Over the past two years, we have really had to reimagine the way in which we work. With home offices becoming a necessity, it is thought that less than 45% will return to full-time office-based employment. As a result, business owners, employees and managers have started to become familiar with the struggles of hybrid working and leadership. 

Because many of us did not have a choice but to stay home and make it work, we were unprepared for what was coming our way in terms of communication issues, costs and compromise. To this day, there are a lot of companies that have adopted this half and half system. But how effective is it when you’re trying to help a team of people adapt and continue running at the same pace? 

This article will look at some of the common challenges faced in this new world of work and address some of the ways we can overcome them. With consumers now moving in different manners, it is vital businesses can find solutions. 

Less Recognition For Employees

When you are not all in the same place, employees often get left to their own devices for large portions of the day (or even week). If this is happening, managers and supervisors are less aware of the quantity, quality and nature of the work being produced. As a result, individuals are not seeing the praise and support they are used to in the office. 

This is where the struggles of hybrid working and leadership are going to rely on significant communication between the entire company. If a team doesn’t feel like they’re making an impact – you could be left with missed deadlines and unhappy staff. Instead, we need to make the best use of technology and prioritise recognition and support. 

Solution:

We are not short on tools to improve our organisation and communication online. Businesses can invest in different platforms whereby employees and leaders can keep track of delegating workload and keeping up with deadlines. With this ability to oversee daily tasks and long-term goals, managers can ensure each person is getting regular check-ins and has the option for support where needed. 

Even if you have to implement a strategy whereby each manager or leadership team takes a certain portion of their day to look over the progress of their department – you will be in a better position to reward those that deserve it. Regular contact and open lines of communication are essential for home working as they provide a platform for people to receive the recognition and support they need.

Alternatively, many enterprises are making it part of their company’s culture to hold an inclusive meeting each week or month. If you don’t know when you’ll see certain people from one month to the next, a simple video meeting can break those barriers. It will give every department a chance to update the teams on how things are going and get insight into how the business is moving forward. 

Unusual Onboarding

Spending less time in the office can really impact the company culture and make it hard for new recruits to embrace goals and visions in the same way. They may not get that contact time with colleagues and leaders that are needed for a smooth transition. Without this, employees are struggling to connect with the business as a whole and inherit the belief in what they are offering. 

Similarly, the hiring process over the past couple of years has become almost futuristic. With little to no contact, it can take weeks for successful candidates to even meet the staff in person. For many, this has created a stressful experience and more time is needed to be allowed for settling in. Proper onboarding requires a lot of support, contact time and understanding from management. But now we’re moving more towards a hybrid approach, will it become slightly easier?

Solution: 

The first thing you need to make sure you are confident with is what goes on behind the scenes before a new employee starts their first day. It is a critical part of a seamless transition for any individual because when the business is ready for them, they will feel like part of the team right away. Delegate certain responsibilities, from ensuring there is a laptop ready, to clearing out drawers in their new desk. These small considerations will make a world of difference, whether they’re in the office or at home. 

Although, if you can – try to think even further back. Most people will have to work some sort of notice period before starting. But that doesn’t mean they can’t get involved in the company before their official start date. Think about including them in relaxed team meetings and company events. This gives them the prime opportunity to meet people and get used to the way things are done, well before they need to worry about deadlines and workload. 

In-House Advantage

One of the biggest struggles of hybrid working and leadership is the ability of senior employees to properly manage every aspect of their role. When it comes to managing large teams of office and at-home workers, it is important we don’t begin favouring those working in-house. It’s understandable when there is plenty more opportunity for contact and support, but we can’t put remote workers at a disadvantage when businesses are the ones offering that flexibility. 

It is the role of a leader to provide feedback and collaboration with others in the business. But how possible is that when a larger percentage of that team isn’t easily accessible? The risk we face is inadvertently giving in-house employees the most opportunity for personal development and growth, as well as inadequate possibilities for management to do their jobs. In reality, we can manage this by utilising tools and communication options available to us and ensuring everyone has access to this. 

Solution:

Adopting a culture of trust is essential to managing employees working autonomously. You must ensure each person understands their role in the running of the business and is aware of each target, vision and obstacle. By giving employees this information, they will be better equipped to prioritise and adapt their own work to suit the needs of the company. Similarly, it will be more likely that you can keep in the loop with their roles and responsibilities without needing direct contact. 

Furthermore, if you haven’t already – it is a good time to start using management tools and internal dashboards so you have the most control over your daily communication and support network. By implementing these online strategies, you can begin to encourage everyone (whether in-house or at home) to communicate in the same way. This will aid in ensuring everyone gets fair and inclusive treatment. 

Benefits Of Hybrid Flexibility

We are aware of the challenges we have and will continue to face over the next few years. But if there wasn’t some sort of silver lining, we would have all returned to the office full time as soon as possible. The fact that that hasn’t happened for a large portion of the world suggests that there are advantages. It is important to look at the positives this has brought businesses and consider the benefits we will reap as a result. 

• Fewer distractions – Employees are reporting a more productive work life due to the reduced contact time at home. People are able to concentrate for longer and work uninterrupted.
• Better work-life balance – By removing commutes and external events, people now have more time to spend doing things that will improve their well-being. Paired with fewer distractions, they are able to complete projects before deadlines and allow themselves more time outside of work. 

• Up-skilling – With the rise of online communication and people becoming reliant on their IT skills, many industries are now more effective when using technology and can benefit from the results this brings. 

Overcome The Struggles Of Hybrid Working And Leadership With Azimuth

It goes without saying that we are all having to adapt to this way of working now. There are signs that returning to a state of normality has already happened and will not be going much further. As a result, leaders are going to have to be far more flexible in the way they offer support, communication and feedback to employees. 

While we face a few challenges in this new approach, almost everyone is in the same boat. Employees are learning to work this way just the same as managers and business owners are. We can expect slow progress, but progress nonetheless. And if we can learn to trust each other and be clear with expectations and uncertainties, it will be a much smoother process for everyone. 

Are you thinking of implementing your own training strategies to help adapt to this new way of working? If you are, you can speak to one of our dedicated Azimuth experts today by contacting us at enquiries@azimuth.eu.com or call 01483 24 33 81. 

We will be more than happy to discuss how we can help you and with over 20 years of experience across a range of industries, we have the innovative, proven tools that can help you unlock the true potential of yourself – and your business. What are you waiting for?

Work with the experts you can trust. Azimuth, a new direction in learning.