The pandemic spurred a global shift to remote work and provided a glimpse into the wealth of opportunities for the future of work. Organizations that fail to embrace the hybrid, work-from-anywhere workforce could experience significant retention, engagement, and talent acquisition challenges. So what should you be doing to facilitate a hybrid workforce composed of on-site employees, remote employees, and those who might work from anywhere depending on their needs and schedule?
Introducing a hybrid model is one thing, but making a success of it is another – successful hybrid working doesn’t happen by chance. There are effective ways of creating and managing a hybrid workforce, and there are measures that leaders and organizations can put in place to make the most of it in their organizations.
Here are some best practices that can help you make hybrid work successful:
Communicate. Communication is the number one essential in making hybrid working a success. Deploy your communication tools so that people know where everyone is on a given day and what projects they’re working on. Keep chat channels open so people can share ideas just like they would if they were sitting in a room together.
Adopt a formal policy. This helps avoid feelings of unfairness and makes employees feel more secure. Everyone should know who can work remotely, when and on what tasks. Policies should also set out what your organization expects of employees for reporting, digital and face-to-face contact, working hours, and taking part in on-site events.
Create the right environment. Rethink and redesign tasks to suit the new options for remote working. Look at the design of the office to allow for different groups and teams to work together. Invest in seamless IT connections to support individuals wherever they work.
Listen to your people. Create an environment where people are encouraged to speak up and join in work-based and team-building activities. Gather feedback and communicate the responses. Encourage cooperation and collaboration.
Don’t neglect your culture. Keep building and maintaining a positive, inclusive and supportive culture across both your on-site and remote workforce.
As you develop and refine your hybrid initiatives, be prepared to make changes quickly, especially if they’re needed to make your workplace more diverse and inclusive.