maintain flexibility

The Indian-based company, Infosys, recognised one of the benefits of hybrid work options is the inclusion of more women in the workplace. This benefit will only hold true if your team leaders maintain an empathy-first mindset that allows some flexibility when it comes to remote work.

Since building a hybrid workplace is a work in progress, team leaders shouldn’t assume that they understand the challenges your workers are facing. The reality is that the pandemic has spurred a desire for a healthy work-life balance. In fact, a recent Randstad study showed that 62% of employees would leave their current job for a less desirable position if it offered greater flexibility.

To eliminate the risk of increased turnover, leaders must allow for some level of flexibility within the hybrid work schedule. Leaders must also discuss work-life challenges directly with their workers before trying to offer any type of resolution.

reduce burnout

Team leaders must take proactive measures to avoid employee burnout. Start by reducing the number of virtual meetings held by only holding meetings that are necessary to team performance. Instead, use other communication and workplace management tools to keep your team connected. Additionally, consider setting ‘do not disturb’ times for your team to encourage undisturbed productivity. For example, Citigroup has Zoom-Free Fridays to ensure their workers have at least one day to focus solely on individual work matters.

4. focus on inclusivity

Maru Flores, Global Collaboration and Client Productivity Services leader at Ford, recognises that “The key thing about a hybrid workplace model is making sure workers in the office and at home feel equally connected to the workplace.” However, maintaining inclusivity in a hybrid workplace can be quite challenging. The most important step is for leaders to understand these challenges and to find ways to create an equal work experience for both remote and onsite workers.

develop synchronised communication channels

One of the biggest challenges of inclusivity in a hybrid work model is team communication. It’s quite easy for conversations to happen onsite without the pertinent information being communicated to remote workers. After all, in-person communication has been the way of work for most workers’ entire careers. To overcome this challenge, leaders must readjust their mindsets pertaining to workplace communication and invest in a suite of digital tools that allow for seamless communication between team members.

create inclusive meeting spaces

No matter what type of hybrid work model your organisation develops, there’s a strong likelihood that many meetings will include a mixture of remote and onsite workers. With this expectation, be sure to create collaboration spaces that are ideal for hybrid meetings.

For example, Google has created ‘campfire meeting’ spaces that include a mixture of seats and screens in a circular design. Screens are placed close to eye level to give the appearance of a traditional in-person meeting. While creating such elaborate meeting spaces may not be in the company’s budget, it’s important to ensure your teams have the tools and equipment necessary to create meeting spaces that promote inclusion.

promote employee recognition

Studies show that employee recognition programs can produce 2.5 higher engagement rates. Investing in employee recognition or tailoring your current program to a hybrid work model can be a great way to display inclusivity in the workplace. Consider offering regular recognition options that are tied to a benefits program or hosting virtual recognition meetings that involve the entire company or department.

5. conduct unbiased performance monitoring

Another challenge of remote work is monitoring employee performance without displaying bias to onsite workers. The reality is that most of your leaders have been using day-to-day observations to assess worker performance forever. With a hybrid work model, these leaders must change the way they assess workers' performance day-in and day-out. Here are some tips to make this a reality.

create a structured employee performance review process

Studies in the UK done prior to the pandemic revealed that remote workers were 50% less likely to earn promotions over their onsite workers. Companies hoping to make hybrid work a permanent option must do better. Start by creating a structured employee performance review process that minimises the element of bias by incorporating the use of workplace KPI metrics along with direct observations.

build trust between management and workers

For hybrid work to be successful, management must maintain a level of trust with its workers, especially when they are working remotely. It’s impossible to micromanage remote workers while still expecting them to remain productive during the day. While managers may express concern over performance by remote workers, studies show that employees working from home are 24% more productive.

Managers struggling with building trust with their team can consider alternative methods to track the productivity of remote workers. For example, a Malaysian company, ADA, uses a simple Excel form to require workers to complete daily task charts, so managers can track their progress whether working onsite or remotely.

offer regular feedback

If you’re not careful, some employees can feel lost in the shuffle between onsite and remote work. Leaders can avoid this feeling of uncertainty among team members by offering feedback on a regular basis. In an onsite work environment, regular feedback occurs sporadically throughout the day. However, with partial remote work, opportunities to have random onsite meetings are limited, so your leaders will have to make a habit of providing valuable feedback using other communication channels.

Taking proactive measures to prepare your team leaders for the shift to a hybrid workplace can go a long way in ensuring a seamless transition for the workforce at large. Download our mini-guide to learn what are the steps you need to boost engagement in a hybrid workplace.

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