The New Hybrid Teams: Humans + Agents Are Already Here

In recent conversations with a senior talent leader inside a Global 1000 company, one comment stopped me in my tracks.

She said, “We’re preparing people to lead hybrid teams—not just remote vs. in-person, but hybrid in the sense of humans and agents.”

That insight—clear, current, and courageous—is what we mean when we talk about workforce transformation.

At AI Training Plus, we believe the future of work isn’t coming. It’s already here. And while many leaders are focused on where people work (remote, hybrid, flexible), a deeper shift is happening under the surface: AI agents are already part of your team.

Whether you’ve rolled out Copilot, adopted Perplexity, deployed Gamma, or invested in another AI tool—those tools are now part of your workforce. And for HR, that means a new definition of hybrid work: human + agent collaboration.

The Talent Leader was right: This is bigger than technology integration. It’s transformation. And HR sits in the cockpit.

But that doesn’t mean HR has to “own AI.” In fact, this leader made a powerful distinction—AI integration may belong to IT or operations, but HR’s role is bigger. It’s the 30,000-foot view. HR leads on the people side of transformation: workforce design, leadership development, employee readiness, adoption, and impact.

And that’s where the biggest challenges are showing up. Here’s what we’re seeing:

- Companies are investing in AI tools… but struggling to drive usage.

- Employees are being told to use the tools… but don’t understand what’s in it for them.

- Leaders are being asked to champion transformation… but haven’t had their own transformation.

This is where Free by 3™ comes in.

Free by 3™ is our people-first change management strategy that helps employees see what’s in it for them. It enrolls the workforce, not just instructs them.

The premise is simple:

- If AI can give back 2 hours of your day, what would you do with that time?

- Could you reduce burnout, increase focus, or reinvest in deeper work?

- Could the company redirect that time into innovation, collaboration, or retention strategies?

By focusing on value to the employee first, we unlock value to the organization—including higher usage of AI tools you’ve already invested in.

And just like that, transformation becomes not only possible—but measurable.

So here’s the takeaway: If your organization is preparing leaders to manage hybrid teams, make sure you’re thinking beyond location. The new hybrid isn’t just remote vs. in-office. It’s human + agent.

And if you’re still seeing low AI usage, it’s not a tech problem. It’s a people problem.

We’d love to show you how Free by 3™ can help.

About the Author

Dee C. Marshall is CEO of AI Training Plus and the #1 Thought Leader on The People Side of AI. She is the creator of Free by 3™ and Founder of AI Adoption Day, helping Fortune 1000 companies integrate people-first AI strategies. Connect on LinkedIn.