In the fourth of the 7-part series of Enterprise Wi-Fi Myths, Senior Project Engineer and Wi-Fi specialist Mark Rigby explores whether hybrid working means less Wi-Fi load.

Myth 4 of 7: Hybrid working means less Wi-Fi load

The myth that hybrid working means less Wi-Fi load is based on the assumption that with fewer people in the office at any given time, there will be less demand on the office Wi-Fi network. However, this belief doesn’t account for several factors that actually increase Wi-Fi load in a hybrid work environment. In fact, hybrid working can often lead to higher demand on Wi-Fi networks, both at home and in the office. Here we discover more about the effects of hybrid working on the Wireless network.

More Devices Per Person in the Office

Misconception: Fewer employees in the office at once means less strain on the Wi-Fi network.

Reality: While fewer people may be in the office at a given time, those who are present are often using more devices per person. Employees typically connect not just their laptops, but also smartphones, tablets, and other wireless devices to the network. Even devices not connected to the Wi-Fi still broadcast, searching for “known” networks contributing to background noise.

Impact: Each additional device, regardless of whether it is actively being used or not contributes to the overall network load. A device that’s idle still will be checking in with the AP, searching for updates, messages and notifications even when not actively in use.

Increased Use of Video Conferencing

Misconception: Fewer workers on-site reduces the need for network resources.

Reality: Hybrid work relies heavily on video conferencing (e.g. Zoom, Microsoft Teams), which is one of the most bandwidth-intensive applications. Whether in the office or at home, workers frequently use video conferencing for meetings, collaboration, and communication.

Impact: Video calls require substantial bandwidth in real time and can significantly increase Wi-Fi load. In a hybrid setup, employees in the office often participate in video calls with remote colleagues over Wi-Fi, leading to high demand for reliable and fast Wi-Fi network to handle multiple streams of audio and video. This makes the network work harder, even with fewer people physically present.

More Collaborative Tools and Cloud Services

Misconception: Less office presence means less demand for network resources.

Reality: Hybrid working relies on cloud-based applications and real-time collaboration tools like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, and project management platforms. These tools require constant data synchronization, file sharing, and collaboration, all of which consume Wi-Fi bandwidth. Whilst the location of these tools may have changed, the bandwidth required to run them is constantly increasing.

Impact: Workers both at home and in the office are constantly connected to cloud services, increasing the amount of traffic flowing through the Wi-Fi network. Hybrid setups encourage the use of cloud apps for document sharing, remote access, and storage, which means even with fewer workers in the office significant network load can still be generated.

Inconsistent Wi-Fi Demands Between Office and Home

Misconception: Fewer employees in the office automatically equals lower overall network demand.

Reality: While fewer people may be in the office, the total Wi-Fi demand remains high due to the dispersed nature of hybrid work. Employees who work from home are still using home networks, but when they return to the office, the shift in network usage can cause spikes in bandwidth demand as they sync files, download updates, and access internal resources. People co-ordinate times to go to office increasing the chances of theses spikes. When people are in the office, they expect the same experience as they would at home

Impact: Hybrid working doesn’t eliminate Wi-Fi load; it redistributes it. When employees come into the office after working remotely, they expect the same experience as they would at home despite their home having less devices connected.

Hot Desking and Shared Spaces

Misconception: Hybrid workspaces with fewer people reduces Wi-Fi usage.

Reality: Hybrid work environments often involve hot desking or shared spaces, where employees frequently change their work locations and wired connections are not installed. This means they often reconnect to the Wi-Fi network in different parts of the office, which increases Wi-Fi roaming, the demand for seamless handoffs between access points, and the overall load on the network infrastructure.

Impact: Frequent movement between desks, conference rooms, and collaboration spaces can lead to increased network traffic in set locations as employees roam between access points. The need for smooth handovers without disconnects or drops in speed increases the pressure on the network infrastructure, especially in dense office environments.

More Reliance on Wireless Devices and IoT

Misconception: Fewer employees on-site means less demand on Wi-Fi from devices.

Reality: Hybrid work environments are often equipped with more wireless devices and IoT (Internet of Things) devices, such as wireless printers, cameras, smart lighting, and HVAC systems. These devices, although small in individual bandwidth usage, can add significant load when used collectively.

Impact: Even if the number of employees decreases, the proliferation of connected devices such as sensors, smart thermostats, and meeting room booking systems adds to the Wi-Fi load. These IoT devices are often always-on and connected, contributing to constant background network traffic.

Wi-Fi Network May Not Scale with Hybrid Work Demand

Misconception: A smaller on-site workforce means the existing Wi-Fi network doesn’t need to be upgraded.

Reality: The assumption that fewer people will ease the burden on Wi-Fi networks ignores the fact that existing network infrastructure may not be designed to handle the changing demands of hybrid work. It should be noted that office events may cause networks that were fine yesterday to become overloaded today. Many networks are not optimized for the increase in real-time collaboration tools, video streaming, and IoT devices.

Impact: Without proper scaling, a network that was “good enough” before hybrid work may become overloaded even with fewer people present or when spikes in presence occur. The result is slower speeds, increased latency, and connection drops as the network infrastructure struggles to keep up with the increased load likely discourage employees to attend the office.

Home Network Offloading Increases Demand on Office Networks

Misconception: Since hybrid workers spend part of their time working from home, the overall load on the office network is reduced.

Reality: Hybrid workers may start their day remotely, but once they arrive at the office, they need to reconnect to the corporate network, offloading work done from home or on the go. Hybrid workers often agree with colleagues to meet in the office together, creating pockets of high demand within small areas of the office.

Impact: When employees return to the office, the grouping of users can cause pockets and spikes of high demand. A network that isn’t designed properly may not be able to cope with this localised challenge.

Conclusion: Hybrid Working Does Not Automatically Reduce Wi-Fi Load

The myth that hybrid working means less Wi-Fi load is rooted in the oversimplification that fewer employees in the office will result in lower network demands. In reality, the nature of hybrid work often increases Wi-Fi load and networks need to be more robust and flexible than ever to handle the diverse, high-bandwidth needs of employees who split time between home and office. The combination of remote and in-office work creates new challenges for Wi-Fi networks, requiring careful planning and upgrading of network infrastructure to maintain performance, security, and reliability.