2 years ago we all probably thought that the idea of remote or a hybrid workplace was just a phase. A way to keep us moving and working during the pandemic.
Most potential candidates now see it as a non-negotiable when applying for new jobs as it is key to their well-being and engagement with their company. But like everything else in life, it poses its own challenges. Managers now have to rethink, restructure and reinvent their communication strategies as the obstacles are now becoming a bit more complicated.
Have no fear, here are 5 challenges your hybrid team might be experiencing as well as some ideas on how to resolve them and prevent them from happening again.
Have one central tool for your entire team to communicate. Tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams & Asana offer many features that are great for the different needs of your team in a hybrid workplace.
Even more, set communication policies where there is a set rubric as to how each team member updates the team and the manager.
Some ideas:
-Daily stand-up meetings at a set time every day.
-Monthly check-ins with each individual team member and their manager..
-Ensure that all employees understand the communication goals of each call or meeting and keep track that these goals are met..
Eliminate all distractions when you’re on these calls and give your team the undivided attention that they deserve, especially in the case where some employees may be feeling a bit left behind.
Having your team working remotely or even hybrid means that company culture will undergo a huge shift and it's important to adapt and adapt quickly.
Your team needs to continue to stay accountable not just with their leaders but with each other. Conflicts will arise and even remotely there must be fair & effective ways to deal with them when they come up.
Some ideas:
-Create a Company Handbook that can help guide your employees.
-Take into consideration communication, meeting etiquette, and project management.
-Never forget to also focus on team socialization, employee mental-health, and ensuring that the mission and vision of the company are upheld at all times.
There are many challenges in navigating a hybrid workplace. One of the major ones definitely has to be the fact that it’s almost impossible to know how your team members are feeling on any given day.
Gone are the days of the casual conversation in the corridor or the quick chat at the coffee machine. But are they really gone? They don’t have to be.
It may be time to invest in software that allows your employees to share and keep track of their feelings and performance even remotely.
Using software like Beaconforce will send surveys at the frequency of your choosing allowing managers to have a better understanding of what each employee is feeling or what challenges they may be facing and are not comfortable talking about.
It’s important to take a step-by-step approach to this, no one expects you to solve every problem in one day. Take the time to talk to each employee separately and get some feedback on how they would like to communicate with you because each person has their own style.
When you take the time to understand each employee and their individual needs it’s much easier for a manager to create the best strategy to address any potential issues.
Creating and maintaining a connection with your employees while even in a hybrid workplace on a social level assures them that they are appreciated and that their well-being matters to their leaders. Your team wants to feel that they are valued outside the walls of the office or in this case off-screen.
The greatest challenge from now until the end of time, are we as productive as we should be? From missed meetings due to a bad internet connection or the lack of cohesion among you and your team, optimizing productivity with hybrid teams is a mountain in itself.
A mountain we will conquer.
The most important way to optimize your team operations is to ensure that each role within the team has designated tasks and responsibilities. Each member must be given all the tools required for their specific role and it’s even more important to remember that this looks very different depending on the role.
Your marketing team may prefer tools that allow them to work in quiet environments that put them in their most creative state whereas sales managers enjoy more interaction with other colleagues, consistent feedback and communication as well as participating in frequent meetings with their leaders allowing them to share insights and opinions on a regular basis.
It may seem daunting at first but remember it’s nothing that a bit of rethinking and reorganizing can’t solve. As a team we all must remember that the most important step is having a culture shift that will reflect the changes in the workplace.
Hybrid work is here to stay and none of us want to be left behind!
Plan 2
Engagement
Consistently stay in the loop with what really keeps your employees motivated.
Listening and proactively responding to people’s needs is the key to your company’s success. With Beaconforce Engagement plan, you can implement a bilateral communication channel, keeping the needs of your team under control and having real-time visibility of how your people feel.
