Ernst & Young has launched its inaugural EY Future Workplace Index, which tracks executive sentiment and behavioral data around the workplace of the future. The survey – one of the first of its kind and a barometer for the redefinition of the workplace – reveals the future of work is hybrid, meaning historically office-based workforces will work from the office and remote locations at any given time, and, for many, the traditional role of the office will become obsolete.

The survey found that 72% of office-based organizations are currently working in a hybrid environment, and that 75% of respondents anticipate they will not have any one dominant work location going forward. The data points to a new reality: how we work has fundamentally changed, and the office workplace will likely never go back to a traditional nine-to-five, in-office schedule.

"Though hybrid work is here to stay, the C-suite isn't creating the policies necessary for long-term hybrid workplace success," says Mark Grinis, EY Global Real Estate, Hospitality & Construction Leader. "We know the pandemic's effect on future workplaces continues to be substantial. The Index reveals there is a critical gap, and guidelines are needed to maximize sustained workplace success in a hybrid environment."