The Productivity Data Is In: Why Hybrid Working Is an Operational Performance Decision, Not a Cultural One
By Jed Nykolle Harme
May 27, 2026
Photo Credits: Unsplash
The debate over return-to-office mandates has become an operational performance data question, and the data favours flexibility. Two new surveys from Morgan McKinley and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, the latter conducted with the Kemmy Business School at the University of Limerick, find that most workers and HR professionals believe hybrid working delivers better productivity outcomes. For Irish operational leaders, the findings carry direct strategic implications.
The surveys are operational excellence studies as much as workforce preference reports. Where employees choose their working model, productivity rises; where mandates override preference, it falls. Two thirds of CIPD respondents said hybrid working delivered the best productivity outcomes, while 60% of workers in the Morgan McKinley survey said return-to-office mandates had a negative impact on productivity, against just 12% who reported a positive effect.
The employer perspective confirms the same operational logic. Only 22% of employers in the Morgan McKinley survey believe return-to-office mandates have a positive productivity impact, while 33% say the effect is negative. Employers cite collaboration as the primary benefit, with 73% mentioning it, and 69% say it aids culture building. One employer respondent noted that organisations setting high on-site attendance bars must accept a smaller talent pool and will need to offer enhanced pay to compete.
The gender dimension is a significant operational and inclusion risk. Among 440 Morgan McKinley respondents, 69% of women required to work more in the office reported increased stress compared to 52% of men, and 62% of women said it hurt their productivity. Only 47% of women were satisfied with their employer's attendance requirements against 52% of men, and 21% believe increased office mandates signal a reduction in support for diversity.
The CIPD findings, drawn from HR managers with 61% working in the private sector, show that just over 90% believe hybrid working helps recruitment and retention, and 88% report a positive impact on employee wellbeing. Both metrics directly determine operational continuity. The survey notes that 65% feel hybrid limits informal learning and 48% say it makes managing teams more difficult, areas requiring deliberate investment.
Three operational priorities emerge from the combined findings. First, treat working model design as an operational performance decision: the productivity data is clear. Second, invest in manager capability to lead distributed teams effectively, addressing the 48% who find hybrid makes managing harder. Third, use flexible working as a deliberate talent strategy, particularly to retain female employees and broaden the available talent pool.
The Morgan McKinley and CIPD research confirms that flexible working is not a concession to employee preference but a proven driver of operational performance. Irish organisations that design hybrid models with productivity, inclusion, and management capability in mind will build more resilient and higher-performing workforces.
(The views expressed by the writer are his/her own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of BusinessRiver.)
