Why hybrid workers are stressing out about the 'coordination tax'

Hybrid work is now the most common type of working arrangement, with many people saying a mix of in-office and home-working makes them happier, healthier and more productive than if they were in the office five days a week. But there are still issues to be worked out, including the logistics and organisation involved when you’ve got more than one workplace – aka, the ‘coordination tax’.

The coordination tax faced by hybrid workers is the idea that hybrid workers may be in the office on different days. This means there is additional coordination required to plan a working week and meet with colleagues, says Elyssa Desai, a careers and mindset expert, speaker and coach who has advised clients including Snapchat and Sweaty Betty.

When you’ve got two workplaces to maintain, it can add an additional layer of stress. You have to think about who you need to meet on your in-office days, taking your laptop to-and-from work, remembering what else you need to bring, and planning your travel.

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“Having to plan which days to be at the office definitely increases cognitive load,” says Desai. “Navigating your personal life around which days to be in and then coordinating with your colleagues can become stressful and tiring.”

Finding time for meetings in busy schedules can be challenging enough without having to factor in who is going to be in the office at the same time as you. “You may want to collaborate on a project in person, but you can end up with some colleagues in the room and some dialling in,” she adds. “It can be hard to know whether people are in the office on a particular day or not.”

Additionally, Ruth Wood, director of Resonate Leadership and host of Frustrated and Exhausted, adds that the plethora of communication apps and technologies adopted during the COVID pandemic hasn't helped and adds to decision fatigue.

“There are also fewer in-person interactions, which can make it harder to resolve disagreements between colleagues and rebuild trust – this can raise stress levels significantly and lead to worsening performance of individuals and teams.”

Many workers report that hybrid arrangements can be exhausting. In a global study by employee engagement platform Tinypulse, more than 80% of people leaders reported that part-time office work is exhausting for employees. Workers also stated that hybrid work was more emotionally draining than being fully remote or in the office full-time.

However, flexibility offers clear benefits for those who want a better work-life balance, and especially for parents who need the adaptability to juggle caring responsibilities with work. And, given 91% of businesses in the UK have hybrid workers, it’s even more important to address the challenges of splitting your time between the office and home.

So what can employers do to make hybrid work schedules easier for workers?

For jobs that can be done fully remotely, allowing people to work from home full-time may give them more control over their time and schedules. However, this requires a mindset shift for employers, who need to trust that their staff can get things done without being watched. It might also require more thought about how a team can come together remotely, for example, by using online conferencing tools.

Making use of remote or hybrid tools – of which there are plenty as a result of the shift to home-working during the pandemic – is also important. However, employers need to be clear about what technology should be used to avoid miscommunication, lost messages and the frustration that comes with switching between different platforms like Teams, Zoom, Slack and email.

Hybrid work can still be a good balance for workers, as long as they get a say in how they work – and it isn’t entirely dictated by the employer. Otherwise, employees end up with a working week that they have no control over, which can be as stressful as being forced to commute to an office every day. If workers are required to be in the office for two days a week, it should be for a clear reason.

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“Employers can make things easier in a number of ways,” says Wood. “Have a very clear policy to start with so that everyone knows where they stand, ensure that individuals communicate obviously where they are on any given day well in advance, and ensure that meeting rooms are equipped for others to join remotely. It’s also key to invest in relationship-building – this is an absolute must to reduce the impact of conflict and toxic behaviours.”

For hybrid workers, organisation is crucial. “Employers could create an anchor day, which is a set day each week where the whole team is in,” says Desai. “Individuals could then be encouraged to use this day for meetings and collaboration time where it would be beneficial to be in person.”

“Consider how employees can share with each other which days they will be in, is there software you can use for this - or do individuals need to indicate this in their calendars? Ideally it would be easy for anyone to be able to check whether someone will be in the office on a particular day without having to message them,” says Desai.

She adds that it is important to keep speaking to employees about what is and isn’t working for them. “Regularly ask for feedback and see what can be improved,” she says. “For many companies it has only been a few years since most of their employees started to work in a hybrid way so be open to adapting and learning what works well and what doesn’t for teams.”

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