Where Companies Want Employees to Work — and Where People Actually Want to Work

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Work environments

by

Radostina Purvanova

and

Alanah Mitchell

by

Radostina Purvanova

and

Alanah Mitchell

Illustration by Klawe Rzeczy

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Summary.

Companies are trying various strategies to adjust to a “new normal” in work modalities, ranging from fully in-office to fully remote to a mix of both. A comprehensive study covering interviews and ethnographic research within three major organizations, each employing a distinct work strategy, has unearthed a fascinating discovery: the intersection of company strategies and individual work preferences culminate in nine distinct employee personas. From the Avatar in a remote-first setting to the Producer in an office-forward environment, these personas reflect how alignment or misalignment between organizational approach and personal preference impacts an employee’s outlook and behavior. With these insights, organizations are encouraged to recognize, understand, and strategically address these personas to foster a harmonious and productive workplace.

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Contemporary narratives depict the workplace as an arena where managers keen on reinstating office routines clash with employees who cherish their work-from-home arrangements. That’s catchy but inaccurate. Rather, the modern workplace is a testbed where organizations are presently experimenting with different approaches to a “new normal.” Some are indeed throwing down the gauntlet via an office-forward strategy to preserve company culture. But others are embracing reinvention via a remote-first strategy to provide maximal employee flexibility. Still others are threading the needle via a hybrid strategy to synergize culture and flexibility.

Read more on Work environments or related topics Remote work , Hybrid work and Human resource management

RP Radostina Purvanova is a professor of leadership and management at Drake University’s Zimpleman College of Business.

AM Alanah Mitchell is the associate dean of academic affairs and Aliber Distinguished Professor of Information Systems in the Zimpleman College of Business at Drake University.

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Read more on Work environments or related topics Remote work , Hybrid work and Human resource management

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Navigation Menu. Subscribe. Sign In. Account Menu Account Menu Hi,  Guest. Search Menu. Close menu. CLEAR. SUGGESTED TOPICS. Explore HBR. Latest. The Magazine. Ascend. Podcasts. Video. Store. Webinars. Newsletters. Popular Topics. Managing Yourself. Leadership. Strategy. Managing Teams. Gender. Innovation. Work-life Balance. All Topics. For Subscribers. The Big Idea. Data & Visuals. Reading Lists. Case Selections. HBR Learning. Subscribe. My Account. My Library. Topic Feeds. Orders. Account Settings. Email Preferences. Log Out. Sign In. Subscribe. Latest. Podcasts. Video. The Magazine. Ascend. Store. Webinars. Newsletters. All Topics. The Big Idea. Data & Visuals. Reading Lists. Case Selections. HBR Learning. My Library. Account Settings. Log Out. Sign In. Your Cart. Visit Our Store. My Library. Topic Feeds. Orders. Account Settings. Email Preferences. Log Out. Reading Lists. 1 free. s. last free article. Subscribe. Create an account. Work environments. by. Radostina Purvanova. and. Alanah Mitchell. by. Radostina Purvanova. and. Alanah Mitchell. Illustration by Klawe Rzeczy. Tweet. Post. Share. Annotate. Save. Get PDF. Buy Copies. Print. Summary. Companies are trying various strategies to adjust to a “new normal” in work modalities, ranging from fully in-office to fully remote to a mix of both. A comprehensive study covering interviews and ethnographic research within three major organizations, each employing a distinct work strategy, has unearthed a fascinating discovery: the intersection of company strategies and individual work preferences culminate in nine distinct employee personas. From the Avatar in a remote-first setting to the Producer in an office-forward environment, these personas reflect how alignment or misalignment between organizational approach and personal preference impacts an employee’s outlook and behavior. With these insights, organizations are encouraged to recognize, understand, and strategically address these personas to foster a harmonious and productive workplace. Tweet. Post. Share. Annotate. Save. Get PDF. Buy Copies. Print. Contemporary narratives depict the workplace as an arena where managers keen on reinstating office routines clash with employees who cherish their work-from-home arrangements. That’s catchy but inaccurate. Rather, the modern workplace is a testbed where organizations are presently experimenting with different approaches to a “new normal.” Some are indeed throwing down the gauntlet via an office-forward strategy to preserve company culture. But others are embracing reinvention via a remote-first strategy to provide maximal employee flexibility. Still others are threading the needle via a hybrid strategy to synergize culture and flexibility. Read more on Work environments or related topics Remote work , Hybrid work and Human resource management. RP Radostina Purvanova is a professor of leadership and management at Drake University’s Zimpleman College of Business. AM Alanah Mitchell is the associate dean of academic affairs and Aliber Distinguished Professor of Information Systems in the Zimpleman College of Business at Drake University. Tweet. Post. Share. Annotate. Save. Get PDF. Buy Copies. Print. Read more on Work environments or related topics Remote work , Hybrid work and Human resource management. Partner Center. Latest. Magazine. Ascend. Topics. Podcasts. Video. Store. The Big Idea. Data & Visuals. Case Selections. HBR Learning. Subscribe. Explore HBR. The Latest. All Topics. Magazine Archive. The Big Idea. Reading Lists. Case Selections. Video. Podcasts. Webinars. Data & Visuals. My Library. Newsletters. HBR Press. HBR Ascend. HBR Store. Article Reprints. Books. Cases. Collections. Magazine Issues. HBR Guide Series. HBR 20-Minute Managers. HBR Emotional Intelligence Series. HBR Must Reads. Tools. About HBR. Contact Us. Advertise with Us. Information for Booksellers/Retailers. Masthead. Global Editions. Media Inquiries. Guidelines for Authors. HBR Analytic Services. Copyright Permissions. Manage My Account. My Library. Topic Feeds. Orders. Account Settings. Email Preferences. Account FAQ. Help Center. Contact Customer Service. Follow HBR. Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. Instagram. Your Newsreader. About Us. Careers. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Copyright Information. Trademark Policy. Higher Education. Corporate Learning. Harvard Business Review. Harvard Business School.