How to Get the Hybrid or Remote Job You Want: 6 Expert Tips

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ZDNET Highlights

• Most employees are required to be present at least four days a week.
• Back-to-office orders don’t match the digital economy.
• Promote hybrid or remote work by speaking management’s language.

The hybrid or remote work situation is fluid, with greater pressure to return to in-person offices. The number of days hybrid employees are in the office has steadily increased from 2023 to 2025, with 34% now going to the office four days a week, up from 23% in 2023, according to a survey By technology experts Owl Labs. At the same time, the expectations of the employees are moving in the opposite direction. The survey found that 37% of respondents would reject a job without flexible hours, 34% would not accept full-time office requirements, and 30% would need location independence.

Some major employers including Dell, Goldman Sachs and Google have offered office return orderHowever, facilitating hybrid or remote work appears to be in the best interests of employers, especially as they are caught in the struggle for top-level tech talent,

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“Traditional recruiting cannot keep pace with the demand for AI, cloud and cybersecurity talent,” said Greg Paglieri, chief executive of Randstad Digital. “Companies are increasingly relying on global freelancers and digital nomads – the talent pool is expected to grow from 50 million today to more than 60 million by 2030.”

You may be part of this talent pool, but you’re fighting against employers trying to drag everyone back to the office. How do you convince them that it is in their best interests to facilitate flexible work arrangements?

“Hybrid work is no longer a benefit,” said David Maffei, senior vice president and general manager of the Americas at Staffbase. “That’s how people stay productive and connected. When you present it this way, the conversation flows better.”

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Intuitively, hybrid work makes sense, especially for occupations like developers, designers and other digitally enabled roles. “Our entire team is both remote and asynchronous, as are all of our instructors,” said Daniel Dens-Hut, content marketing manager at Zero to Mastery Academy.

“I’m in New Zealand, while most of our team is in the US or Canada, with a few enjoying Costa Rica. I don’t have anything to offer. Everything we do is digital from manufacturing to distribution and communications, so it doesn’t make sense to have an office.”

For professionals, here are six tips for pursuing hybrid or remote work opportunities:

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1. Study the culture of potential employers: Look for employers who value autonomy and results-based performance, advises Radville Sliogeryte, talent acquisition expert at Omnisend. “Make sure you ask them about their values, attitudes, priorities, and day-to-day. Matching expectations matters because perceived autonomy is the strongest predictor of engagement and retention.” When talking to a potential employer, “bring culture into the values ​​conversation,” says Advita Patel, founder and CEO of CommsRebel. “Ask, ‘How do you support people to work in a way that brings out their best?’ This question tells you everything you need to know about their culture.”
2. Be flexible before you even take a job: “Be up front and communicate with your manager or potential employer from the beginning,” urges Madison Ryan, founder of The Digital Hub. “Ask all the questions about work arrangements in an interview in advance, and then talk about your ideal environment. Show how you’ve worked using this model before.” In a job interview, “Be clear about how you do your best work,” Mafi advised. “Instead of saying ‘I want a flexible schedule,’ say ‘Here’s the setup that helps me work at a high level’ and come up with examples of your success. Employers who value performance will understand that.”
3. Look for small to medium-sized companies: Many major employers may have return-to-office orders in place, but smaller companies may be more amenable to flexible arrangements. This is especially true with new companies or startups that are digital natives. So, understand the nature of today’s digital workplace, and avoid investing in elaborate corporate spaces.
4. Focus on what the hybrid helps you do, not just what you want: If you’re in a job and want things to be more flexible, you need to sell managers on hybrid or remote work arrangements by speaking their language. “Managers respond when requests are linked to better work, clear communication and stronger teamwork,” Mafi said. “If you’re already in a job, come up with a straightforward plan. Explain the program you’re proposing and how it will help you stay focused, achieve your goals, and collaborate better with your team. When the question is framed around outcomes, it’s easier for leaders to say yes.”
5. Show how you will stay accountable: One thing that managers fear is losing control if they can’t see what their employees are doing at any given time. The most important question in their minds is, “Will there be any loss in quality?” said Daniel Burrus, Founder and CEO of Burrus Research. “Now pair this with a plan that shows how you will deliver results, remain visible and accountable to your role. Often, when managers hear the word ‘flexibility,’ they interpret that word as a potential loss of control. If they are assured of predictable results, their concerns go away.”
6. Propose a pilot hybrid or remote work project: “Suggest running a remote and async month to test assumptions and see what actually improves,” said Elena Skvortsova, HR director at Muse Group. “During such a pilot, it is important to refocus on metrics and data. The goal is to show that strong results can be achieved wherever people work. When managers see that output remains high or even improves, it becomes much easier for them to support remote or hybrid arrangements.”