Hybrid Innovation: Changes in Innovation Amid the Growth of New Work Concepts

The global demand for new work concepts and the rapid expansion of collaborative information technology (CIT) have fundamentally changed how organizations collaborate and innovate. Based on the literature of innovation management, we aimed to elucidate the pervasiveness of CIT and the global demand for flexible means of innovation and their impacts on facets of innovation processes. Our action research revealed how hybrid work has changed an innovation agency’s innovation process from running primarily in person to being almost fully remote and, in turn, following a hybrid approach. Our findings emphasize that the combination of certain tasks (e.g., novel innovation processes), human resource management (e.g., of team characteristics, leadership, and culture), and appropriate infrastructure (e.g., digital tools) has been essential for the agency to innovate in a hybrid setting. Moreover, rearranging its innovation processes for the new setting allowed the reconfiguration of people and innovation teams. Our results also indicate that building relationships, albeit crucial, presents significant challenges in hybrid settings and that though CIT tools have to be implemented, they do not necessarily foster innovation. Indeed, enhancing innovation capabilities requires understanding how to leverage those tools according to frequency, timing, and purpose. Meanwhile, in hybrid settings, offices can serve as a physical space for inspiration, personal interaction, and (tacit) knowledge exchange. Given those findings, the proper management of innovation tools and methods between remote and in-person work environments will be essential for future innovation managers.