Hybrid working is here to stay and for good reason. Employees want it, citing better work-life balance and a more efficient use of time among some of the key benefits. Employers embrace it as a way of improving retention rates, attracting a more diverse talent pool and reducing office costs. But managing a hybrid team comes with its own set of challenges. In this latest blog from Reed Learning, we discuss some of the issues and risks that hybrid work presents and look at strategies to overcome these hurdles.
Managing people is challenging enough but how do you do it well when your team is divided between the office and home?
Do you delegate fairly?
Are you sharing important information with all team members at the same time and not through impromptu conversations with colleagues at HQ?
Do you spend too much time supervising team members in the office at the expense of your remote workers?
There’s no one size fits all solution when it comes to leading a hybrid team but managing these obstacles successfully results in more engaged workers and better organisational performance.
What is hybrid working?
The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) defines hybrid working as a form of flexible working where workers divide their time between working in the office and working remotely. However, it’s difficult to define accurately because every company’s hybrid system is different, and sometimes it can vary week by week. Research in 2023 by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that while 45% of organisations have a formal hybrid policy in place, 24% take an informal approach.
For some employers, hybrid working means that people can work from home at their discretion. For others, it revolves around particular schedules where employees are required to come into the office certain days of the week. Flexible working practices can further confuse matters.
The benefits of flexible working
When it comes to establishing a better work-life balance, hybrid environments work well for many people because they combine the best of both worlds. As an employee, you have control over your work schedule and busy home life providing flexibility to do the school run, take the dog for a walk or go to the gym during the day. The ability to stay focused without interruption at home is also valued, while regular days in the office mean you stay connected to your colleagues allowing both in-person collaboration and team building.
For managers too, seeing workers in person on a regular basis means an opportunity to invest time with their teams. Some degree of remote work flexibility also translates to better employee retention – invaluable in a tight labour market - more engagement, and less burnout. Hybrid and remote work models allow individuals to work during their most productive hours, such as early morning or late into the evening, providing an environment that suits their work preferences. The result for business is often more focus and increased productivity.
The pitfalls of a hybrid culture
While there are clearly substantial benefits, hybrid working does not come without its risks with key pitfalls being the difficulty of getting people back into the office when needed, alongside the problems of managing a team from a wellbeing and performance perspective.
Other issues, according to a study by the professional networking site Linkedin, include:
Less access to work resources and equipment – 35%
Less connections to the organisation’s culture – 32%
Decreased team collaboration – 30%
Difficulty in coordinating work schedules, tasks and timelines – 21%
Effective strategies for managing a hybrid team
Hybrid teams which blend in-office and remote work, present a unique set of challenges and opportunities for managers and leaders. In the dynamic landscape of 2024’s flexible work environment, here are five key strategies to consider:
Maintain a team culture and develop effective communication
If you’re moving to a hybrid working model, it’s vital to define and communicate what hybrid working actually means in your organisation. Every single organisation will do it differently and we can’t assume colleagues will share understanding, the CMI advises.
The first step to building a successful hybrid working model is to decide on your priorities as a company. What culture do you want to maintain? How do you want to communicate with team members going forward? Not making these decisions at the start means over time you risk unintentionally creating a divisive and unfair structure.
A Havard Business Review study suggests that teams with a shared vision are 1.9 times more likely to achieve above-average financial performance. Ensuring effective communication with all your team members is vital. Hold regular virtual team catch-ups to bring everyone up to speed with the latest developments. Share stories and smiles across the team through a WhatsApp group to encourage a sense of belonging. Encourage feedback, share ideas and involve team members in the process. Recognise and appreciate success so everyone feels part of the team.
Ensure everyone has the right technology
Reliance on technology is fundamental to managing a hybrid team and with it comes the potential for technical issues. Unequal access to technology, security concerns and varying levels of tech literacy among team members can hinder collaboration. A quick communications audit will help you streamline the tools you use and give your team more clarity. Investing in robust technology infrastructure, providing training sessions and offering technical support is a must.
Foster trust and avoid micromanagement
Trust and autonomy are crucial in a hybrid setup. Allow employees control over their schedules and workflow to increase satisfaction and engagement. Avoid micromanagement and focus on outcomes rather than output. A trust-based relationship with your team means people are more likely to open up about concerns about their work, their productivity or their wellbeing.
Know how to motivate your people
It takes a different set of skills to manage a hybrid team. When you are in the office, it’s very easy to get a temperature check to gauge morale, communication is more instant and people feel able to ask questions. Know team members so you understand how they operate whether they are in the building or working remotely. Hold regular 1:1s and encourage cameras to be on during meetings so you can pick up facial expressions. Set objectives and check in with individuals regularly both from a business perspective and a personal level.
Fairness and inclusion
Ensure your organisation creates an inclusive environment where everyone wherever they are based has equal access to resources, development opportunities and can participate in decision making. Be aware of bias when delegating projects or tasks. Be consistent and create a level playing field. Ensure that eligibility for hybrid working is consistent between individuals and between teams.
What does the future hold for flexible working?
Multiple employee surveys in recent years have shown that most workers have no desire to return to their desks full-time, with women being particularly keen on more workplace flexibility. Data collected by Linkedin reported in 2023 that more than a third of UK workers would quit their job if their employer demanded they return to the office.
Yet despite the widespread adoption of hybrid working by most office-based employers since the pandemic, a recent KPMG CEO outlook survey found that 64% of leaders globally, and 63% of those in the UK, predict a full return to in-office working by 2026. Big tech firms including Amazon, Google and Meta have already started to call an end to more flexible working patterns.
Clearly there is a disconnect between what bosses want and what employees desire. Leaders and workers alike have a vested interest in getting work policies right and should actively collaborate to find a balanced approach. Organisations that resist and continue with rigid office requirements will risk losing not only their top talent but damaging morale.
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