Every company has its own workspace strategy. An approach that’s bespoke and supports their business goals and employees.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or desk), you would’ve heard of the three core types: fully office-based, hybrid, and fully remote. But what are their pros and cons?
In this quickfire article, Hubble explores the pros and cons of each workspace strategy—featuring insights from over 125 London startup and scaleup founders we’ve recently surveyed.
1) Fully Office-Based Strategies
A fully office-based strategy means employees spend the majority of their time working from the company’s HQ.
This refers to the centralised office, not an on-demand coworking space for the day.
Arguably the most controversial, these strategies have faced significant employee backlash—especially those on the stricter side, such as Amazon and Dell.
Only 5% of respondents in our survey identify as fully office-based. Here are the top pros and cons they listed:
| Pros | Cons |
| Good ROI on Office Space: Office rent is the second-highest fixed cost for most businesses. Mandating a return to the office ensures you’re not paying for unused space, helping you get a better ROI. | Risk of Employee Backlash: Mandating a return to the officer could result in employee discomfort. This can manifest as increased resignations, decreased motivation, and lower levels of productivity. |
| High Energy: A full office helps contribute to a vibrant and buzzy environment. This can help promote a strong team energy, easy sharing of ideas, and smooth information flow. | Space Limitations: If you’re going to have your workforce back into offices, you need to make sure there’s enough space. This includes phone booths, meeting rooms, and places for collaboration. |
| Productivity Boost: For many people, in-person work is seen as more productive and efficient. It helps facilitate organic chats and smoother problem-solving, helping to improve output. | Getting the Location Right: Team members will pay more to come into the office. Finding a location that works for everyone can be tricky and limiting, but it’s a necessary step. |
2) Hybrid Work Srategies
A hybrid workspace strategy means employees divide their time between working at the HQ and remotely.
There are several ways to implement a hybrid workspace strategy. For example, a time-based approach sets office days on a pre-determined schedule, while a preference-based strategy lets employees choose.
A whopping 71% of companies in our survey identified as hybrid, making it the most popular workspace strategy by far. Here are the top pros and cons they listed:
| Pros | Cons |
| Flexibility and Balance: When employees have the flexibility to work in environments that align with their preferences, it can boost productivity and satisfaction. | Culture Challenges: Some hybrid strategies—like ones where employees choose where they work—could limit in-person interactions and make it harder to build a cohesive team culture. |
| Cost-effectiveness: Hybrid working can reduce the costs that come with a large full-time office, allowing resources to be allocated more efficiently. | Cost vs. Usage: When employees have the choice to come into the office or not, it can lead to high office costs relative to actual usage. |
| Team Cohesion: By still carving out regular days for in-person work, you get to strengthen team bonds and company culture while maintaining autonomy. | Diverse Preferences: For some leaders, balancing in-office and remote preferences is challenging for engagement, leading to lower satisfaction. |
3) Fully Remote Strategies
A fully remote strategy means employees can work from various locations instead of being physically present at the HQ.
These locations can include the home or on-demand workspaces, like private offices for the day or coworking spaces.
In our survey, 22% of companies said they were fully remote, allowing employees to work from anywhere. Here’s what they had to say about the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| Work-Life Balance: A remote work strategy ensures employee satisfaction by promoting a healthy work-life balance that accommodates their personal schedules. | Isolation: Not having access to workspaces can create a sense of isolation among employees, leading to feelings of disconnection and a lack of energy. |
| Cost-Savings: Remote work is a highly affordable strategy, as it reduces overheads and frees up funds for salaries or hiring. | Communication Challenges: When employees are working remotely, communication requires more effort, as you can’t rely on non-verbal cues or tone of voice. |
| Productivity: When employees feel in control of their lives, they are more productive, especially when working in their preferred environment. | Home Distractions: Some people may find it hard to focus at home due to distractions, while others find office environments more conducive to productivity. |
| Improved Processes: With a distributed workforce, documentation and clear communication become priorities, which helps to improve processes. | Risk to Culture: Building a strong team culture is challenging when your team aren’t physically close all the time, resulting in a lack of cultural visibility. |
Download the report
Keen for even more insights from London’s top startup and scaleup founders? Our full report is packed with fresh data on today’s hottest topics, from RTO mandates to workspace satisfaction. You’ll find answers to questions like:
- Where are teams and leaders really working—hybrid, remote, or in the office?
- What changes are leaders planning for the next year?
- Which workspace strategy leads to the highest satisfaction?
…and so much more! Grab your free copy below!
