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Hybrid Vs. Remote Work: The Differences Explained

by Abie Davis

I'm definitely on team remote in the hybrid vs. remote work battle. 

After all, I’m one of the UK's 16% of full-time remote workers. But I’m also in the minority.

According to the same Office for National Statistics study, hybrid workers outnumber us by 28%. But why’s there all this fuss over hybrid remote work

I decided to investigate. Here’s my ultimate showdown between hybrid and remote work. 

Which remote work model is best for you? My guide will help you find out.

Ready? Let’s roll.

Remote Vs Hybrid Work: 8 Differences

Based on my research, I found 8 major differences between remote and hybrid work models. Look at this table if you want a quick summary.


Remote Work

Hybrid Work

Location
Always work from home or other remote locations.
Split between working remotely and at an office.
Schedule Flexibility
Often more flexible, allowing work at any time.
May have fixed office days, more structured.
Commute
No commuting required.
Commuting required on office days.
Workspace
Employee’s responsibility to set up a home office.
Company provides workspace at the office.
Team Interaction
Primarily virtual meetings and communication.
Combination of in-person and virtual interaction.
Technology Dependence
High reliance on digital tools for collaboration.
Uses both digital tools and face-to-face methods.
Work-Life Balance
Potential for greater work-life integration.
Can help separate work from home life.
Cost
Lower costs for employers on physical office space.
Higher costs due to maintaining office space.

Ready for a proper deep dive to find out what is the difference between hybrid and remote work? Let’s start with the most defining feature of both: the work location.

1. Location

As a remote worker, I mostly work from home. 

I also work from some of the best places to work remote if I'm feeling like a change of scenery.

My point is: I never have to go into an office.

This is great because I don't have to commute and can be flexible about where I set up my laptop. 

However, in a hybrid work model, like some of my colleagues, they split their time between working at home and going to the office. 

This means they can enjoy working from home some days and commute to the office on other days.

As we saw when we examined the future of remote work, more companies prefer hybrid remote work because it improves productivity, saves costs, and improves teamwork.

2. Schedule Flexibility

I love having flexible working hours!

I love having flexible working hours!

In my remote work setup, I have a lot of flexibility with my schedule. 

I can start my day earlier or later depending on what fits best with my personal life and productivity peaks. 

For example, if I need to run errands in the morning, I can shift my work hours to start a bit later. It’s really all about what works best for me on any given day. 

And flexibility is important. An Atlassian study found that when employees have flexible work options, only 14% feel burned out. This number goes up to 36% when there's no flexibility in their work.

On the other hand, my colleagues in a hybrid model have a more structured schedule.

They have specific days when they need to be in the office, which requires sticking to traditional office hours. This setup helps maintain a routine but is less flexible than my fully remote work life.

Talking about going into the office, hybrid workers must deal with commutes.

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3. Commute

Since I work remotely, I don’t have any commute at all. Hoorah!

My daily journey involves just a few steps from my bedroom to my home office or sometimes to my kitchen table or garden. 

It saves a lot of time and hassle, not to mention avoiding traffic! In fact, Forbes reports that reduced commutes have led to an extra 71 hours of sleep per year for full-time remote workers.

For my hybrid working friends, however, they experience both worlds. 

On their office days, they must commute to work, which means dealing with rush hour and the usual travel expenses. 

But like me, they enjoy the perk of zero commute on their remote days. So, while they get a break from commuting some days, it's still a part of their weekly routine.

4. Workspace

In my remote work setting, I’m fully responsible for creating and maintaining my own workspace. This means I can set up my home office exactly how I like it, with all my comforts and conveniences.

This is my Star Wars themed desk.

This is my Star Wars themed desk.

Whether choosing a quiet spot with a view or ensuring my chair is just right for long hours, I get to make my workspace my own. 

On the flip side, my colleagues who follow a hybrid model split their workspace between their home and the office. 

At the office, they use a workspace provided by the company, which is equipped with all the necessary tools and often supports better direct collaboration with teammates. 

They enjoy the best of both worlds—personalising their home office while benefiting from a professional environment at the company office.

5. Team Interaction

As a remote worker, most of my team interactions happen through virtual meetings and remote work tools like email and chat apps.

It’s convenient because we can connect from anywhere, but it does mean we miss out on some of the spontaneous conversations that happen in an office setting. 

Slack for remote teams

Here you can see two of my coworkers chatting away in our #random channel.

Meanwhile, my colleagues in a hybrid work environment get a mix of both. 

Similar to me, they interact virtually on their remote days but also have the advantage of in-person meetings on their office days. 

This allows them to strengthen relationships through face-to-face interactions, which, according to the Agile Manifesto, is “The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.” 

Team interactions and workspaces aren’t the only differences between remote and hybrid work.

6. Technology Dependence

I depend heavily on technology to stay connected with my team and manage my tasks. 

Whether it's video calls, project management apps, or shared documents online, tech is crucial for my daily operations. And I’m not even talking about remote work security.

I need reliable internet and up-to-date software to ensure I can communicate and work effectively from wherever I choose to set up my office for the day. 

This dependence on technology is one of the common remote work challenges I face daily.

On the other hand, colleagues in a hybrid model use technology a lot, too, but they balance it with in-person methods when they're at the office. 

This means they can have direct, face-to-face interactions that might require less tech, like traditional paper notes or whiteboard sessions during meetings. 

Their dependence on technology is significant but not as constant as mine.

7. Work-Life Balance

Remote work gives you the advantage of leading a healthier lifestyle.

Remote work gives you the advantage of leading a healthier lifestyle.

Work-life balance is important. According to Gitnux, 57% of jobseekers say a bad work-life balance is a dealbreaker.

As a remote worker, I find that I have a great deal of control over my work-life balance. 

I can easily transition from work tasks to personal activities, which helps me manage stress and maintain productivity. For instance, I can start a load of laundry between meetings or take a quick walk to clear my mind. 

However, this constant proximity to my work environment also means it can be tough to disconnect at the end of the day. (It’s another one of those pesky remote work challenges we must deal with daily!)

For my colleagues with a hybrid schedule, they tend to have a clearer separation between work and home. 

When they’re at the office, they’re fully in work mode. Once they leave, they can leave their work behind physically and mentally. This can make drawing a line between professional and personal life easier.

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8. Cost

What if I told you both work models can save employers and workers money? Yes, we saw the same in the telework vs. remote work debate. Let me explain. 

I save money on commuting, lunches out, and office attire. My employer saves on the overheads like office space, utilities, and supplies. It’s a win-win. 

In contrast, my colleagues in a hybrid model also experience some cost savings, especially when they work from home, but not nearly as much as I do.

The company still incurs expenses for maintaining office space, which can be substantial depending on the size and location. 

The end result?

The overall expenses for a hybrid remote workforce are higher due to the office requirements than the costs of having a fully remote team.

My Final Thoughts

And there you have it! See why team remote work beats team hybrid work? Did this settle the hybrid vs. remote work fight? I hope so. And if you’re looking for epic remote workers, contact Sauce Remote today.

Abie Davis

Meet Abie, a creative soul who has mastered the art of working remotely. When Abie is not busy perfecting his craft, you can find him indulging in his love for painting miniatures. He is passionate about creating valuable content that resonates with his audience.

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