I’ve got 3 Cs for you…Consult, Coordinate, Communicate
For the best results, teams can explore hybrid solutions together. The first question to ask is, how are we going to do this?
Perhaps gather feedback via surveys or lunchtime updates and explore different work scenarios. And continue doing this. A one-off consultation exercise completed by spatial experts or logisticians won’t be enough.
Instead, look at how to keep this under review as things evolve. Many of my clients have been doing this. Perhaps more have been simply looking sideways to their competitors 😉 Focus on the possibilities for your organisation.
Alongside this, consult on what works best for your specific team. Consultation is part of developing a hybrid culture. So, outline your vision for this then take time to share and live the principles of it.
Then it’s exploring how this will work in practice.
Who will be in the office and when? How many can the office safely accommodate? How will you coordinate schedules to reduce congestion?
On a personal level, can the team get better at sharing diaries, updating their status on internal channels and networks so that everyone knows when those off-site are available?
As a manager, how can you support a positive team dynamic and be respectful of boundaries, clear on expectations…? Keep this coordinated and sustainable.
Lastly, one of the keys to making hybrid work successfully is understanding the diverse communication strategies and tools we now have at our disposal. And knowing which one, when.
For example, an on-site meeting might be necessary for motivating team members and getting everyone up to speed. Other times, sending a Slack message or other notification can do the trick. And there’s always the option to pick up the phone!
I think hybrid gives managers – and individuals - an opportunity to really think about smart communication and using our time most productively.
The winners are likely to be working parents (at last!) who some believe will benefit most from hybrid work patterns. Young people and/or those early on in their careers may lose the opportunity to network, raise their profile, develop industry and sector knowledge, be mentored...
The challenge is to make hybrid work for all…and that takes inspiring leadership willing to take some risks.