Step 7.4: Internal and External Factors impacting Hybrid Working

Step 7.4

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 20:12:36 GMT

by Melania Kolozsi.

According to Mark Mortensen's article on hybrid working, there is no right answer to whether working from home is better than in an office. Businesses must focus on three interconnected issues: honouring stakeholder promises, attracting and keeping qualified personnel, and maintaining a strong culture. The company, industry, and workforce determine the relative relevance of internal and external factors affecting these difficulties.

Hybrid work raises questions regarding efficiency, collaboration, and stakeholder promise-keeping. Companies must consider the types of work they conduct, employee dependence, and remote work technology. Jobs that require teamwork, creativity, or quick decision-making may not perform well in entirely remote workplaces since people don't chat as often or interact as spontaneously. Competitive pressures and technological improvements are forcing firms to employ AI and digital technologies, which can improve efficiency but also affect how they work. Numerous organisations during and after the COVID-19 epidemic showed that short-term production was maintained or increased under unacceptable conditions, such as prolonged working hours and unclear work-life boundaries. Mortensen thinks the most critical question is whether remote work remains effective under these conditions.

After the pandemic, finding and keeping good workers has become increasingly vital in the job market. Employee employment expectations have changed. Flexible working is now a common benefit, not a luxury. Companies without hybrid alternatives risk losing brilliant staff to competitors who offer more freedom. Fairness and consistency are disputed inside the organisation. Who can work from home depends on their role, seniority, or personal circumstances, which may make some people feel unfairly treated. Candidates generally value flexibility over compensation and career advancement; therefore, hybrid rules affect recruitment results, according to several companies. Mortensen's claim that the issue isn't remote work versus office work, but how workers value each is supported. Some firms have responded by making their hybrid policies public, setting expectations, and transforming office work to be more about collaboration and socialising than just getting things done.

The final obstacle, maintaining and strengthening the company culture, is perhaps the hardest and longest-lasting. Trust, psychological safety, and informal social interactions shape organisational cultures. These can weaken when working from home. Studies and organisational experience suggest that remote workers may feel more isolated, less connected, and less aware of company rules. New hires, who learn "how things are done" by watching and learning informally, are especially affected. Cultural values are also shifting due to societal changes like digitisation and work-life balance. Many organisations describe a progressive decline in social cohesion that reduces relationship-building and collective sense-making. In response, some have organisedoffice days, team-building activities, and digital collaboration tools to connect. These attempts have mixed results.

When we look at how organisations work, we see that hybrid work has both beneficial and harmful effects. Many employers report that their employees experience increased happiness, reduced commuting time, and access to a larger talent pool without geographical constraints. However, communication failures, less creativity due to less interaction, and culture issues arise. For instance, big software companies and professional service organisations now use hybrid models that combine telecommuting with office hours. They are striving to balance these needs.

Companies are employing several techniques to help hybrid workers cope. These include buying digital tools to help individuals collaborate, training managers to lead distributed teams, and defining clear work-life balance limitations. Some organisations are redefining their positions to match hybrid cultures, focusing on results rather than hours. Leaders are also realising the importance of intentional culture-building, which includes contact, feedback, and inclusiveness.

Step 7.4

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:07:27 GMT

by Velislava Stoycheva Hristova.

The debate surrounding hybrid work has intensified in recent years, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Mark Mortensen (2021), organisations must navigate three key challenges when designing hybrid work systems: delivering stakeholder commitments, attracting and retaining talent, and maintaining organisational culture. Within the hospitality sector, and specifically for Celebrity Cruises, these challenges are significantly shaped by both internal operational structures and external environmental pressures. This evaluation critically examines the extent to which hybrid work is feasible and effective within this context.

Delivering stakeholder commitments is particularly complex. Internally, cruise operations depend on physical presence, limiting hybrid work to shore-based roles and creating a divided workforce. This fragmentation can reduce coordination between corporate and onboard teams. Externally, high customer expectations and strict maritime regulations require consistent service delivery (CLIA, 2023), reinforcing the need for in-person operations. Consequently, hybrid work remains restricted in its application.

Attracting and retaining talent presents further challenges. Internally, unequal access to hybrid work may reduce morale among ship-based employees. Externally, labour shortages and evolving employee expectations for flexibility increase competition (Baum et al., 2020). As part of the Royal Caribbean Group, Celebrity Cruises has responded through training, diversity initiatives, and employer branding, although structural limitations persist.

Maintaining organisational culture is also problematic. Hybrid work risks creating a dual culture between flexible corporate staff and fully onsite operational teams. This may weaken cohesion and informal communication, particularly within a global workforce (Hofstede, 2011).

Overall, Celebrity Cruises demonstrates a selective approach to hybrid work. While it enhances flexibility for corporate roles, it remains largely incompatible with core operations. This supports Mortensen’s (2021) argument that hybrid work requires careful design and is not universally applicable, particularly within service-intensive industries.

The shift towards hybrid work within Celebrity Cruises can be characterised as selective rather than transformational. For shore-based roles, hybrid work has introduced greater flexibility, improved work-life balance, and enhanced talent attraction. This represents a positive development aligned with broader industry trends.

However, for ship-based roles, there has been little to no shift towards hybrid work due to operational constraints. This creates a structural imbalance within the organisation, potentially leading to employee dissatisfaction and disengagement among those unable to access flexible working arrangements. Furthermore, the divergence between corporate and operational work environments may undermine organisational cohesion in the long term.

Therefore, while hybrid work offers benefits in specific areas, its overall impact within Celebrity Cruises is limited and uneven.

Celebrity Cruises has adopted several strategies to mitigate the challenges associated with hybrid work. Firstly, the organisation has implemented a segmented workforce approach, aligning work models with job requirements. This ensures that operational efficiency is not compromised while allowing flexibility where feasible.

Secondly, the company has invested in employee experience initiatives, including training, wellbeing programmes, and career development opportunities. These efforts aim to address retention challenges and enhance employee satisfaction.

Thirdly, digital communication technologies have been utilised to improve coordination between ship and shore teams. This is essential for maintaining operational alignment in a hybrid environment.

Finally, the organisation has strengthened its employer branding and diversity initiatives to remain competitive in the global labour market. While these strategies demonstrate a proactive approach, they do not fully eliminate the structural limitations of hybrid work within the cruise industry.

References:

Baum, T., Mooney, S.K.K., Robinson, R.N.S. and Solnet, D. (2020) ‘COVID-19’s impact on the hospitality workforce’, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 32(9), pp. 2813–2823. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-04-2020-0322

CLIA (2023) State of the cruise industry report 2023. Washington, DC: Cruise Lines International Association. Available at: https://cruising.org (Accessed: 4 April 2026).

Hofstede, G. (2011). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind. 3rd edn. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Mortensen, M. (2021). Is remote work better than being in the office? It’s complicated. TED Talk. Available at: https://www.ted.com/talks/mark_mortensen_is_remote_work_better_than_being_in_the_office_it_s_complicated (Accessed: 3 April 2026).

Step 7.4

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:00:58 GMT

by Christine Akello.

Based on your research what evidence of internal and external challenges have you found?

At Hanscomb limited, some of the challenges discussed by Mark Mortensen in the Ted Talk are relatable. Covid-19 pandemic pushed the organisation to start working remotely, which has persisted up to now as the organisation has not returned to its previous model of full-time office-based work. This shift has created some internal and external challenges. Internally, employees are finding it harder to establish boundaries between work and personal life, due to extended working hours especially for new employees who are trying to make a good impression. This challenge is exacerbated by the constant availability associated with remote work. This could be even more stressful for parents of school-aged children, as they juggle work demands with family responsibilities. Hybrid working, has also affected work effectiveness, as construction consultancy relies a lot on collaboration, which can be a bit challenging in a hybrid working environment. Moreover, the social fabric of the organisation has also been impacted by hybrid working, as employees can sometimes feel isolated and lonely, which can weaken team cohesion and workplace culture. In addition to these internal issues, Hanscomb Limited also faces a few external challenges which can be linked to hybrid working. For example, the construction consultancy sector can be highly competitive, and attracting and retaining talent has become more challenging. If newly hired employees feel hybrid working is not fit for them, they may choose to move to competitors. This can create external pressures on the organisation to develop a culture that aligns with broader industry trends and preferences for candidates in order to remain competitive in the labour market.

Have you noticed a positive/negative shift towards hybrid within that organisation?

There has been both a positive and negative shift towards hybrid within Hanscomb Limited. Some employees prefer hybrid working as it offer greater flexibility, reduces commuting time and supports improved work-life balance. On the other hand, there has been a noticeable negative shift among some employers, especially the older generation, who prefer the previous model of full-time office-based work, as they value face‑to‑face interaction, in‑person meetings, and spontaneous collaboration that is harder to do in a hybrid environment.

What is that organisation doing to alleviate the employee challenges associate with Hybrid working?

Hanscomb Limited is currently taking several steps to alleviate the employee challenges associated with Hybrid working. For example, they introduced clearer expectations on work-life boundaries by establishing a clearer start and end points to the working day, encouraging employees to use ‘Do Not Disturb’ functions on collaboration platforms, and discouraging staff from responding to emails outside of core working hours to reduce the pressure of constant availability. In addition, the organisation also encourages employees to attend the office periodically, who primarily work remotely, helping to maintain some form of social fabric of social connection and team cohesion. Those who prefer a full-time office-based schedule are also supported, accommodating different working preferences.