Hybrid work has emerged as the leading workplace model for employers and the preferred working style. In a recent poll, Monster.com found returning to the office full-time was the most frightening workplace fear for 17% of American workers and in FlexJobs Generations at Work Report, younger professionals say hybrid is their ideal work arrangement. FlexJobs Career Expert Toni Frana explains:
“Looking for signs of this benefit when researching companies or interviewing with them is important to those seeking work-life balance, as many times, one of the main reasons they are looking for a new job is because of an imbalance in their work and personal lives.”
Studies have shown workplace flexibility is appealing to all, but crucial for women. “For women who may be responsible for making child care or other caregiving arrangements, working for a company that offers hybrid work options and supports a balance between work and personal life can ease some of the stressors they face,” Frana adds. 38% of mothers with young children say that without workplace flexibility, they would have had to leave their company or reduce their work hours. However, when improperly managed, it can also intensify the challenging aspects of flexible work for women, leading to a toxic hybrid work environment. Below are ten red flags:
1. Hybrid policies are actually empty promises.
A company may provide a hybrid working policy, but it can also create ways of discouraging staff from taking advantage of it. For example, the company may say that if staff work at home, they cannot work flexible hours and instead assign the hours they have to work. Or, they may schedule meetings for inconvenient days and times that require in-person attendance.
2. There is no intentional work-life balance program.
Talking about the importance of work-life balance and being intentional in implementing work-life balance programs are two different things. While many companies do a great job at delivering, there are organizations or toxic managers whose actions do not support or prioritize it. Work-life balance should be available during in-office and remote work days, otherwise fatigue and burnout continue.
3. There’s poor communication across the company.
If there’s any lack of clarity in communication, that’s another warning sign. Successful hybrid workplaces require clear communication channels and preferences. There should be clarity among all parties in terms of the channels used to communicate, employees’ preferences, and best practices for communicating both synchronously and asynchronously. Company messages should be communicated with all employees––including those working from home.
4. Employee turnover is especially high.
High employee turnover indicates a toxic culture and is an especially strong indicator in hybrid environments. If a job seeker is considering a new role, use sites like Glassdoor and LinkedIn to see other employees’ timelines working at the company, and note any trends or differences between hybrid and in-person workers, if possible. For existing workers, monitor movement within the company to get a sense of the average attrition rate.
5. Everyone “talks the talk,” but hardly anyone “walks the walk.”
In a company that values remote or hybrid work, everyone walks the walk. That means it allows and encourages people at all levels—from entry-level to the C-suite—to work remotely or in a hybrid arrangement. If only early or mid-level employees are hybrid, it could indicate that off-site workers can’t move up the career ladder unless they move to fully in-person work. Examine the organization to see if there are remote or hybrid workers at every career level. A lack of remote or hybrid higher-ups could indicate workers won’t have long-term success at this company unless they’re 100% in-person.
6. There’s a clear lack of trust.
Working remotely or in a hybrid arrangement requires a solid foundation of trust. Managers and coworkers should be able to trust that each person on the team will follow through on what is expected of them. Additionally, if challenges do arise, a healthy team will be in communication to work through and solve any problems.
7. Meetings and celebrations aren’t inclusive.
Companies that commit to and embrace hybrid and remote work try to rotate meeting times and celebrations, so that all employees, whether fully remote, in-person, or hybrid, are included. Communication tools make it easy to share kudos with the entire organization, and virtual events can be organized to include everyone. Companies committed to remote and hybrid employees use these tools to praise and include everyone equally.
8. Career paths are unclear, or even undefined.
Knowing the opportunities and potential for growth and career advancement is critical for all employees. If it seems that in-person employees have a more clear-cut path for career development or advancement compared to remote or hybrid companies, that’s an indication that the company does not value remote workers or see them as part of a larger strategic plan. The career paths for employees should not be based on whether or not an employee works in the office, remotely, or hybrid, but rather a consistent methodology that works across all employees regardless of their work type.
9. Meeting times are inconsistent or confusing.
Depending on the company’s size and where remote and hybrid employees live, some workers may be one or even several time zones away from the main office. While there are ways to overcome and work with time zone differences, if the company always holds meetings when it’s convenient for the in-person staff, this could indicate a toxic workplace. Scheduling should accommodate all employees, especially those in hybrid or remote roles. Meetings should be scheduled when everyone can attend, and it’s a good idea for some––or all––meetings to have everyone attend digitally when working with hybrid and remote team members.
10. Information and technology tools are inaccessible.
For hybrid arrangements to work seamlessly, organizations should provide people with the tools and information needed to perform the duties of their roles successfully, wherever they’re working. In a hybrid role, this often involves digital communication tools, document management tools, and project management software. Similarly, a lack of information is often a sign of a toxic work environment. Regarding remote and hybrid workplaces, it’s not just a lack of information that’s a red flag. Companies not committed to remote workers may not make information easily accessible. When a company does not create and maintain a central platform for sharing crucial information with the entire company, it’s a sign of a toxic hybrid workplace.
Hybrid work can provide flexibility and support greater work-life balance, but it’s important that working mothers investigate how employers approach hybrid work and make more informed career decisions that support their goals now and in the future,” Frana said.
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