New report reveals a ‘hybrid paradox’ as firms recalibrate workplace strategies for 2025
Financial services firms are discovering that hybrid work is both a productivity booster and a growing source of tension.
While 60% of firms view hybrid models as the most productive, leaders remain uneasy about collaboration, burnout, and the cost of office space, according to a new report from workplace management platform Maptician.
The study highlights what it calls the “hybrid paradox” with employees thriving individually with flexible schedules while teamwork suffers. The report notes that “55% of respondents chose full-time in-office work as the most effective environment for cross-functional collaboration.”
Nearly three-quarters of leaders cited reduced informal interactions and brainstorming as the top collaboration challenge, the report Navigating the Hybrid Future: How Financial Services Firms are Managing Productivity, Space, and Burnout in 2025 reveals.
Burnout, meanwhile, is not confined to any one model, with 35% of respondents saying that full-time in-office work presents the highest risk of burnout, while 30% said the same about remote work and 25% about hybrid setups.
Key drivers of burnout include isolation (70% of respondents), difficulty unplugging (40%), and digital fatigue (30%).
Firms are also struggling to effectively asset their real estate, particularly costs. More than a third of firms admitted they “didn’t know or declined to answer” basic questions about cost per square foot, making it difficult to match space investment with actual usage. Despite that lack of insight, 35% of firms said they are increasing in-office engagement initiatives.
Firms are actively adjusting though with 55% investing in improved collaboration tools, 40% revising remote/hybrid policies, and 25% introducing more role-based flexibility.
"Hybrid work isn't just a policy decision—it's a daily operational challenge," said Alaa Pasha, CEO of Maptician. "Financial services leaders are discovering that without the right tools to support visibility, scheduling, and space planning, flexibility quickly turns into friction. This report shows what's working, what isn't, and how firms can build more intentional strategies for the future."
