By Jessica DeGroot, Founder & President, ThirdPath Institute
The July–August 2025 HBR article “Hybrid Still Isn’t Working” claims that hybrid and remote work arrangements are undermining collaboration, culture, and performance. At ThirdPath Institute, we see a different reality—one supported by research, lived experience, and the organizations we’ve helped thrive through hybrid transformation.
Let’s address the article’s main points and clarify what truly makes hybrid work succeed.
Hybrid Isn’t the Problem—Leadership Commitment Is
The article’s evidence is based on a single financial services company, an industry not known for its openness to flexible work. Our experience and research connections show that when leaders are committed to building high-performing hybrid teams, the results are the opposite: stronger collaboration, higher engagement, and improved well-being. The difference? Leadership that invests in redesigned systems and culture, not just shifting schedules.
Collaboration, Culture & Connection: Not Lost, But Reimagined
- Collaboration and Learning: The article argues that hybrid weakens these areas. In reality, organizations that intentionally redesign collaboration—using both in-person and virtual tools—see robust idea generation and knowledge sharing. It’s not about where you work, but how you work together.
- Culture and Social Isolation: Hybrid doesn’t have to mean isolation. Our handout outlines how routine, planned in-person connections (monthly, quarterly, or annually) and virtual “water-cooler” moments can foster a vibrant, inclusive culture. The key is intentionality, not proximity.
Rules vs. Redesign: Carrots, Not Sticks
The article’s “solutions” focus on top-down rules and enforcement— mandatory days in the office, surveillance of attendance, and punishing non-compliance. This “stick” approach overlooks what high-performing hybrid organizations actually do:
- Transparent Norms: Instead of rigid rules, create clear, flexible norms around meetings, availability, and collaboration that respect diverse roles and life stages.
- Manager Training: Equip managers to lead distributed teams with empathy, consistency, and skill—not surveillance and punishment.
Onboarding, Mentoring & Advancement: Hybrid’s Hidden Strengths
The article notes new hires struggle and advancement becomes murky. We agree onboarding and mentoring need redesign—but hybrid can actually improve these processes:
- Structured Onboarding: Thoughtful hybrid onboarding and mentoring, including planned in-person and virtual experiences, can be more inclusive and effective than limiting on-boarding to an on-site experience tied to a specific geographic location.
- Career Development: Hybrid organizations can use transparent internal talent development systems and virtual mentoring to broaden access to advancement, not limit it.
Wellness, Flexibility & Inclusion: The Real Hybrid Advantage
The authors acknowledge the need for well-being support, but miss the bigger picture: hybrid work, when done right, increases wellness, flexibility, and inclusion. It allows employees to integrate work and life, reducing burnout and expanding opportunities for those historically excluded by rigid schedules or locations.
What Actually Works: The ThirdPath Approach
Our research and decades of experience show the highest-performing hybrid workplaces invest in these areas:
- Hiring and onboarding that’s inclusive and well-resourced
- Ongoing mentoring and employee development, both virtual and in-person
- Cultures of connection, built through routine gatherings and virtual engagement
- Collaboration skills that make the most of on-site and virtual collaboration
- Transparent, fair work distribution and performance measurement systems
- Manager training and peer support
- Wellness, flexibility, and time for life
- Commitment to inclusion at every level
A Final Word: Hybrid Isn’t Failing—Old Habits Are
The article’s conclusion is clear: if managers don’t have time to manage well, nothing else matters. We agree. But the answer isn’t to go backward. It’s to invest in the systems, skills, and culture that make hybrid work work.
Organizations that embrace this opportunity are already reaping rewards in performance, retention, and innovation. Those that cling to the past will be left behind—by their employees and by the future of work itself.
Jessica DeGroot, Founder & President, ThirdPath Institute