Navigating the new normal: Examining coattendance in a hybrid work environment

Area of Science:

• Organizational Behavior
• Workplace Analytics
• Human Resources Management

Background:

• The widespread adoption of hybrid work models has created new complexities in coordinating in-office schedules.
• Effective synchronization of employee presence is crucial for collaboration and productivity in hybrid environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify coattendance patterns among employees in a hybrid work setting.
• To investigate the influence of manager and teammate presence on individual employee in-office attendance.
• To identify factors associated with increased coattendance.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of anonymized building access data from approximately 43,000 employees at a global technology company.
• Application of two-way fixed effects regression models to assess the relationship between employee, manager, and teammate presence.
• Statistical examination of coattendance variations based on employee characteristics and work environment.

Main Results:

• Employee in-person attendance was 29% higher when their direct manager was present in the office.
• A one-standard deviation increase in the proportion of present teammates correlated with a 16% rise in individual employee attendance.
• Higher coattendance was observed among recently hired employees, those in Corporate or Operations roles, and individuals working in shared office spaces.

Conclusions:

• Evidence suggests a degree of voluntary schedule alignment among employees in a hybrid work model.
• Manager and peer presence are significant drivers of employee in-office attendance.
• Organizations can foster greater in-office coordination through targeted digital scheduling tools and strategic guidance.