Suddenly Hybrid

Conclusion: What to Focus on When the Future Still Seems Blurry

In so many ways, this book is still being written. Despite the name, the second major meeting disruption is not a sudden event, but rather a journey with a path that resembles switchbacks rather than straight lines.

As of this writing, countless companies have laid out their plans for a return to the office, often with flexible work options baked in, only to have those plans delayed by the COVID‐19 pandemic's fits and starts. Policies and processes have been hammered out, only to be scrapped a short time later. Article upon article of what to try and what to avoid when transitioning to hybrid are populating news feeds on a daily basis – advice that is sometimes even contradictory. All the while, technology continues to evolve to support the future of work in whatever form that may be. Innovation at a somewhat frenzied pace is driving new software, new hardware, and new designs of physical spaces where teams can gather and connect. The perpetual state of change is dizzying for all who have felt like they've been shape‐shifting since March 2020.

If you are looking for some solid ground amid all this uncertainty, we suggest this: focus on your people and tightening up team cohesion. By concentrating on the people in the hybrid meeting equation, you will be able to weather whatever the “next normal” is. The environment surrounding hybrid meetings may always – or at least certainly for years to come as organizations ...