Hybrid work is a post-pandemic phenomenon that is here to stay. More than a stop-gap arrangement as companies contemplated the path to return to the office as we once knew it, hybrid is about minimizing physical limitations associated with physical offices and taking an output-focused approach to work. As growing digitization and remote work cultures point out that performance and physical presence are no longer correlated, hybrid is becoming the preferred approach.
What Is a Hybrid Work Arrangement?
In a hybrid work arrangement, organizations are focused on creating highly flexible and fluid work schedules while enhancing opportunities for collaboration and innovation.
It allows organizations to take a bit of both work approaches – remote and in-office – to realize a fresh approach. This new approach is not just blending the best of remote and in-office working but implementing a whole new perspective about the work environment and how it impacts productivity, performance, costs, employee well-being, and sustainability. Of course, creating such a hybrid work arrangement has not been easy, and it is essential to focus on a few key pillars to ensure success.
Key Pillars of a Hybrid Work Arrangement
Companies adopting hybrid work must keep the following pillars in mind:
1. Autonomy
In a thriving hybrid work environment, teams and employees have more control over everyday decisions such as working styles, locations, and hours. This approach creates an environment wherein everyone feels valued and has access to the work environment that allows them to succeed. While the ability to decide when they want to work remotely and when they want to be in a co-office is one aspect of such autonomy, the principle is about choice.
2. Ownership
Another critical pillar of an effective hybrid work environment is that employees must be more responsible for their performance, irrespective of their working style. As organizations and team leaders get less involved in how employees spend time at their desks – be it in an office or at home – the onus is on employees to effectively manage themselves and their tasks.
3. Transparency
Without a high-trust environment, hybrid work culture cannot thrive. Fewer physical interactions demand a greater need for trust among teams and between organizations and employees. This environment calls for every team member to make an extra effort to be transparent about the little details and significant decisions and should have the tools to do so.
4. Openness
A core feature of a successful hybrid work arrangement is the ability to remain open to change. An agile business environment demands that operationally, policies remain fluid and incorporate changes depending on external and internal factors. For instance, a rise in seasonal demand could mean working longer hours. Depending on how that works for different team members, they could choose to work more days from home or co-office than earlier planned to enhance their productivity levels for the season.
5. Inclusivity
A hybrid work arrangement must prioritize inclusivity and equal access. Managers and team leaders risk projecting bias toward those present in the office, and even meeting experiences will differ depending on the employee’s location. It is vital to be proactive about inclusivity in the hybrid workplace and ensure everyone has a level playing field. Performance reviews, goal setting, and other team policies must be objective and standardized.
How Managers Can Build an Effective Hybrid Work Environment
Managers may struggle to meet the expectations of a hybrid work arrangement. The following best practices can help:
- Hold periodic catch-ups – Performance reviews are essential, but managers could also benefit from informal catch- ups in the hybrid work environment at team and individual levels. This monitoring can go a long way in ironing out silos, identifying isolation and burn-out, and reiterating high-affinity work relationships that inspire even the best of talent to appreciate their work environment and colleagues.
- Celebrate authenticity – Managers may get overwhelmed in a hybrid work arrangement due to multiple pressures and conflicting expectations. Instead of keeping things transactional in such a scenario, it is crucial to be authentic, even vocalizing one’s vulnerabilities. Authenticity can go a long way in influencing team members to discuss their hybrid work challenges and, together, look for resolutions
- Make room for anonymous feedback – It is important to create a secure channel for feedback and learnings, specific to hybrid working. If an organization or HR manager hasn’t introduced such an ecosystem, they must launch such an initiative semi-formal. This can be highly effective in dealing with perceived stress among employees.
The Role of Technology in a Successful Hybrid Work Arrangement
A highly integrated, digital-first operations ecosystem is central to hybrid work arrangements. This ensures that everyone has the same interaction and collaboration experience and equal access to work opportunities irrespective of locations, geographies, and hours.
Digital transformation and adoption of the cloud, investing in emerging technologies such as AI, 5G Edge, and more, are increasingly becoming business imperatives and hybrid drivers. However, digital transformation may involve cost and resource investments. In this context, organizations must consider their options – such as cloud-based, as a more affordable service option. Companies can also partner with vendors who can train and upskill their employees to fast- track the transition.
A hybrid work arrangement is not just about offering the flexibility to work from home and office. Instead, it is a new perspective that has the potential to drive productivity and scale by fostering a healthy, employee-centric work culture.
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