With the future of working set to be hybrid, it’s imperative leaders adapt tack to reap the benefits – Matt Duncan shares his expertise on how to drive fundamental workplace change under this model of working.
CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Robert Half
The workplace has undergone a drastic evolution since 2020. Initially, employees pushed to continue using the remote working model taken up during the pandemic. However, research for the 2023 Robert Half Salary Guide shows a decline in popularity over time.
According to 41% of survey respondents, full-time remote working negatively impacted the connection between employees and managers. Skills development and corporate culture also suffered under the full-time remote work model.
Fast forward to 2023, and hybrid work environments have taken centre stage — perhaps for good. ‘Hybrid working’ is a system that allows employees to split their time between office-based working and remote working.
So far, the system has proven effective; 69% of workers and businesses say hybrid is a compromise that works for everyone, with two days in the office and three days working from home proving to be the most popular model.
“It is quite clear that hybrid working is here to stay,” says Duncan, “Leadership teams should stop trying to ‘predict’ whether or not it will go away, and instead should focus on developing a trust-based culture where employees are judged on outcomes, not on presenteeism. There is a clear link between thoughtful investment in a hybrid working model and employee satisfaction.”
Hybrid work management: how to lead in a hybrid environment
Autonomy is key
One of the biggest challenges of managing hybrid teams is establishing trust. Allowing employees autonomy over their schedules, workflow management, and office hours can increase work satisfaction and engagement. Avoid undermining the benefits of hybrid working by instating mandated office hours or micromanaging your team.
“Trusting employees to work at home has been one of the biggest challenges Senior Management Teams have had to address in relation to hybrid,” says Duncan.
“Providing employees with autonomy is a key part of building a trust-based working environment. However, trust works both ways and (particularly in team environments) setting clear expectations that the individuals’ wishes should not be at the expense of the team is part of the balance leaders need to achieve in a hybrid world.”
Embrace an ‘outcome-based’ work culture
Successful hybrid team management favours an outcome-based culture (OBC) rather than an input-based one.
Under the OBC model, employees are encouraged to achieve a clear set of objectives within an established timescale. Because it measures employee efficacy via their outputs, OBC incentivises autonomy and engagement while lowering the risk of burnout.
“This simple outcome-based working culture is often forgotten about when employees are working at home. By setting and agreeing clear and tangible outcomes for all employees, businesses can remove the element of mistrust that may exist in hybrid working environments and create a clarity of purpose,” says Duncan.
Leverage technology
In a hybrid work setting, technology becomes an essential lifeline for collaboration, employee feedback, and team meetings.
Use polls and surveys for team temperature checks and better democracy. Create communal digital spaces for group problem-solving sessions and collaborations.
Transcription software can be used to record digital meetings for more efficient notetaking and sharing. Technology also allows your team to access you more readily, thereby helping to keep the lines of communication open.
“Hybrid working cannot be successful without technology and collaboration tools. The key is identifying what tooling best suits your organisation’s needs. It must enable collaborative working and multiple ways of meeting and sharing information,” says Duncan.
Fine-tune your communication skills
Hybrid working requires an entirely new set of communication skills. In a digital setting, you’ll need to pay closer attention to non-verbal signals given over video calls. Try to ensure everyone gets their say, not just the people in the room or the loudest individuals on the call.
Digital meetings can benefit from more eye contact and body language to signal active listening — always turn your camera on (and insist others do the same), nod, and smile.
“Communication during digital settings is a skill set we have all acquired since the pandemic,” Matt Duncan. “A key aspect is adapting to mixing verbal, non-verbal and digital reactions and tools into meetings.”
Lead by example
Clarity and consistency are crucial attributes in good leadership and even more so in a hybrid environment. Maintain credibility and trust with your team by following the agreed-on processes, such as working to a flexible schedule, making use of the tech of software systems you’ve implemented, and keeping meetings short and efficient.
“Role modelling has never been more important than in a hybrid working environment. If you have asked your team to be in the office based on a certain working pattern, you must be willing to do this yourself.
“Similarly, you must not judge others who choose a different working pattern. Finally, leaders must make an effort to learn and adopt new collaboration tools.”
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