# Five Hybrid Workplace Mistakes to Avoid
The workplace conversation has shifted dramatically. Return-to-office mandates, hybrid work policies, and talent retention dominate boardroom discussions. Yet despite all the attention on remote work flexibility and salary increases, many organizations are missing what employees actually want from their workplace experience.
Recent research from Steelcase, surveying nearly 5,000 office workers across 11 countries, reveals a surprising truth: the physical workplace matters more than most leaders realize. The study uncovered five critical mistakes that organizations make when designing their hybrid work strategies.
## The Trust Recession Is Real
Distance isn't making hearts grow fonder. Extended separation is creating what The Atlantic calls a "trust recession" - the longer people stay apart, the less they trust each other. This erosion of trust threatens innovation, productivity, and retention.
Meanwhile, twice as many people say they'd rather work from home than in an office that should be designed to help them work better. This preference reveals a fundamental problem with current office design, not an inherent flaw with office work itself.
## Mistake #1: Treating Talent as Transactional
Organizations are throwing money at the problem - raising wages, adding benefits, offering retention bonuses. But they're missing what matters most.
People want to feel like they belong, feel valued, and achieve work-life balance. While competitive compensation and remote work options matter, focusing solely on these creates a transactional relationship that fails to address deeper needs.
**The surprising finding:** The most important driver for employee engagement, productivity, and cultural connection is whether people actually like working from their office.
Employees who enjoy their office experience are: - Significantly more engaged - More connected to company culture - Less likely to leave - Moderately more productive
For talent retention, only tenure ranks higher than office satisfaction.
## Mistake #2: Changing Policy, Not Place
Many organizations adopted hybrid work models and transitioned to unassigned spaces, creating workplace nomads without a real home in the office. While this approach may reduce real estate costs, it fails to address the loneliness and isolation people experienced during the pandemic.
**The reality check:** People working in traditional offices often sit in open areas where colleagues can be more distracting than pets or family at home. Individual contributors (57%) are far more likely than leaders (37%) to work in these exposed spaces, creating an unequal experience.
This disparity in privacy control helps explain why some employees prefer their dining room table to their office desk.
**The solution:** Create destinations that give people a sense of belonging. Team neighborhoods, reservable workspaces, and familiar places where employees can find their teammates all contribute to a more engaging office experience.
## Mistake #3: Missing the Point - People Want Control and Belonging
Leaders focus on flexible policies, but hybrid models alone don't address fundamental human needs for control, belonging, and privacy.
Here's the paradox: People say they want to work from home, but they also want assigned workspace in the office. In fact, most employees prefer assigned workspace over additional remote work options. Only Australia, Canada, and the UK buck this trend.
This tension reveals how important it is for people to feel control over their work experience. They want a destination and a place to call home at work.
## Mistake #4: Forgetting About Focus
Hybrid work means more video calls and virtual collaboration. While some organizations consider "collaboration-only" workplaces, this approach ignores a critical need: privacy.
People who commute to the office aren't collaborating all day. Three of the four most valued workplace elements relate to access to private spaces.
**The bottom line:** Redefine ownership in the office. Just as people are comfortable "owning" an Airbnb for a few days, employees can have ownership over workspace through: - Reservable private offices - Workspaces with visual enclosures - Dedicated focus areas - Quiet zones for concentration
## Mistake #5: The Boss Bias
Leaders consistently have better workplace experiences, both at home and in the office. This creates a dangerous blind spot.
Despite spending less time on focus work (31% vs. 51% for employees), leaders are much more likely to have private offices. Their positive office experience can cloud their understanding of what most employees face daily.
**The reality:** Employees have a stronger voice than ever. Leaders must consider how employee needs are being met, especially for those returning after extended time away. The leadership experience doesn't match the majority employee experience.
## Designing for the New Reality
Successful hybrid workplace design requires understanding what truly motivates people to come to the office. It's not about forcing people back - it's about creating spaces so compelling that people want to be there.
The workplace needs to evolve beyond traditional paradigms. Instead of assigning offices based on hierarchy, consider frequency of office use. Rather than focusing solely on collaboration spaces, balance them with privacy options.
Most importantly, recognize that the physical workplace isn't just real estate - it's a strategic tool for culture, engagement, and retention. Organizations that understand this connection will have a significant advantage in attracting and keeping top talent.
The future of work isn't about choosing between remote and office work. It's about creating office experiences so valuable that people genuinely want to be there.
