Written by: Sally Higoe, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Organising an effective hybrid work setup can be challenging for business leaders. Ensuring efficiency and productivity whilst maintaining a happy and balanced workforce between in-house staff and your external remote team could be confusing (and possibly make you dizzy!) at times.
However, by following some simple tips, it is possible to create a hybrid working environment that is both productive and comfortable. And this is a win-win for everyone involved, hooray! This article will explore some of the best ways to organise a hybrid work setup.
What is a hybrid workforce?
A hybrid workforce is a mix of employees who work both remotely and on-site. The term "hybrid workforce" is often used in organisations transitioning from traditional office settings to more flexible remote work models. For example, a company may allow its employees to telework one or two days per week while requiring them to come to the office for face-to-face meetings and collaboration.
The hybrid model can provide the best of both worlds for employers and employees: the flexibility and autonomy of working from home with the social interaction and support of an office environment. While many organisations struggled to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, the hybrid workforce model may be the key to maintaining productivity and morale moving forward.
Tips for successfully managing a hybrid workforce
As more and more businesses transition to a hybrid work setup, it's becoming increasingly important to know how to manage this type of environment properly. After all, many moving parts are involved in keeping an office and a remote workforce up and running.
Effective communication — The most critical aspect of managing a hybrid work setup. This means setting clear expectations for on-site and remote employees and providing regular updates on company news and changes.
Provide feedback — It's imperative that you have reliable employee feedback channels in place, so everyone feels heard and valued.
Maintain a high level of flexibility — Since employees will be working in both physical and virtual spaces, it's important to be able to accommodate their needs as they change. This might mean offering more flexible hours or giving employees the option to work from home on extra days as required.
Proper management — Just because people are in different locations doesn't mean that regular check-ins and collaboration should be neglected. It's also important to pay attention to different work styles and types of people to ensure everyone's needs are met.
And finally, resourceful thinking by the leader is essential to empower the team and avoid micromanagement.
As the workforce starts to shift back towards in-person work, it's important to remember the lessons we've learned about hybrid work setups during the pandemic. By following these guidelines, we can ensure that hybrid work setups are successful and productive.
Benefits of handling your hybrid workforce well
With proper management, a hybrid workforce can increase productivity and efficiency while reducing overhead costs. Who wouldn’t want that, right? Here are some of the benefits of handling your hybrid workforce well:
Better work-life balance: When employees have the option to telework or work remotely, they often have a better work-life balance. This can specifically lead to increased productivity and efficiency as employees are less likely to feel burned out.
Reduced overhead costs: A hybrid workforce helps to reduce overhead costs due to fewer on-site employees, thus requiring less office space, lower power supply and less overall supplies.
Increased talent pool: You can tap into a larger talent pool by allowing employees to work remotely. This is especially beneficial if you're looking for specialised skill sets.
How can business leaders better handle a hybrid work setup?
Let’s face it, it’s possible that not all managers are experienced in a hybrid work setup, and that’s fine! Business leaders can aim to learn more about this setup as they go and can access training in line with the hybrid work arrangement.
According to an article from Cerely, a workforce management software company, better managers mean better organisations. This is why companies are encouraged to invest in honing the skills and knowledge of their managers. This is recommended not because of their lack of skills, but to provide a fresh perspective in managing a hybrid workforce as well as ideas managers can utilise. Doing this helps create positive results for each team/department and can contribute a lot to the organisation as a whole, even in a hybrid work arrangement.
In this day and age, a leader must build the skill set of handling a hybrid work setup. Some companies will provide specific training for this skill. Business leaders can also develop their own knowledge through workshops or outsourced services, like professional coaching. Such options can improve their vision and planning, communication, hiring process, and all-round approach whilst develop personally as well.
In my coaching relationships at Team Resilience Method, I include an insightful mentor framework, ways to improve your relationship with uncertainty, strategies to navigate change, effective approaches to establishing trust, and an improved ability to think through challenges.
Keep these points in mind if you're considering implementing a hybrid workforce or if you are already handling this type of arrangement. A hybrid workforce can be a critical competitive advantage with proper management. Don’t be frustrated if it’s not smooth from the start. Learn from your mistakes and take note of what works for you and the business.
Sally Higoe, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Sally is uniquely world-experienced in building resilience, emotional fitness, and quality sustainable practices in leadership. Her experience across multiple countries leading high-performing teams in high-pressure outlying remote environments has amplified her ability to know what it takes to connect a conscious leader to their team, with outstanding results.
Having spent decades on diverse projects in every climate imaginable, Sally discovered the critical aspects of authentic leadership and team alignment. She has now blended research-based, proven methodology with her pragmatic approach and ability to 'be herself' to create the transformative Align & Shine program. There, she guides formerly flustered, confused, and internally insecure leaders, to tap into their true classic selves, without the need to conform to outside pressures, helping them become bold, present, courageous, and energized leaders who genuinely connect with their team AND their business.
Sally is co-author of Resilience in Leadership, Pt 1 of the book series, leader of both community and international hardship projects, and accredited in scientifically proven Human Behavioural Profiling and Meta Dynamics ' thinking-based methodology, adding to her Practitioner of Coaching credentials.
Most importantly though, Sally, Founder of Team Resilience Method, is now on a mission to show striving leaders how to shine, gain clarity and create a ripple of positive change, from the inside out.
