How to Find the Right Hybrid Work Schedule

Learn approaches for building effective weekly schedules

Glenn Setliff at his desk.
Glenn Setliff splits his work week between home and his on-campus office in the Pearson Building. Photo by Stephen Schramm.

When the pandemic began, Glenn Setliff wasn鈥檛 excited about working from home. He liked his sunny Pearson Building office, where everything he needed was at his fingertips. Now working from his Burlington home two days a week, his sentiments have changed.

鈥淚鈥檓 more productive at home than I was at the office,鈥 said Setliff, assistant dean for Information Technology. 鈥淚 think a lot of other people found that out, too.鈥

In the post-pandemic work landscape, a hybrid work arrangement has become a popular option for certain roles. A survey by the McKinsey & Company business consulting firm shows that of the with the option to work remotely at least once per week, 87 percent do.

While a hybrid arrangement offers flexibility, sticking to a routine schedule can be a recipe for success, according to Associate Professor of Marketing Jordan Etkin.

Sharpen Your Skills

Duke Learning & Organization Development offers a wide range of professional and technical development courses.

鈥淚t鈥檚 probably better for most people, on a longer-term basis, to have a plan for being in the office on these days and home on these days,鈥 Etkin said. 鈥淚t helps manage any stress that comes with deciding where to work.鈥

With schedules as varied as roles, staff and faculty share strategies for building a hybrid routine.

Jump In on Monday

A of keycard data by Kastle, a national building security firm, shows that Mondays and Fridays 鈥 due to their proximity to the weekend 鈥 are the most popular remote workdays.

For Associate Director Joy Birmingham, who works mostly remote but comes to campus for meetings and to lead training sessions, Mondays are her first choice for
on-site work.

鈥淚鈥檝e heard many people in my classes say Mondays or Fridays make good, productive bookends to their weeks,鈥 Birmingham said.

Professor of Pathology Laura Hale.

Stay Plugged In

Professor of Pathology Laura Hale fits her schedule around on-site teaching, lab and clinical work. Most Tuesdays and Thursdays she鈥檚 at home reviewing literature, working on proposals and analyzing data.

While many of her colleagues are on campus midweek, Hale said her team鈥檚 embrace of Zoom through weekly virtual catch-up meetings keeps everyone connected and on the same page.

鈥淚 never felt out of touch with my colleagues,鈥 Hale said. 鈥淲orking remotely, we鈥檝e done a good job staying connected.鈥

Focused Finish on Friday

After spending Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays with colleagues on campus, the School of Nursing鈥檚 Setliff reserves Thursdays and Fridays for home to write, edit and plan.

鈥淚n the office, there鈥檚 not a lot of time for strategic thinking,鈥 Setliff said. 鈥淲e all have to plan our work and think how we want to operationalize something.鈥

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