Working from home has recently become the new normal. As a result, we are reluctant to give up this hard-won right. With productivity and employee satisfaction on the rise, it makes sense that many organisations don’t want to give it up either. A global survey by McKinsey found that nine out of ten organisations maintain a hybrid form of working, combining remote and on-site work.
So hybrid working is here to stay. For many organisations it is still quite new. How do you set it up without losing control of your team’s output? How do you strike the right balance between online and offline collaboration? And, as a manager, how do you give people enough direction and attention? Here are 5 tips to help you manage your team smoothly now that you are working hybrid.
It is important for everyone in the organisation to see each other in person from time to time. There are often complex relationships between teams and colleagues. As a manager, you cannot be expected to have insight into all these relationships. What you can do is create structure by assigning different days of the week to different project teams or disciplines. Make it clear to people that, outside of these guidelines, they have autonomy over where they want to work.
Try to use the same days each week. Variations can cause confusion. Encourage employees and team members to come into the office on the ‘unassigned’ days, but do not make it compulsory.
Employees with large home offices are less likely to come into the office than those who share a living room with flatmates, for example. HR managers should also start to see home offices as official workplaces and make sure they are equipped with the right technology and set up as a quality work environment, just like the office.
Also consider the disadvantages of not being in the office. After the lockdown, almost all organisations agree that working remotely can be just as productive as working in the office. Although some companies still work entirely remotely, managers of companies that use a hybrid form of working should be aware of unconscious biases. In fact, some statistics show that employees who spend more time in the office are more likely to be viewed positively. Take this into account or put new protocols in place to ensure this equality.
The productivity benefits of hybrid working can be quickly wiped out by one-size-fits-all policies, rigid schedules, and unfair allocation of space. You can maximise productivity by ensuring that the best combination of people are in the office at certain times, such as colleagues working on the same projects. At the same time, encourage a culture where remote working is seen as a positive alternative to taking on tasks that can be done efficiently from home.
Reward your people for efficiency and effectiveness rather than interactivity. Give them the autonomy to decide how to achieve this.
Everyone experienced the corona period differently. The question is how to start working together again when you come from completely different worlds. As a manager, if you don’t take care to understand each other’s perspective, you will continue with an unspoken history at a disadvantage. It takes new energy, and you need to make time for it. So don’t cut straight to the chase but create space for a bit of reflection where everyone feels heard and seen.
The main area of disagreement is whether or not there should be a minimum number of hours of attendance. The best approach here depends mainly on the type of company or industry you work in.
Employees are the essence of your business and providing them with flexibility is key. However, the challenge is to balance their needs with the needs of the business. While technology can provide structure and frameworks to make managing people and space easier, it is still important for managers to establish rules to foster a strong and positive work culture that attracts and retains the best employees.
A visionary leader inspires others with a shared vision. They motivate them to move forward and ensures that they pursue goals that contribute to achieving that vision.
Coaching leaders allow people to express their skills and career ambitions. They delegate challenging tasks to show their confidence. This leads to high levels of loyalty.
The people-focused leader emphasises relationships and connection and pays close attention to emotional needs. This style works well with visionary leadership.
The democratic leader involves employees in goals and decision-making, which increases their motivation, commitment, and self-assurance. This leads to more successful cooperation and good organisational performance.
The competitive leader sets challenging goals. They expect top effort without individual coaching and demands improvement from poor performers. This leads to good short-term results but causes long-term exhaustion and deteriorating results.
Authoritarian leaders have a powerful presence and give clear instructions without the need for approval. They expect people to follow them and monitor their employees closely.
