We’ve been talking about it for years: hybrid work, remote flexibility, digital-first cultures. In much of the West, it’s already old news. 

But in Southeast Asia, something far more interesting is happening - a slower, more complex hybrid evolution that’s redefining the future of work, one city at a time.

And at the heart of this transformation? Vietnam.

Hybrid Working - The Status Quo Across SEA

Southeast Asia’s post-pandemic work culture is still in flux. A joint report from Glints and Monk’s Hill Ventures revealed that 45% of companies in the region now offer hybrid options, but only 12% support full remote work. 

In Singapore, 63% of startups support hybrid. In Indonesia, that number dips slightly to 59%

Why is this still a thing for SEA?

• For one, it works - especially for employers.

Research from Stanford’s Professor Nick Bloom and the University of Leeds shows what many forward-thinking leaders already suspect: hybrid work drives better hiring, improves engagement, and boosts retention. 

While some global giants are backpedalling into cubicles and badge-ins, others like Spotify are doubling down on flexible freedom. The streaming giant recently reaffirmed its “Work From Anywhere” policy, with no RTO mandates in sight.

Even Google, crowned Singapore’s most desirable employer, attributes its appeal in part to flexible work models that put employee freedom front and centre.

• Second - it’s good for the employees. 

According to the Southeast Asia Startup Talent Report 2023, employees now weigh flexible or hybrid work just as heavily as performance incentives and year-end bonuses. Companies like Home Credit and platforms like FlexOS emphasise that thriving hybrid cultures aren’t just about Zoom links and Slack threads.

They require intentional well-being programs and trust-based leadership.

Work-life balance is also a strong point for hybrid working. It is essential to recognise that work is now a part of life. 

Hybrid work allows for a new kind of daily rhythm. The rigid 9-to-5 is giving way to “microproductivity,” a model championed by Microsoft’s Chief Scientist, Jaime Teevan. People work in focused blocks between school runs and grocery trips - think 9 AM to 2 PM, then again after dinner. It’s flexible, humane, and surprisingly effective.

Vietnam’s Hybrid Journey: From Tradition to Transformation

Vietnam’s story is a little different. For years, Vietnam was a stronghold of office-first culture. 

Presenteeism mattered. Team lunches mattered. Being seen at your desk mattered. Physical presence equalled productivity. 

A 2021 Manpower Group survey showed the disconnect clearly: 42% of employees wanted hybrid work, but only 41% of employers were willing to consider it.

That began to shift - fast.

The pandemic forced even the most traditional companies to rethink what was possible. Today, Vietnam’s startup hubs like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are buzzing with co-working spaces, digital nomads, and companies experimenting with flexible work setups.

Microsoft Vietnam And The Transformation

Microsoft Vietnam’s hybrid transformation is a case study in how tech can bridge physical and digital worlds.

According to Phan Tú Quyên, Director of Marketing and Operations, Microsoft Vietnam, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Microsoft has implemented a hybrid working model for more than 160,000 employees globally.

But even Microsoft isn’t immune to the friction of hybrid work.

Managers worry: 

• Are people actually paying attention during meetings? Are they engaged? These concerns are real and solvable. Smart tech, like auto-tracking cameras and real-time analytics, helps. But culture and process matter too.

The solutions?

Inside its new office, meeting rooms are wired with Microsoft Teams-native devices - from high-def screens and cameras to smart whiteboards that transcribe notes in real time. Cameras automatically zoom in on whoever’s speaking. 

In addition, Microsoft's new office is also equipped with identification sensors to collect data, such as the frequency of people entering and leaving, the number of people meeting in a room, from which to automatically activate meeting features, analyse and adjust light intensity and room temperature.

A conference room, a control room, and an interactive room. 

The Developer Dilemma: Autonomy vs. Accountability

If hybrid work had a PR problem, it would probably be called “the developer going MIA during a production bug.”

Let’s be honest - developers are the backbone of any tech company. But they’re also the ones most at risk of burnout. Late-night debugging, emergency security patches, constant context-switching—it’s exhausting. Hybrid work, for many developers, is a mental health lifeline.

So yes, developers are keen on finding a job with the special offer “hybrid working”, or “in office only 2-3 days/week”. Less office time = Less anxious time.

But here’s the rub: freedom without structure can backfire.

At PixiTech, a front-end developer once disappeared for a full day while a client’s MVP crashed in testing.

No call. No fix. Just silence.

With deadlines looming, the team hit a dead end.

The fix? 

Insert a middle layer. 

A strong project manager becomes the bridge, keeping developers accountable, ensuring client feedback gets actioned, and stepping in when things slip through the cracks. Hybrid teams can be great.

But without clear structure and communication rituals - like daily standups or scheduled check-ins—it all falls apart fast.

According to TechTimes, 94% of remote employees say their performance hinges on one thing: whether their manager actually trusts them to get the job done.

Trust is key. But so are systems.

Leadership in Transition

Many managers realised that they’re playing a game they were never trained for.

Gone are the days when a quick glance across the office or a tap on the shoulder gave leaders a pulse on productivity.

The hybrid era demands a new kind of leadership toolkit: digital fluency, emotional intelligence, and a sharp eye for signs of burnout that no longer show up as someone looking tired at their desk. 

• Micromanagement is out. Meaningful communication is in. 

You start by translating outdated methods into a new world that no longer works by the same rules.

• Take the founder of a Da Nang-based startup, for example. Early in the transition to hybrid, he realised the old “status check-in” Slack messages weren’t cutting it. So he pivoted. Weekly one-on-one meetings became non-negotiable. Instead of obsessing over what his team was doing every hour, he implemented OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to refocus everyone on outcomes, not activity.

And the result? Productivity rose. Morale stabilised. People knew exactly where the company was going—and more importantly, where they fit into that vision.

The key? Empathy, and then discipline.

In hybrid setups, signals of stress or disconnection are easy to miss. A disengaged employee might still show up to Zoom calls, mute on, camera off, face unreadable. Leaders now have to listen harder, check in more intentionally, and create psychological safety across screens and time zones.

• Soft skills are the new power skills

Having empathy is not enough. 

Leaders now have to choose coaching over commanding, asking instead of assuming, and being radically transparent in a world where hallway updates no longer exist.

It also means letting go.

Letting go of the illusion that proximity equals productivity. Letting go of the need to be in control every second. And learning to trust the process and the people.

The best hybrid leaders today are part-mentor, part-strategist, part-therapist. They know how to set direction and get out of the way. They empower teams. And they understand that culture isn't built in meetings, it’s about the connections and trust built. 

The Bottom Line

Hybrid work in Southeast Asia isn’t just a shift. Consider it as a transformation that cuts both ways. 

For companies with structure, strategy, and resources, think big tech firms and mature startups, it’s a powerful opportunity to build more flexible, productive teams.

But for smaller or less structured organisations, the transition can feel overwhelming. Without clear systems, leadership training, or the right tools, a hybrid can quickly lead to confusion and burnout. Sometimes, they might require a little extra help from other 3rd parties - HR management firm, outstaffing firms, and so on, to ensure a seamless transition. 

The insight? Hybrid work can work - exceptionally well - if companies invest in managing their people, not just their policies. That means leaning on project managers, external partners, and tech that supports accountability and connection.

In the end, hybrid success isn’t about where your team sits. It’s about how well you empower them to move together.