The next phase of hybrid work 

Hybrid work has moved from novelty to normality, but employers and employees are no longer aligned on what it should look like. More than half of employees (56%) now work in the office full-time, yet only 15% would choose this pattern, with three-quarters (75%) preferring a more balanced approach.  

This widening gap signals that organisations face a choice: continue to rely on presence-led models or shift toward purpose-led ones. Presence-led approaches treat attendance as a stand-in for productivity, yet many employees question the value of being on site when work can be completed just as effectively elsewhere. This is reinforced by over 80% of respondents saying that their employer is already well equipped for hybrid working, and by the fact that the main advantages of office time are relationship-driven rather than operational. 

Purpose-led organisations take a different approach. They work to ensure the office delivers something people cannot get remotely. Collaboration, learning from colleagues and a sense of community remain the top benefits of office working, each cited by 38% of employees. These are the moments that matter most and those most difficult to replicate through screens. 

This is where workplace design and intelligent environments matter more. Offices that prioritise comfort, social connection and creative flow, supported by adaptive and data-driven office building systems, can create the kind of focused, collaborative and engaging experiences that are hard to deliver remotely. Hybrid work is increasingly about the value of shared presence, and organisations that design office spaces for high-impact activities and human needs will be best placed to meet expectations and rebuild enthusiasm for coming together. 

Mobility takes centre stage 

The centre of gravity for productivity is also shifting. Laptops remain essential, yet they are no longer the only anchor for work. Smartphones now surpass desktop PCs as everyday work tools in the home environment, with 76% of employees using them for work. Tablets are also more common in both office and home settings, with usage more than doubling year-on-year. 

As a result, work increasingly follows people rather than places. Employees blend personal and employer-provided devices to manage tasks across contexts, and many purchase their own smartphones and tablets to stay productive. This indicates a shift in responsibility and cost from organisations to employees, a trend that organisations should be careful to prevent solidifying into a long-term expectation. 

Traditional provisioning models do not reflect the reality of multidevice, fluid working patterns highlighted in our survey data. Organisations must move from hardware-led strategies to experience-led ones. Seamless access, secure identity management and consistent workflows matter more than the specific device being used. 

A new foundation of employee experience 

As technology foundations strengthen, employee expectations are changing, with 83% of employees say their devices are good enough for the work they do, and software and IT infrastructure also score highly. Frustrations that once dominated, such as password overload or unreliable systems, have eased. 

With the basics in place, employees increasingly focus on how work feels, and work–life balance is now the top driver of a positive experience. Strong relationships, feeling valued and supportive management follow closely, reflecting a workforce motivated by psychological safety, connection and clarity rather than simply access to tools. 

These priorities are further reinforced by the realities of modern working patterns. Although most employees feel well equipped for hybrid arrangements, many still face personal challenges such as managing multiple environments, maintaining boundaries and coping with the cognitive load of fragmented work. The emotional impact of these patterns is more visible in 2025. 

Generative AI is also reshaping these experiences: 87% of employees now use AI in some capacity for work, but their confidence, habits and levels of support vary widely. Our research shows five distinct groups of AI users, ranging from confident early adopters to those who remain cautious. These differences in readiness determine whether AI becomes a performance multiplier or a source of strain, shaping productivity, trust in outputs and levels of guidance needed. Understanding this spectrum of maturity will be central to supporting well-being, reducing uneven pressure across teams and helping organisations design AI-enabled experiences that work for everyone. 

Implications for the future workplace 

Together, these changes point to a workplace that is more fluid, more complex and more dependent on thoughtful design than ever before. Hybrid work will require clearer purpose, mobility will need more flexible foundations and employee experience will demand a deeper emphasis on well-being and sustainable working habits. Generative AI interacts with all these forces, heightening the opportunities and challenges and making it critical for organisations to understand the varying levels of readiness in their workforce. 

The organisations that succeed will be those that focus not only on tools but on the experiences they enable. Human-centred design, supported by workplaces and digital systems that provide balance, autonomy and meaningful interaction, will underpin the next phase of employee experience. Technology remains essential, but its greatest value will lie in enabling healthier, more sustainable patterns of work. The future belongs to organisations that can adapt quickly, respond to shifting expectations and create environments where people can do their best work, wherever that happens to be. 

Maria Bell is a senor analyst at CCS Insight