By Maria Charalampous,
Lecturer of Occupational & Organizational Psychology
Director of MSc in Occupational and Organizational Psychology (Distance Learning), UoL
In a work era where flexibility is playing an increasingly important role, hybrid work is changing the nature of work as we know it, allowing employees to divide their time between the office and home.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Cypriot organizations were forced to implement remote work and, in many cases, to retain hybrid models as a competitive advantage for attracting and retaining staff.
While demand for hybrid work is increasing — with searches on job platforms such as Ergodotisi.com rising by over 40% in the past year — its practical implementation has not yet reached the desired levels. According to an analysis by Luca, Özgüzel and Wei on the Europp Blog of the London School of Economics (18/08/2025), although hybrid work has become the dominant form of employment in many European cities, Cyprus shows statistically significantly lower adoption compared to most European countries.
The question, therefore, remains. If we know how popular hybrid work is, what is holding us back? Part of the answer seems to lie in the fears and misconceptions that surround this way of working. Many employers still worry that employees will “slack off” when working from home — the familiar jokes about workers watching Netflix or doing housework instead of working.
A recent meta-analysis of 108 studies, involving more than 45,000 employees, challenges the view that returning to the office is necessary to boost performance and morale. The findings show that hybrid work is associated with slightly higher job satisfaction, engagement and performance, as well as lower turnover intentions. These benefits are mainly attributed to increased autonomy, while the main drawback is a greater sense of isolation. These two forces tend to balance each other out, leading to overall small but positive outcomes.
What can organizations do to maximize the benefits while minimizing the negative effects?
First, they should meaningfully support employee autonomy through job and workflow redesign that promotes real flexibility and control. Paradoxically, hybrid work can lead some managers to adopt excessive control practices that undermine autonomy.
Second, managers should be trained to evaluate employees based on outcomes rather than constant supervision. Empowering leadership appears to be even more important in remote work environments.
Third, organizations should consciously invest in reducing isolation. Isolation, loneliness and a lack of belonging have now been recognized as serious threats to public health and well-being. Managers can play a crucial role by scheduling regular check-ins, team meetings, and encouraging shared in-office days. In this way, feelings of connection and inclusion are strengthened.
Hybrid work, therefore, is not simply an organizational change. It is a cultural transition that requires trust, new leadership skills, and intentional design. And perhaps the real question for the Cypriot workplace is not whether we are ready for hybrid work — but whether we are ready to leave behind old assumptions about what it means to “work.”
