Hybrid Work: Let's Make it Successful For You and Your Team
I LOVE working from home! I miss the office… but my dog will be lonely! My kids are still home - how can I balance this? I can do all of my work easily from home! I need the office environment to keep me focused.
I’ve heard all of these and more. We all have feelings around this transition. There is definitely an element of stress in returning to the office, as well as excitement.
For the sake of camaraderie, team spirit, Zoom fatigue and that real life interaction makes a difference, we will likely need to be in the office at least some of the time.
At the same time following the pandemic, many organizations are becoming more comfortable with their teams working from home and many employees like that arrangement. Given this, many of us will see a hybrid work schedule in our futures, if not already.
Communication - Be explicit about the policies and options for your team. Clarify about shared desk/office space, ensure that remote employees have access to all the same information as in-office employees at any given time and be ready to problem solve for any issues that arise due to hybrid schedules. Good communication creates trust and feelings of fairness.
Clear expectations - Create a clear schedule for your team, develop measurable work goals and deadlines, be clear about expectations, and share safety guidelines for in-person gatherings. “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.”, says Brene Brown.
Flexibility - Allow some flexibility for your team for which days/hours they work in or out of the office and consider which meetings can be held remotely. Support your team with work/life balance.
Equity - Consider that not all of your team have the same resources when working remotely. Will there be any stipends provided for home office supplies (printers, for example) or utilities (internet) or to rent a co-working space? What child care/elder care issues are people facing? Consider ways you can support all members of your team with various challenges and resources.
Employers Launch Hybrid Work Plans, Identify Early Obstacles
3 Key Parts of a Good Hybrid Work Plan
How to Plan Your Ideal Hybrid Work Schedule (So You Can Live Your Best Life)
The Hybrid Work Model: A New Challenge For Diversity, Equity And Inclusion
UMBC’s FAQs for Remote Work During COVID-19 - nice example of clear policies and communication
Idea for in the office: Use door hang tags or other visual notifications to let people know if a person is in the office (but away from their desk) or working remotely on that day. This is helpful to keep people connected and to know what to expect.This is new territory. Learn what you can. Be good to your team. Be good to yourself!
