The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many of us into a revolutionary new working world – working in a Hybrid Team. Since early 2020, the government in all countries have strict restrictions in ensuring that we are safe and sound. The growing concerns around the virus saw a large percentage of the workforce – many of us who had never previously worked anywhere else but in an office – quickly set up with the relevant technology to work from home.
Since then, we’ve started returning to the office. Whether it’s once a month, once a week, or four days a week, many workplaces are allowing office-based employees to split their time between the office and home working.
This way of working is called ‘hybrid working’. It refers to the practice of some work being completed in the office and some from home. The same goes for the terms ‘hybrid working model’ or ‘hybrid team’. These terms refer to a workforce that is split between those who predominantly work remotely, those who predominantly work in the office and those who split their time between both.
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Working with a Hybrid Team?
Leaders are often the ones driving employee engagement. They will also be the ones managing hybrid teams. Most leaders would agree that managing hybrid teams are definitely more challenging than driving employee engagement.
However, leaders can start by maximizing the advantages of a hybrid team and addressing the potential disadvantages or challenges. For example, it may be more of a challenge to build and maintain a culture of trust with a hybrid team. Communication and connection across a hybrid team will likely look a little different and perhaps take more planning.
In terms of advantages, hybrid teams offer the flexibility that is key to attracting, retaining and engaging employees. This unprecedented opportunity that leaders have, even at the front line, should not be underestimated.
How often have leaders longed to offer more flexible work arrangements for their employees but were handcuffed by company policies? While still adhering to company guidelines and treating all employees fairly, leaders today have more flexibility to consider individual preferences alongside the needs of the team and the company.
Knowing that it’s difficult, not to mention a poor time management, to manage employees’ activities in this hybrid model, leaders can instead keep the focus on individual and team accomplishments and results. Leaders can also consider their own needs and preferences and determine when they need to be in the office and when they can lead remotely.
Five Tips For Leading Effective Hybrid Teams
- Set clear rules of engagement and develop daily rituals.
When clear rules of engagement are in place upfront, it helps everyone know what to expect and paves the way for productivity. For example, team members need to know what type of questions warrant a team meeting and which ones should be diverted to an instant message or email.
Especially when employees are remote, managers need to be disciplined about checking in — even multiple times a day. Daily stand-up meetings are a must for most collaborative teams, but they are even more critical when they are not co-located. Whatever method you chose (Kanban, Scrum, etc.), make sure you stick with it and be clear and consistent about your team’s daily rhythms.
- Ensure team members have the right tools and resources.
It is critical to invest in the right tools and resources for each team member’s unique situation. For remote workers, this may include better Wi-Fi, headsets and webcams. It is also essential to consider the unique needs of each team.
Highly collaborative teams, like product development or user experience (UX) teams, will need to look for creative solutions to ensure the entire team can engage in the type of fluid, strategic conversation required for progress.
- Be relentless about effective meeting-facilitation practices.
There are many times remote workers get “lost” in a meeting when in-office team members are engaging in sidebar conversations. While a meeting buzzing with simultaneous dialogues may feel productive and collaborative for those in the room, those on the phone or video chat may find it almost impossible to follow.
In a hybrid team, leaders must be meticulous about practising effective meeting facilitation. This means thinking beyond standard best practices like sticking to an agenda and ensuring proper summarization of the next steps. Hybrid meeting facilitators must operate with the least common denominator in mind — usually, the person(s) on the phone or video chat, since they are naturally encumbered by an inability to see the whole room and cannot easily interject into the conversation. Good facilitators will wrangle sidebar conversations, summarize and restate the in-office interactions.
- Remember to summarize water cooler conversations.
Especially when teams are scattered, communication is paramount. Beyond the rhythm of daily check-ins, leaders of hybrid groups must ensure remote workers are not missing out on productive in-office chatter.
Undoubtedly one of the benefits of teams working together in the same office is the ability to work through challenges as they arise. JLL’s study found that 69% of employees surveyed believe it is easier to solve work-related issues in the office rather than remotely. Brainstorming sessions happen naturally at the water cooler or over lunch, and ideas can be shared by simply speaking up in a team environment. Unfortunately, remote team members miss out on these opportunities to weigh in, often leading to feelings of frustration or isolation.
One important rule of engagement we set on my hybrid teams is that every valuable ad-hoc conversation must be summarized in our team chat on Slack. Significant decisions are made only after incorporating the remote team members in the collaboration process.
- Never neglect culture.
Finally, leading hybrid teams requires special attention to team culture. While remote team-building activities like Zoom happy hours became trendy in 2020, I recommend incorporating culture-building into already scheduled team gatherings rather than adding new ones. Simply taking a few minutes on a Monday morning team call to catch up personally can go a long way, especially for remote workers who cannot engage in that type of conversation on the elevator ride up to the office.
Regardless of their location, I make it a goal to have frequent face-to-face (either video or in-person) conversations with each team member. In those conversations, I always ask how I can help remove any roadblocks they are facing. There can be a wide variance in employees’ engagement and job satisfaction levels, especially with remote workers in the mix. It’s important not to make assumptions or let too much time go by before checking in on each individual.
Hybrid teams are here to stay, practice it early!
While plenty more can be said about investing in team members as individuals and fostering productive team collaboration, these practical steps should help eliminate common barriers to success. Hybrid teams are here to stay; as leaders, we would be wise to continue honing our ability to manage, engage and build positive culture regardless of their physical location.
In Aventis, we offer 1-day Managing Remote and Hybrid Teams In The New Normal course. This 1-day workshop aims to provide you with the solution and guide to the challenges and frustrations of managing a hybrid team. You’ll learn specific skills and strategies to build a cohesive, effective, inclusive, and productive group of people who can adhere to priorities and a routine that works for all—and are ready, willing and able to deliver on performance and results.
Ready to take on this challenge? We are here to help you!
For enquiries, connect with us now via (65) 6720 3333 or training.aventis@gmail.com.
Sources
How to manage a hybrid team long-term
How to Lead a Hybrid Team: 5 Best Practices
Five Tips For Leading Effective Hybrid Teams
