Hybrid work became common after the Covid
pandemic. Many companies now expect employees to split their time between home
and the office. This change has created new ways to improve engagement, but it
has also introduced new risks. Let’s discuss how hybrid work can support strong
engagement only when organizations plan carefully. When planning is weak, engagement
can drop. Let’s also see how local (Sri Lankan) companies are adapting to the
change as well.
Opportunities for Better Engagement
Improved Work–Life Balance
Hybrid work can reduce daily stress.
Shorter commutes and flexible hours help employees manage home and work duties
better. Research shows that flexibility increases job satisfaction and supports
engagement (Eng, 2024, p. 4). Studies also show remote days can reduce burnout
when workloads are handled properly (Wells, 2023, p. 112).
Access to More Talent
Hybrid models allow companies to
hire people who live outside city centres. This opens doors to skilled workers
who prefer flexible schedules. Choudhury (2020, p. 3) notes that remote and
hybrid arrangements expand the talent pool and support long-term retention.
Smarter Use of Office Space
Rather than using offices for daily
desk work, companies can use space for teamwork, innovation, and relationship
building. Bloom (2015, p. 170) found that hybrid models can increase productivity
when office time is used for collaboration, not monitoring.
Challenges that Reduce Engagement
Unequal Visibility
Remote staff may feel left out of
promotions or informal decisions. When managers spend more time with those
physically present, remote staff can lose trust and motivation. Wells (2023, p.
118) shows that this “distance bias” affects fairness and engagement.
Weaker Social Connection
Company culture often grows through
everyday conversations. Hybrid work reduces these moments. Eng (2024, p. 6)
reports that employees feel less connected when teams do not meet regularly.
Manager Capability Gaps
Many managers were trained for
office-based work. They now need new skills: communication, technology, goal setting, and
checking on well-being without micromanaging. Bloom (2015, p. 175) highlights
that lack of training is one of the biggest risks for engaged hybrid teams.
Adaptation of Hybrid Work Environments in Sri Lanka
Hayleys
Hayleys introduced a “Work from
Hotel” option during the pandemic. Employees could work from selected company
hotels while enjoying safe and quiet spaces. This helped maintain engagement by
offering flexibility and comfort while keeping teams connected (Hayleys Group,
2020, p. 2).
Hemas
In recent annual reports, it shows that Hemas focuses on flexible hours, digital tools,
and manager training to support staff wellbeing and engagement. Their approach
shows that Sri Lankan companies are formalising hybrid models (Hemas PLC, 2025,
p. 47).
John Keells
John Keells has spoken publicly about how hybrid work links with inclusion and culture. They emphasise equal access to opportunities for both remote and office staff. This shows how hybrid work is tied to fairness and employee experience (John Keells Group, 2024, p. 5).
Keeping Employees Engaged in a Hybrid Work Environment
Some people assume that hybrid work
automatically increases motivation because employees get more freedom. However,
this view is too simple. Freedom alone does not guarantee engagement. When
hybrid work is introduced without proper planning, it can easily lead to
confusion, uneven treatment, and feelings of being disconnected.
A major issue is the lack of clear
rules. If employees are unsure about which days they should come into the
office, the hybrid model becomes inconsistent. Some employees may even feel
pressured to be physically present to prove their commitment, while others stay
home and worry that they are invisible to management. This uncertainty affects
fairness, which is a key part of engagement. As Lauring (2024, p. 9) points
out, unclear expectations often create tension and lower trust.
Another concern is manager
behaviour. Managers who relied on physical supervision now struggle when teams
are spread out. Without new skills, some fall back on checking who is online
instead of focusing on real results. This shift can damage morale, especially
when communication becomes unclear or inconsistent. Wells (2023, p. 118) shows
that weak communication is one of the main reasons hybrid employees feel disengaged.
So the problem is not hybrid work itself, but the way it exposes gaps in
management practices.
There is also the question of how
office time is used. If employees come in only to sit through virtual meetings,
the in-person requirement feels pointless. This can create frustration rather
than connection. Hybrid work only strengthens engagement when the office adds
value — such as collaborative discussions or problem-solving sessions — not
when it repeats what could have been done online.
Listening to employees is another area where many organisations fall short. Without regular feedback, managers may assume everything is fine while hidden issues continue to grow. Short surveys or check-ins are not just tools — they are ways to prevent disengagement from becoming normal. Maity (2025, p. 13) highlights that timely feedback helps firms adjust hybrid practices before they create deeper problems.
Conclusion
Hybrid work creates new chances to
improve engagement, but only if organisations design it well. Employees feel
more engaged when work–life balance improves, office time has purpose, and
managers support both remote and office staff equally. Sri Lankan companies
like Hayleys, Hemas, and John Keells show that hybrid work can be adapted to
local needs. The future of engagement in a hybrid work environment depends on fairness, communication, and
continuous learning.
References
- Bloom, N., 2015. Does Working from Home Work? Evidence from a Chinese Experiment. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 130(1), pp.165–218.
- Choudhury, P., 2020. Our Work-from-Anywhere Future. Harvard Business Review, pp.1–10.
- Eng, I., 2024. Hybrid workers describe aspects that promote effectiveness and engagement. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1), pp.1–12.
- Hayleys Group, 2020. Work from Hotel Initiative. Internal communication summary, pp.1–3.
- Hemas PLC, 2025. Annual Report 2024/25. Colombo: Hemas Holdings, pp.40–55.
- John Keells Group, 2024. People and Culture Report. Colombo: JKH, pp.1–8.
- Lauring, J., 2024. What is hybrid work? Towards greater conceptual clarity. Journal of Business Research, 165, pp.1–15.
- Maity, R., 2025. The impact of remote and hybrid work models on SMEs. Journal of Asian Business Studies, 19(1), pp.10–20.
- Wells, J., 2023. A Systematic Review of the Impact of Remote Working on Wellbeing. International Journal of Workplace Health, 32(2), pp.110–125
This essay shows that hybrid work offers flexibility and new ways to participate but can lead to disengagement without clear rules, skilled managers, and thoughtful office use. Sri Lankan examples from Hayleys, Hemas, and John Keells prove that when fairness, communication, and continuous learning are prioritized, hybrid models succeed. The key message is that hybrid work must be designed to build trust and connection.
ReplyDeleteHi Madushani,
DeleteI’m glad the balance between flexibility and structure came through clearly. You’ve highlighted the core idea well—hybrid work only works when trust, fairness, and strong communication are built into the system. Thanks again for the feedback
That's a very comprehensive analysis of the challenges and opportunities of hybrid work concerning employee engagement. It does an excellent job of moving beyond the simple assumption that flexibility equals engagement.
ReplyDeleteHi Udara, Really appreciate you pointing out the importance of looking beyond flexibility alone. That was one of the main messages I hoped to share through the article.
DeleteExcellent and timely article. You've perfectly captured the dual nature of hybrid work its potential for flexibility and its significant risks if not managed intentionally.
ReplyDeleteYour point about the "Manager Capability Gaps" is particularly crucial. In my experience, this is the single biggest point of failure for many organizations. Shifting a manager's mindset from monitoring presence to coaching for outcomes is a massive cultural change that requires sustained investment, not just a one-off training session.
The local examples from Hayleys, Hemas, and John Keells are fantastic illustrations of how these principles can be adapted in practice. Thanks for laying out the challenges and opportunities so clearly.
Thank you Rajitha for sharing your perspective, especially on manager capability gaps. I fully agree that mindset change takes time and consistent effort, not just short-term training. I’m glad the local examples helped make the discussion more practical and relevant.
DeleteYou accurately capture the main dilemma. that flexibility is not automatically engagement and without intentional design, risks like unequal visibility and manager capability gaps can quickly lead to disengagement. The emphasis on clear rules, purposeful office time, and the need for managers to shift from monitoring to coaching for outcomes is crucial. The local examples show that successful hybrid models must be anchored in fairness and continuous learning. Great work laying out a clear path forward.
ReplyDeleteHi Chanika,
DeleteYou’re absolutely right! Without clear structure and the right managerial approach, flexibility can easily lead to new challenges. I appreciate your support and the way you’ve summarized the main direction forward.
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ReplyDeleteHi Dinusha, This was a very balanced and insightful discussion on hybrid work, and I really liked how you explained both the opportunities and the risks instead of seeing hybrid work as automatically positive. The way you linked real engagement factors such as fairness, clarity and manager capability shows a good academic understanding, and your Sri Lankan examples made the topic very relevant to our local context. I particularly appreciated your point that hybrid engagement depends on design, not just flexibility, which is something many organisations still overlook. Overall, this is a thoughtful, practical and well-supported analysis.
ReplyDelete