Even if the offices are gradually getting back to life: it will take some time before the workforce is fully back to work on site. In many teams, it will be part of everyday life to work in the home office or the office, depending on requirements. This flexibility requires a new kind of leadership. Our tips to make that happen.
After leading at a distance comes hybrid leading
One of the most important developments is certainly the rapid spread of home offices. Hybrid teams, in which some of the employees work on-site while others sit in the home office, will be normal in many companies.
That presents managers with new challenges – again. After all, many just had to learn to lead at a distance when entire workforces were transferred to the home office during the lockdown. This knowledge naturally helps when leading hybrid teams, but the relevant methods alone are not enough. Because now managers have to meet the different needs of two sides.
If six of your employees are in the office today, two of whom are in the home office tomorrow, but three others are on-site and others only come to the company once a month, things get a little more complicated. You have to make sure that all relevant information reaches everyone – no matter who works where and when. Team building is also becoming more challenging.
Establish the new normal
Although many employees have wished for the possibility in the past: keep reminding yourself that this is possible Not all of your employees are happy with the hybrid work. Some feel left alone in the home office, while employees in the office may feel patronized or exposed to a higher workload. It is therefore important that you continue to show your appreciation to your team because they support this development.
Avoid formation of fronts
“While we are under permanent supervision here, our colleagues at home work relaxed from the deck chair in the garden and have a relaxing day.”
This thought will certainly flash up with one or the other employee on site. Just as some supposedly privileged home workers think enviously of their colleagues who stick their heads together in the office or who have just received a pat on the back for their good performance. Above all, we want what we just can’t have.
Make sure that this doesn’t turn into envy and set clear rules for both sides. For example, fixed times when everyone can be reached at their workplace. In this way, you may also create awareness among employees on site that they are not always available either – because you are in the kitchenette or the neighboring office or have simply chatted in the hallway.
Fuel communication
Communication is a fundamental part of modern team management. Make sure they are exchanged regularly. As a manager, you should communicate two to three times more often with your team during this transition phase than they did during attendance times. Video calls and conferences are the means of communication of choice because visual contact creates a stronger bond. But not only you should talk more yourself. Also, encourage the exchange between your employees. It can also be about private issues. After all, that happens automatically on site. This is how you promote team cohesion and prevent envy and resentment.
Keeping the flow of information running
One of the biggest challenges in hybrid teams is the exchange of information. During the lockdown, when everyone was sitting in the home office, it was easier in many cases because everything took place virtually. With hybrid work, the short official channel is back now – but not for everyone. You will hardly be able to avoid informal agreements on-site in the office, they are too comfortable for that. But make sure that everyone involved in a task hears about it. Establish a reliable protocol culture for personal meetings in the office and set up regular status calls that are consistently implemented – even if eight of the ten members of the project team are on site.
Ensure technology
Make sure that your employees have all the technical resources they need to work together on projects – no matter who is where. Find out about collaboration tools, cloud solutions, and everything that could make your team’s work easier and initiate the necessary measures. In the event of technical imponderables, do not simply refer your employees to their colleagues from IT, but take care of yourself.
Look carefully
It may not be easy for all employees to work in a hybrid team. During this phase of upheaval, pay particular attention to unusual behavior:
- Do employees seem very stressed?
- Are deadlines missed more often?
- Is anyone showing clear disinterest?
- Do employees disengage themselves when communicating within the team?
Managers have known these warning signs since leading their teams remotely. But it is not always the employees in the home office who feel alone in this new work situation. The situation can also cause problems for the team members on site. For example, because their favorite colleague is missing or they feel uncomfortable due to the greater attention they are now being given.
Provide support
Your team may have had tough times. The uncertainties of the crisis caused stress, and colleagues may have had to leave the company. Drop-in orders must now be made up again. So it’s good if the business starts up again. But do not overload your workforce, some employees may already be working at the limit. If you are currently dealing with peaks, temporary support from temporary workers can be useful to save your core team additional stress.