Hybrid Work: Not Just for Multi-Hyphenate Celebrities

It’s no secret we here at WorkDaze are all about flexibility. Especially when it comes to work(ing)—whether it’s joining meetings from the couch, conference room, or concert venue, we want options. And it seems like we’re not the only ones. Just imagine the nightmare a certain late-’90s pop star who just released a tell-all memoir must have gone through trying to balance an empire all while killing it during her 2000 Oops!... I Did It Again tour. Since then, she’s had time to reinvent her process and pivot (see: bestselling memoir), but has your company?

According to Cisco’s Global Hybrid Work Study, only 25% of employees feel their organization is “very prepared” for a hybrid working future. Oops…[those orgs] did it again…failed to embrace flexibility.

“Gimme More” Options

As companies try to adjust to a model inclusive of employee desires, it begs the question: is “trying” enough? What if our pop star simply tried to muster through the scintillating choreography of “...Baby One More Time”? The office should be a magnet, not a mandate. Workers should feel empowered to work from the office or from home—without sacrificing their experience. How can companies support their employees, no matter where they’re working from?

Ditch “Toxic” Tech

It’s no secret remote workers lose time due to technical difficulties during online or hybrid meetings: 77% of employees rated tech support as a top priority for successfully working from home. And data suggests that 98% of all meetings have at least one remote participant but only an estimated 11% of video-enabled meeting rooms in office buildings. Unreliable tech gets in the way of crisp, clear audio and video, creates friction that halts productivity, and leaves cracks in security you definitely don’t want—even if you aren’t writing a monumental memoir that outs a famous ex-boyfriend.

A “Stronger” Work Culture

A hybrid office isn’t just about being able to work from anywhere—it’s about having the same work experience no matter where you are. You should have the right set of tools for productivity while still being there for the people in your life. That might mean catching up on the first half of a meeting you missed to pick up the kids from school or using AI to make up for the dicey internet connection while you’re on the road. A strong work culture means a strong work-life balance.

Get “Lucky” with AI

Even if you don’t have a Burmese python draped around your shoulders, using tools like Webex AI Assistant can fill you in when you forgot you draped your headphones around your shoulders and missed the intro. Or, you can take advantage of Webex AI Audio Codec to deliver quality audio even with poor network connection—it’s like auto-tune, but for your in-and-out sound. Having an inclusive, flexible work culture might feel like luck, but using purpose-built AI plus world-class hardware and software backstage can create workplace magic.

Webex by Cisco wants you to enjoy the flexibility of working from any location you desire—okay, maybe not mid-concert—without sacrificing the quality of your work experience.