The workplace landscape has undergone significant changes over the past few years, with various viral workplace trends emerging, all revolving around the post-pandemic vision of work. Employers were eager to bring their teams back to the office, while employees fiercely held on to the newfound flexibility that remote work provided. This resulted in a battle known as the “return-to-office (RTO) wars,” spawning countless think pieces and expert opinions on the future of work.

However, according to Stanford’s Nick Bloom, one of the leading researchers on remote work, it’s time for the RTO wars to come to an end because hybrid work has emerged as the clear winner. The tweet, backed by data from market research firm Bianco Research, asserts that employers should accept that hybrid work is here to stay.

Various indicators support this conclusion, with data showing that about 25 percent of working days in the US are currently remote. While office occupancy has partially recovered to 50 percent, public transit use remains at only 60 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels. These figures indicate that a significant portion of the workforce continues to prefer working remotely at least part of the time.

The hybrid model, where employees spend three days in the office and two days working from home, seems to strike a balance that many workers appreciate. Surveys conducted during the height of the pandemic revealed that while people missed the office, they didn’t want to be there every day, particularly on Mondays and Fridays. Offering this flexibility not only aligns with employee preferences but also helps attract top talent in a competitive labor market.

Even prominent figures like Elon Musk may hold out for a complete return to pre-pandemic office policies, but the evidence suggests that most workers prefer the hybrid arrangement.  

Brian Mangines, Co-Founder of Flex Legal, a legal staffing/recruiting firm has observed a distinct trend among the younger generation when it comes to their work preferences. According to Mangines, the hybrid model is particularly appealing to the younger workforce and is set to have a lasting impact on the future of work dynamics.

According to Harvard professor Prithwiraj Choudhury, companies that don’t provide flexibility risk losing their best employees to competitors. The hybrid model, when well-managed, offers the best of both worlds, granting employees the freedom they desire while fostering in-person collaboration and innovation, which are crucial to a company’s success.

Although the war over RTO may have come to an end, it’s essential to recognize that the terms of the current peace may not last forever. As technology continues to evolve, the hybrid model may change too. Bloom’s long-term prediction suggests that as remote work technologies improve, 40 percent of jobs will be in-person, 50 percent hybrid, and the remaining 10 percent fully remote. The percentage of days worked from home could increase from 25 percent to 40 percent over the next two decades.

For now, the hybrid model has become the new status quo in knowledge work, and it’s likely to continue dominating the workplace in the immediate future. Employers and employees have found common ground in this arrangement, offering the flexibility that the younger generation desires while maintaining in-person collaboration that promotes creativity and innovation. As technology and work dynamics evolve, the workplace may see further shifts, but the hybrid model’s impact is here to stay.