How to Get Out of the Hybrid Work Rut

With some high-profile CEOs demanding workers return to the office five days a week, and others touting the benefits of fully remote work, many companies compromised and ended up somewhere in the middle. But that hybrid compromise can often bring the worst of both worlds. Wharton professor Peter Cappelli and senior HR strategist Ranya Nehmeh have looked deeply at what is going wrong with hybrid - and how leaders can make it right. They explain practical ways to improve meetings, build culture, and inspire commitment from employees in a hybrid model, which is most likely here to stay. Cappelli and Nehmeh are the authors of the forthcoming book In Praise of the Office: The Limits to Hybrid and Remote Work and the HBR article "Hybrid Still Isn't Working".

For further listening

HBR IdeaCast Episode 1025 with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy.

HBR IdeaCast Episode 877 with GitLab CEO Sid Sijbrandij.

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[HBR IdeaCast podcast series]

HBR IdeaCast
Episode 1031

How to Get Out of the Hybrid Work Rut

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A conversation with HR experts Peter Cappelli and Ranya Nehmeh on making the most of compromise.

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June 17, 2025

With some high-profile CEOs demanding workers return to the office five days a week, and others touting the benefits of fully remote work, many companies compromised and ended up somewhere in the middle. But that hybrid compromise can often bring the worst of both worlds. Wharton professor Peter Cappelli and senior HR strategist Ranya Nehmeh have looked deeply at what is going wrong with hybrid – and how leaders can make it right. They explain practical ways to improve meetings, build culture, and inspire commitment from employees in a hybrid model, which is most likely here to stay. Cappelli and Nehmeh are the authors of the forthcoming book In Praise of the Office: The Limits to Hybrid and Remote Work and the HBR article “Hybrid Still Isn’t Working“.

For further listening

HBR IdeaCast Episode 1025 with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy: https://hbr.org/podcast/2025/05/amazon-ceo-andy-jassy-on-agility-ai-strategy-and-the-changing-role-of-managers

HBR IdeaCast Episode 877 with GitLab CEO Sid Sijbrandij: https://hbr.org/podcast/2022/09/advice-from-the-ceo-of-an-all-remote-company\

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This article is about HYBRID WORK

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Related Topics:

• Remote work

• Organizational culture

• Managing people

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