{"id":88246,"date":"2025-07-16T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-16T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/?p=88246"},"modified":"2025-06-30T10:04:41","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T15:04:41","slug":"hybrid-work-trends-indicate-rto-rebellion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/hybrid-work-trends-indicate-rto-rebellion\/","title":{"rendered":"Hybrid Workplace Trends Take Hold as Employees React to RTO"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Coffee badging, calendar blocking, polyworking, #WorkTok and work from bed are all trends we wouldn\u2019t have predicted just five years ago. But the world of hybrid work is becoming more complex: As employees push for what they need, some employers push for them to be back in the office at 8 a.m. sharp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2024 State of Hybrid Work<\/a> from Owl Labs shows these trends gaining steam, as people sometimes have multiple jobs or follow alternative schedules, blurring the lines between their personal and professional lives, making traditional nine-to-five jobs much less common. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For some, hybrid work is the only way they\u2019d be able to work. \u201cWhen remote work became more accepted, I realized I didn\u2019t have to choose between being a full-time mom and building something meaningful,\u201d says Daphne Labropoulos<\/a>, founder and CEO of Motch<\/a>, a mommy-and-me clothing brand based in Goshen, N.Y. \u201cI started [the company] from home with my toddler by my side.\u201d Labropoulos collaborated with suppliers right at the kitchen table, tested work samples during snack time and spoke to product developers with her toddler on her lap, she recalls. \u201cNone of this would\u2019ve been possible without the normalization of Zoom meetings, flexible hours and the broader cultural shift around blending work and life,\u201d she says. \u201cIt gave me the confidence to build something original and to do it on our own terms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the bosses have spoken. In another report<\/a>, 93% of business leaders shared that employees should be in person at least part of the week, and 70% of companies have formal RTO policies requiring this. So what are workers to do after they\u2019ve had a taste of freedom? Here\u2019s what they shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\""SUCCESS<\/a>\n\n\n\n

More than 1 in 4 are looking for a different job<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not loving your boss\u2019s RTO mandate<\/a>? Some employees find that to be a great reason to look for more flexible work. The State of Hybrid Work report<\/a> said 27% are actively looking to switch jobs, up from 23% in the 2023 report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While some industries might be able to accommodate more flexible work, others are not\u2014an important aspect to know before getting into any type of work or a specific company. For example, Benson Varghese, a board-certified criminal lawyer and a criminal defense attorney and founder and managing partner of Varghese Summersett<\/a>, a law firm in Texas, says the \u201cstakes are different\u201d in the legal industry. \u201cPeople\u2019s freedom is on the line, so while flexibility matters, precision and responsiveness matter more,\u201d he says. In regard to any workplace trend: \u201cIf it improves the work and the people doing it, we keep it. If not, we move on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calendar blocking is used to protect workers\u2019 time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the Owl Labs report, 58% of respondents use calendar blocking, or protecting your calendar with pretend meetings. Some simply block it off without an explanation at all, rather than creating a pretend meeting. While some might be heading to yoga or the park during a blocked-off time, others are using it as a work strategy to give themselves guaranteed focus time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA few of our team members use calendar blocking to manage deep work and client calls without burnout<\/a>,\u201d Varghese says. \u201cIt helps people focus, and when it\u2019s done right, it actually gives more breathing room, not less.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kate Davis<\/a>, an executive coach in the U.K. calls it a \u201cmodern survival strategy.\u201d But, she adds, there\u2019s a difference between doing it to optimize work, and as a way for employees to protect themselves from an overbearing work environment. \u201cWhen I see teams blocking out large portions of their day however, it often signals a deeper issue: too many meetings, too few decisions and not enough protected time for actual thinking. For leaders, the red flag isn\u2019t that people are doing it\u2014it\u2019s when they\u2019re doing it defensively,\u201d she says. \u201cIf your team feels they need to carve out every inch of focus time to get anything done, that\u2019s a system problem.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coffee badging is a silent RTO rebellion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What do you do when you\u2019ve finally achieved work-life balance<\/a>, and your boss issues an RTO mandate? The answer for some is a silent rebellion, which the 2023 Owl Labs report referred to as \u201ccoffee badging.\u201d The concept is what it sounds like\u2014badging in, having a coffee and showing your face, and heading back out to work where, when, and how you please. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Critics have called it a sign of lazy employees, while others think feeling the need to do it is instead a sign of a toxic workplace. In the 2024 report<\/a>, 44% of respondents admitted to coffee badging, and another 11% said they want to try it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matt Erhard, managing partner at Summit Search Group<\/a>, a recruiting firm in Vancouver, Canada, says they strategically decide when their team needs to be in-office, including for strategy sessions, training events and on-site briefings or interviews. \u201cOutside of these constraints, however, we aim to give employees full autonomy over when and where they work. Because of this flexibility, we have not had an issue with coffee badging or other forms of \u2018presenteeism.\u2019\u201d He says, \u201cI\u2019ve noticed the same thing in our work with clients: the companies thriving in hybrid models embrace flexibility and demonstrate a high level of trust in their teams. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s a coincidence that these are also the employers who tend to attract the best talent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you just don\u2019t want to get up\u2014the rise of \u201cwork from bed\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sienna Hart, PR director at Chatrandom<\/a> in New York, calls herself an \u201cunapologetic work-from-bed-evangelist,\u201d saying that \u201cWFB thrives on intentional flexibility, not laziness. I start my day propped with pillows, laptop on a foldable bamboo tray, tackling deep-focus tasks like campaign analytics before the world wakes up. The quiet intimacy eliminates office distractions, boosting my creative output by 30%.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Kelly<\/a>, a freelance digital marketer in the Greater Vancouver area, says freelance life allows for working \u201cwherever feels right in the moment: bed, sofa, park bench or a caf\u00e9. These shifts help break up the isolation that can come with working from home and keep me feeling mentally refreshed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obvious issues can arise for hybrid employees working from bed, from motivation to appearance and ensuring employees are \u201con camera\u201d during calls\u2014a pandemic-era dilemma some still haven\u2019t solved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With any hybrid work trend, there can be compliance and HR issues, but it\u2019s also simply what works best for both bosses and employees for maximum efficiency and personal balance. \u201cThere are pros and cons to any choice about where and how we work. Make sure you understand the tradeoffs and are happy with your reasons in a way that works for you,\u201d says Darcy Eikenberg<\/a>, an executive coach in Bonita Springs, Fla. She recommends trying something with a hypothesis, giving it a certain amount of time and adjusting from there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And remember\u2014creative genius is creative genius\u2014even in your pajamas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo courtesy of insta_photos\/Shutterstock<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Coffee badging, calendar blocking, polyworking, #WorkTok and work from bed are all trends we wouldn\u2019t have predicted just five years ago. But the world of hybrid work is becoming more complex: As employees push for what they need, some employers push for them to be back in the office at 8 a.m. sharp.  The 2024 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32508,"featured_media":88247,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14061],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-88246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-future-of-work"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Hybrid-Workplace-Trends-Taking-Hold-as-Employees-Quietly-State-Their-Terms-insta_photos-Shutterstock.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Natalia Finnis-Smart","author_link":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/author\/alexandra-frost\/"},"yoast_head":"\nHybrid Work Trends Indicate RTO Rebellion | 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work"],"_yoast_wpseo_title":["Hybrid Work Trends Indicate RTO Rebellion | SUCCESS"],"_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":["The 2024 State of Hybrid Work from Owl Labs shows hybrid workplace trends gaining steam as employees rebel against strict RTO mandates."],"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":["78"],"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":["Why Employees Want Hybrid Work Over Strict RTO | SUCCESS"],"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":["Learn why employees want hybrid work rather than return-to-office mandates."],"_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":["Why Employees Want Hybrid Work Over Strict RTO | SUCCESS"],"_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":["Learn why employees want hybrid work rather than strict return-to-office mandates that require them to show up to work 5 days a week."],"_thumbnail_id":["88247"],"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":["https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Hybrid-Workplace-Trends-Taking-Hold-as-Employees-Quietly-State-Their-Terms-insta_photos-Shutterstock-social-1024x683.jpg"],"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":["88248"],"_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":["https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Hybrid-Workplace-Trends-Taking-Hold-as-Employees-Quietly-State-Their-Terms-insta_photos-Shutterstock-social-1024x683.jpg"],"_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":["88248"],"_elementor_page_assets":["a:0:{}"],"jet_engine_store_count_recently-viewed":["201"],"_yoast_indexnow_last_ping":["1752667365"]},"guest_author_field_data":{"main_author_is":"guest","guest_authors":[{"title":"Alexandra Frost","slug":"alexandra-frost","author_url":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/author\/alexandra-frost\/","thumbnail_url":false,"meta_data":{"_molongui_guest_author_display_name":["Alexandra Frost","Alexandra Frost"],"_molongui_guest_author_post_count":["3","3"],"_molongui_guest_author_page_count":["0"],"_edit_lock":["1727088608:32485"],"_thumbnail_id":["60968"]}}],"user_authors":[]},"custom_post_content":"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Coffee badging, calendar blocking, polyworking, #WorkTok and work from bed are all trends we wouldn\u2019t have predicted just five years ago. But the world of hybrid work is becoming more complex: As employees push for what they need, some employers push for them to be back in the office at 8 a.m. sharp. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/owllabs.com\/state-of-hybrid-work\/2024?srsltid=AfmBOoruxEPj7sGFpkqbetBI6GTZ6i0jbSK8xzzzkr1Fum4wTF8z5cPH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2024 State of Hybrid Work<\/a> from Owl Labs shows these trends gaining steam, as people sometimes have multiple jobs or follow alternative schedules, blurring the lines between their personal and professional lives, making traditional nine-to-five jobs much less common. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>For some, hybrid work is the only way they\u2019d be able to work. \u201cWhen remote work became more accepted, I realized I didn\u2019t have to choose between being a full-time mom and building something meaningful,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/daphne-labropoulos-994a9835a\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Daphne Labropoulos<\/a>, founder and CEO of <a href=\"https:\/\/motchapparel.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Motch<\/a>, a mommy-and-me clothing brand based in Goshen, N.Y. \u201cI started [the company] from home with my toddler by my side.\u201d Labropoulos collaborated with suppliers right at the kitchen table, tested work samples during snack time and spoke to product developers with her toddler on her lap, she recalls. \u201cNone of this would\u2019ve been possible without the normalization of Zoom meetings, flexible hours and the broader cultural shift around blending work and life,\u201d she says. \u201cIt gave me the confidence to build something original and to do it on our own terms.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>But the bosses have spoken. In <a href=\"https:\/\/archieapp.co\/blog\/return-to-office-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">another report<\/a>, 93% of business leaders shared that employees should be in person at least part of the week, and 70% of companies have formal RTO policies requiring this. So what are workers to do after they\u2019ve had a taste of freedom? Here\u2019s what they shared.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:html -->\n\n<!-- \/wp:html -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-more-than-1-in-4-are-looking-for-a-different-job\">More than 1 in 4 are looking for a different job<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Not loving your boss\u2019s RTO <a href=\"https:\/\/www.success.com\/balancing-employee-mental-health-with-return-to-office-trends\/\">mandate<\/a>? Some employees find that to be a great reason to look for more flexible work. The <a href=\"https:\/\/owllabs.com\/state-of-hybrid-work\/2024?srsltid=AfmBOoruxEPj7sGFpkqbetBI6GTZ6i0jbSK8xzzzkr1Fum4wTF8z5cPH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">State of Hybrid Work report<\/a> said 27% are actively looking to switch jobs, up from 23% in the 2023 report.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>While some industries might be able to accommodate more flexible work, others are not\u2014an important aspect to know before getting into any type of work or a specific company. For example, Benson Varghese, a board-certified criminal lawyer and a criminal defense attorney and founder and managing partner of <a href=\"https:\/\/versustexas.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Varghese Summersett<\/a>, a law firm in Texas, says the \u201cstakes are different\u201d in the legal industry. \u201cPeople\u2019s freedom is on the line, so while flexibility matters, precision and responsiveness matter more,\u201d he says. In regard to any workplace trend: \u201cIf it improves the work and the people doing it, we keep it. If not, we move on.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-calendar-blocking-is-used-to-protect-workers-time\">Calendar blocking is used to protect workers\u2019 time<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>In the Owl Labs report, 58% of respondents use calendar blocking, or protecting your calendar with pretend meetings. Some simply block it off without an explanation at all, rather than creating a pretend meeting. While some might be heading to yoga or the park during a blocked-off time, others are using it as a work strategy to give themselves guaranteed focus time. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cA few of our team members use calendar blocking to manage deep work and client calls without <a href=\"https:\/\/www.success.com\/saying-no-prevents-burnout\/\">burnout<\/a>,\u201d Varghese says. \u201cIt helps people focus, and when it\u2019s done right, it actually gives more breathing room, not less.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.merakipeople.co.uk\/about\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kate Davis<\/a>, an executive coach in the U.K. calls it a \u201cmodern survival strategy.\u201d But, she adds, there\u2019s a difference between doing it to optimize work, and as a way for employees to protect themselves from an overbearing work environment. \u201cWhen I see teams blocking out large portions of their day however, it often signals a deeper issue: too many meetings, too few decisions and not enough protected time for actual thinking. For leaders, the red flag isn\u2019t that people are doing it\u2014it\u2019s when they\u2019re doing it defensively,\u201d she says. \u201cIf your team feels they need to carve out every inch of focus time to get anything done, that\u2019s a system problem.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-coffee-badging-is-a-silent-rto-rebellion\">Coffee badging is a silent RTO rebellion<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>What do you do when you\u2019ve finally achieved <a href=\"https:\/\/www.success.com\/work-life-balance-tips\/\">work-life balance<\/a>, and your boss issues an RTO mandate? The answer for some is a silent rebellion, which the 2023 Owl Labs report referred to as \u201ccoffee badging.\u201d The concept is what it sounds like\u2014badging in, having a coffee and showing your face, and heading back out to work where, when, and how you please. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Critics have called it a sign of lazy employees, while others think feeling the need to do it is instead a sign of a toxic workplace. In the <a href=\"https:\/\/owllabs.com\/state-of-hybrid-work\/2024?srsltid=AfmBOoruxEPj7sGFpkqbetBI6GTZ6i0jbSK8xzzzkr1Fum4wTF8z5cPH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2024 report<\/a>, 44% of respondents admitted to coffee badging, and another 11% said they want to try it. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Matt Erhard, managing partner at <a href=\"https:\/\/summitsearchgroup.com\/location\/vancouver-recruiters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Summit Search Group<\/a>, a recruiting firm in Vancouver, Canada, says they strategically decide when their team needs to be in-office, including for strategy sessions, training events and on-site briefings or interviews. \u201cOutside of these constraints, however, we aim to give employees full autonomy over when and where they work. Because of this flexibility, we have not had an issue with coffee badging or other forms of \u2018presenteeism.\u2019\u201d He says, \u201cI\u2019ve noticed the same thing in our work with clients: the companies thriving in hybrid models embrace flexibility and demonstrate a high level of trust in their teams. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s a coincidence that these are also the employers who tend to attract the best talent.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-when-you-just-don-t-want-to-get-up-the-rise-of-work-from-bed\">When you just don\u2019t want to get up\u2014the rise of \u201cwork from bed\u201d<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Sienna Hart, PR director at <a href=\"https:\/\/chatrandom.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chatrandom<\/a> in New York, calls herself an \u201cunapologetic work-from-bed-evangelist,\u201d saying that \u201cWFB thrives on intentional flexibility, not laziness. I start my day propped with pillows, laptop on a foldable bamboo tray, tackling deep-focus tasks like campaign analytics before the world wakes up. The quiet intimacy eliminates office distractions, boosting my creative output by 30%.\u201d <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/linkedin.com\/in\/jonathan-kelly\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jon Kelly<\/a>, a freelance digital marketer in the Greater Vancouver area, says freelance life allows for working \u201cwherever feels right in the moment: bed, sofa, park bench or a caf\u00e9. These shifts help break up the isolation that can come with working from home and keep me feeling mentally refreshed.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Obvious issues can arise for hybrid employees working from bed, from motivation to appearance and ensuring employees are \u201con camera\u201d during calls\u2014a pandemic-era dilemma some still haven\u2019t solved.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>With any hybrid work trend, there can be compliance and HR issues, but it\u2019s also simply what works best for both bosses and employees for maximum efficiency and personal balance. \u201cThere are pros and cons to any choice about where and how we work. Make sure you understand the tradeoffs and are happy with your reasons in a way that works for you,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/darcyeikenberg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Darcy Eikenberg<\/a>, an executive coach in Bonita Springs, Fla. She recommends trying something with a hypothesis, giving it a certain amount of time and adjusting from there.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>And remember\u2014creative genius is creative genius\u2014even in your pajamas.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\"fontSize\":\"small\"} -->\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong><em>Photo courtesy of insta_photos\/Shutterstock<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->","tag_names":[],"post_attachment_urls":[],"author_email":"natalia.finnis-smart@success.com","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88246","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32508"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88246"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88246\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88246"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88246"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88246"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}