Navigating the Hybrid Work Dilemma – an audio podcast from Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/podcast/2025/04/navigating-the-hybrid-work-dilemma Prof. Choudhury is the author of the book “The World Is Your Office: How Work from Anywhere Boosts Talent, Productivity, and Innovation“

Teleworking offers advantages for both men and women, but women may benefit more in certain cases. This is due to societal role distributions, the balance between work and private life, and the way women and men handle flexibility. Traditionally, women often have dual responsibilities, combining paid work with unpaid care duties such as household chores and caring for children or other family members. Teleworking helps them balance these responsibilities more effectively.

Remote work has dramatically changed the way we work. What began as a temporary solution during the pandemic has grown into a global movement, driven by technology and a demand for flexibility. However, for some, the shine has worn off: companies and employees are encountering new challenges, and a trend of returning to the office is emerging.

Since the pandemic, companies worldwide have shifted to remote work. The benefits of working from home, such as flexible hours, reduced commute time, and a better work-life balance, made it attractive to many employees. However, now that the world is recovering, a trend is emerging where more companies want their employees back in the office. This shift raises questions: Why do companies want to return to traditional work structures? And is it the right choice for both employers and employees?

Job hopping refers to frequently changing jobs, often within short time spans of one to three years. This trend is particularly common among younger generations, such as Millennials and Gen Z, who seek rapid growth, new challenges, and better working conditions.
Opportunities and Challenges for Employees and Employers.

Job sharing is a work arrangement where two (or sometimes more) employees share the responsibilities, tasks, and working hours of one full-time position. For example, one person might work mornings while the other works afternoons, or they alternate weeks.

Hybrid work, which combines in-office and remote work, requires a new approach to leadership. “Management by trust,” which emphasizes giving employees trust, autonomy, and the benefit of the doubt regarding their professionalism, is essential in this context. In a hybrid environment, where physical proximity and direct control are reduced, this principle becomes indispensable.

When it arrived en masse for the Covid pandemic, remote working was hailed as an arrangement that boosted work-life balance and slashed commuter-related misery and pollution. But it would appear its golden days are over.
Investment banker Goldman Sachs now requires employees to be at the office five days a week, while Google has recently requested workers to factor in office attendance in their performance review. Many companies have also adopted hybrid work policies that require staff to be in the office a minimum number of days.