The second American civil war is quietly unfolding—not on battlefields, but in the org charts and meeting invites of companies across the country. The battleground? Remote and hybrid work. Few workplace shifts have been more widespread or hotly debated. Across industries, regions, and every level of the corporate ladder, the availability of remote and hybrid work options has become a defining factor in where people choose to work. It’s not just a perk—it’s a dividing line.
Employees across generations are asking for more autonomy, but the push is especially strong among Millennials, Gen Z, and even Gen Alpha, for whom flexibility is often seen as non-negotiable. And yet, not every industry—or company—is built to accommodate that demand easily.
I understand both sides. Deeply. I’ve worked with leaders who thrive in collaborative, in-person environments, and with employees who are more focused, efficient, and fulfilled when given the freedom to work remotely. But if you ask me to pick a side, I’ll always choose the one with results.
Construction, like many industries, is a results-based business. It’s not about where the work gets done – it’s about whether it gets done right. The future belongs to the companies that can balance flexibility with accountability, freedom with outcomes. That’s where the real win is.
Here are four best practices we’ve seen our clients use to great success:
#1: Hire employees you can trust.
The foundation of flexibility in the workplace is trust. In order to give employees the freedom and leeway to work whenever and wherever works best for them, managers have to trust that those employees are going to continue producing the high-quality work expected of them. Developing that trust starts during the hiring process.
Review your hiring practices and interview procedures: Are you targeting candidates with high integrity? Are you clearly communicating your expectations about trust? Are you and the hiring team showing integrity, proving to prospective employees that you’re trustworthy too? Build trusting relationships with employees from day one, so that when questions of flexibility come up, you’ll already have the foundation for success.
#2: Clearly establish what success looks like.
It may sound simple, but it’s easy to overlook: in order for employees to meet (or exceed) your expectations, they have to have a clear understanding of what those expectations are. Develop and communicate clear markers of success – benchmarks and KPIs that employees need to hit to be considered “high performing.”
Then track those markers carefully. Trust is important – but it doesn’t have to be blind. Closely monitoring your remote employees’ scorecards benefits everyone, including any employees or managers who may be skeptical of the value of remote work. Having black-and-white criteria for success backs up management’s decision to allow for flexibility by demonstrating consistently high performance. It also provides built-in guardrails for employees who are new to remote work, helping them learn to navigate the system and balance the sometimes-tricky relationship between flexibility and productivity.
#3: Create opportunities for employees to earn trust.
When it comes down to it, trust isn’t just offered – it’s earned. So, create opportunities for employees to earn your trust in remote/hybrid work scenarios. Some employees might have a history of success in remote/hybrid scenarios. For others, consider offering a trial run – for example, give an employee a 30-day trial period for remote work with regular check-ins and scorecard reviews. Then, if things go well, reduce the amount of check-ins or increase the number of remote days.
#4: Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Even if your company or specific employees have a history with remote/hybrid work, it’s always an ongoing process – and especially with the ways that technology is changing every day, everyone’s always learning as they go. If an employee is succeeding in remote or hybrid work, or a new procedure or KPI is showing real promise, share it widely throughout the company. Let other employees know what works, and celebrate your employees’ wins.
On the other hand, if something isn’t working, there’s no need to throw out the whole system – be transparent, proactive, and collaborative in finding a solution. Keep lines of communication open and figure out how to make adjustments that will support everyone’s success.
Remote/hybrid work isn’t for every company or every employee. But for those who can make it work, it can provide a great opportunity for employees to save on commute time, spend more time with their families, and still be high performers at work. For companies, it can be an effective recruiting tool as more top candidates seek flexibility in their workplaces.
The bottom line? In a workplace increasingly divided by how and where work gets done, the real differentiator is results. When you hire people you can trust, set clear expectations, and communicate openly about successes and challenges, you don’t have to worry about how the work gets done – only that it does.
