What Is Hybrid Working?

Hybrid working combines remote work and work from home opportunities with in-office tasks. It gives employees autonomy and flexibility to choose when they work remotely and when they work in the office.

23rd Apr 2024

This flexibility might range from one to four days a week, with some companies requiring specific days in the office while others offer total flexibility based on individual preferences.

It’s no surprise that the demand for hybrid working is on the rise, with a preference for a mix of remote and in-person work increasing from 21% in 2022 to 28% in 2023.

But what exactly are the benefits of combining working from home and in the office, and where can you find the best hybrid working opportunities? Don’t worry, keep reading: we’ve got all the information you need about hybrid working right here.

In this article we will cover 👇

What is remote working and working from home (WFH)?
The benefits of hybrid working
10 hybrid companies you can work for in 2024
How to get started finding a hybrid role

What is remote working and working from home (WFH)?

Are remote working and working from home the same thing? Pretty much, except remote working means you might work from various remote locations, such as your local coffee shop or a co-working space, not just your home. Both terms are often used interchangeably when discussing hybrid working. However, it's important not to confuse this with Work From Anywhere schemes, which allow employees to work from other countries for a set number of days per year, and which do come with some tax implications that need to be considered.

What are the benefits of hybrid working?

Hybrid jobs offer employees and employers lots of great benefits. We’ve delved into some of these benefits below:

Improved mental health and wellbeing
Having a mix of remote and in-office work promotes a balanced week. Sometimes remote workers might find themselves stuck in a rut, living in loungewear and not wanting to get ready for the day. Being in the office can help to break down that cycle; you'll get to see your teammates face-to-face, and still enjoy the benefits of working from home a few times a week. Hybrid working improves work-life balance, making it easier to manage personal and family responsibilities. This balance is crucial for mental wellbeing and reducing stress. Research supports this, showing that 55% of employees report a decrease in stress levels due to hybrid working.

Reduced office costs
Companies that adopt a hybrid working model save more money. Research shows that companies that have a hybrid working model have reported reductions in workspace costs by up to 40%, and 81% of CFOs see hybrid working as a top way to meet savings targets. Hybrid working reduces office costs by allowing companies to downsize their office spaces, to accommodate fewer employees in the office at any one time. With employees splitting their time between home and the office, companies can reduce their overhead costs too, needing fewer desks to rent, less electricity to keep the lights on, and fewer coffee supplies to stock up on. The shift to hybrid working lets companiesoptimise their use of office space and resources, resulting in significant cost savings for many.

Saved commuting time and costs
Hybrid roles give employees the opportunity to use the time usually spent commuting to and from work how they wish. A survey from Airtasker found that working from home saved the average employee 8.5 hours each week. Annually, that adds up to 408 hours or 17 days no longer spent stuck in traffic: imagine that! Whether it means opting to start work earlier or later, going to the gym or for a walk, doing the school drop-off / pick-up, or getting household chores completed - all of these things can fill time previously spent commuting, and can help lead to an improved work-life blend. Not to mention the cost savings, especially with already expensive UK train fares projected to rise by 4.9% in 2024. With steep prices, crowded trains, escalating fuel costs, and the hassle of rush hour traffic, it's no wonder hybrid working has become an increasingly popular choice.

Reducing carbon footprint
Remote workers can produce up to "a 54% lower carbon footprint compared to onsite workers. By working from home, there are reduced emissions from less office energy use, as well as fewer emissions from a daily commute. If you want to learn more about how flexible working can benefit the environment, you can check out one of our previous blogs.

Increase productivity
Hybrid working can increase productivity in several ways. Firstly, it allows employees to work in environments that best suit their tasks and preferences. Some tasks may require quiet concentration, which can be better achieved at home, while others may benefit from collaboration in the office. This flexibility allows employees to optimise their work settings, leading to improved focus and efficiency.

10 companies offering hybrid working

There are several verified flexible employers who offer hybrid working as a working arrangement - alongside some other really great perks. To help you get started on finding a hybrid company that might suit you, we’ve listed our top 10 Flexified companies that are championing hybrid working. As with all companies on Flexa, these companies have gone through a rigorous verification process to quantify just how flexible they are when it comes to hybrid working.

Picnic: Picnic is an ad tech company that has a hybrid working model built around core business hours with an element of flexibility and high trust. Picnicians are expected to work in a way that supports their outputs and/or client commitments. The company encourages people to come into the office 1-2 times per week, usually Tuesday and Thursday.
Impression: Impression is a strategic agency partner with a hybrid working approach that aims to empower people to work from the environment that best suits them. Employees can choose whether to work from home or from their dog friendly offices in Nottingham or London. The company is also flexible on working hours too, so you can start a bit later or finish a bit earlier.
Hurree: Hurree is a software company that offers flexible core working hours (10am to 4pm) and remote work options, promoting a healthy work-life balance. With various contract types, including full-time and part-time remote options, their dog-friendly office in Belfast welcomes staff from across the UK and Europe.
CTS & CloudM: CTS Group is one of the world's leading cloud transformation specialists. The company thrives on a decade-long open culture that fuels growth. Their hybrid work approach lets employees choose when and where they work.
Papercup: Papercup use machine learning and AI to make the world’s videos watchable in any language. They have a hybrid working model which allows employees to combine onsite and working from home as they see fit, usually around 2 days in the office.
Elvie: Elvie pioneer female-first innovation in tech to improve the lives of women around the world. The company has offices in Bristol and London (which is dog-friendly!), as well as a team in the USA, but it's the norm for staff to regularly work from home.
Cahill Design Consultants Ltd: Cahill Design Consultants Ltd offers acoustic and fire solutions for complex design challenges. The company has a Colchester Head Office, providing a spacious and bright workspace. Additionally, they have a co-working office in London. The company prioritises autonomy for employees and has a progressive approach to working hours. As long as employees are available during core hours and in the right timezone, they have the freedom to work in a manner that suits both them and their team.
Up Learn: Up Learn has helped over 40,000 students with their A-levels, and delivered over 10,000 scholarships to disadvantaged students. They offer a hybrid work setup with two office days per week (one team day and one company day), giving employees flexibility for the rest!
Mars UK: Mars UK is a global leader in confectionery, food, and petcare products and services. Their flexible working practices align with their hybrid Future of Work strategy, which reimagines the where, when, and how of work to boost efficiency.
Shieldpay: Shieldpay is a B2B payments business. The company knows people are juggling various things within their private, family and work life and are pleased to treat their people like real adults and judge them on the work they do, not time away from their desk.

How to find a hybrid job

Finding a hybrid job is simple with Flexa! Our platform offers comprehensive search filters to help you discover the perfect hybrid role and explore potential employers. We've simplified the process into five simple steps to kickstart your search:

Start by creating a Flexa profile to stay updated on all available hybrid job opportunities, and even get recommendations straight to your inbox!
Explore our hybrid jobs page to see which companies are currently hiring for hybrid roles.
When you find a role you're interested in, simply click on it to read the full job description and hit 'apply now' when you're ready to submit your application.
If you're not ready to apply just yet, you can save the job to your profile for later.

Additionally, you can browse companies offering hybrid working on our companies page. Check out their live feeds to get a glimpse of their work environment, and follow them to receive notifications when they're hiring.