybrid work advantages can’t be overstated. Commuting less means fewer cars on the road, which is good news for the planet. Even hybrid workers who commute two to four days a week can shrink carbon emissions by 11 to 29%. 

Plus, less office use means lower energy consumption. Small businesses can meet sustainability goals without making expensive energy-efficient building upgrades.

The cons of hybrid work

While hybrid work is great in lots of ways, it isn’t a cure-all. Without thoughtful solutions in place, it can create problems for small teams trying to stay in sync while spread across time zones or work schedules. Thankfully, hybrid work challenges are solvable with the right habits, tools, and leadership.

Communication and collaboration hurdles

When everyone’s in the office on different days, it’s easy for updates to get lost in translation or never shared at all. That quick question you’d usually ask in passing now needs a Slack thread or a scheduled call. Without clear and intentional hybrid communication habits, things can slow down fast, especially if you’re toggling between tools. 

Your hybrid team should know the best channels for every type of communication, and these should be shared publicly as your communication norms. For example:

• Live video calls: Use for team brainstorms, problem-solving sessions, nuanced conversations, and standups

• Async video messaging tools: For brainstorms, one-to-one standups, team bonding, and more, but without the need to schedule

• Text chat apps: Great for quick check-ins, simple asks, or sharing links

• Shared docs: Ideal for complex, collaborative work that evolves over time; assign a “decision document” owner per project to keep everyone aligned, regardless of work location

Make sure the channel fits the message to keep work moving fast and efficiently. Remote statistics show that clear communication protocols massively improve team satisfaction. 

Impact on company culture

Culture is built in the little moments like the coffee runs and the quick laughs between tasks. But when your team doesn’t work in the same space every day, those shared touchpoints need to be created.

New hires can feel especially out of the loop without a way to absorb the team vibe organically. Without intention, the culture can start to fade or become exclusive to the people who happen to be in the office most often.

How to fix it:

• Create rituals like weekly check-in videos, shoutout channels, or asynchronous “coffee chats.”

• Use Marco Polo to send welcome messages to new hires or celebrate wins without meetings.

Work-life balance issues

When your kitchen table becomes your desk, it’s easy to let the workday spill into dinner. For small teams, this can quietly lead to burnout if left unchecked. When being “always on” becomes the norm, it quickly shifts from a choice to an expectation. 

Setting and respecting clearly defined boundaries (and respecting them) needs to be part of the team culture. 

What you can do:

• Define your team’s core hours when everyone should be available, whether they’re at home or in the office, and create simple, clear policies around them—such as no Slack messages outside of business hours.

• Normalize unplugging after hours. Avoid praising people publicly for answering comms on vacation or handling work outside office hours. 

When teams have permission to disconnect, they’re more present, energized, and likely to stick around.

Tech troubles

When everyone’s working from different setups, tech issues come with the territory.  Some people are calling in from a quiet office, while others are juggling Wi-Fi dead zones and kitchen-table chaos. A dropped video call or a glitchy mic can derail progress in seconds, so you need to equip your hybrid team with tools that work across environments.

How to fix it:

• Standardize baseline tech (external mics, strong routers, etc.).

• Choose simple, stable tools with minimal IT lift.

• Offer quick guides or Loom walkthroughs so nobody’s stuck Googling how to join a call.

• Give your team access to Marco Polo, which works across devices, doesn’t crash with bad Wi-Fi, or require complicated training and setup.

Managerial challenges

If you’re new to hybrid work management, there’s a different rhythm for remote than traditional office leadership. You can’t scan the room for energy levels or drop by someone’s desk to catch a blocker mid-brew. 

Here are some examples of how to lead well when you’re not in the same room:

• Kick off each day or week with a short Marco Polo outlining top goals. This gives everyone the same starting line—even if they’re watching from different time zones. And because it’s a video, they can go back and watch it for a midweek refresher. 

• Use async video to check in personally with team members by asking questions like, “What’s energizing you right now?” or “Is anything making your job harder than it needs to be?”

• Lead with trust, not time tracking. Focus on results instead of online status. What’s moving forward matters more than who’s logged in.

• Document and share decisions. Recap key updates in writing or async video so everyone stays informed, regardless of where they work.

Best practices for implementing a hybrid work model

Hybrid work is more than just remote work with an office option. It takes thought, planning, and a little experimentation to find what works for your team. These simple practices can help small teams stay connected, productive, and clear, no matter where people are working.

Invest in the right hybrid work technology

Only 47% of employers and 42% of employees feel that their office spaces are well-equipped for hybrid work.

Hybrid workers need clear audio, good lighting, strong network connections, and camera angles that let remote teammates see and hear what’s happening. A problematic mic or echoey room shouldn’t be the reason someone misses out on team collaboration. Be sure that remote participation doesn’t feel like an afterthought. 

Make hybrid participation feel equal by providing:

• Quality webcams

• Good lighting

• Tools that work on laptops, phones, and everything in between

Keeping everyone included

Hybrid teams thrive when everyone feels included across working locations and has the chance to contribute. Inclusion starts with small habits:

• Check in with remote teammates first on video calls. 

• Rotate meeting times if your team spans time zones. 

• Share notes or recordings immediately so no one’s left piecing things together after the fact.

• Create a culture of public async shoutouts, like, “Hey, just wanted to say I saw your work on that deck. Nailed it.” This way, work done outside the office isn’t overlooked.

Final thoughts

Hybrid work is here to stay. And for small teams, it opens the door to flexibility, focus, and broader access to talent when implemented with intention. That means taking the time to set boundaries and invest in the right tools, like Marco Polo, to support connections without adding to the noise and promote an inclusive, healthy work culture. You’ve got this.

Key takeaways

• Hybrid work boosts retention: Employees value flexibility more than traditional perks.

• Home days increase productivity: Control over your space = better focus and deeper work.

• Clear communication systems are essential: Avoid misalignment by matching message to medium.

• Intentional culture building matters: Use async tools like Marco Polo to maintain connection across distances.

• Good tech is non-negotiable: Hybrid teams thrive when tools feel natural and friction-free.