expressed opinion entrepreneur Contributors are their own.
In the first year of the pandemic, the Pew Research Center found that, 71% of workers Shift to remote work – many of whom have no previous experience working from home. Today, some have returned to the office full-time.A similar study by the same center from early 2022 reported that 59% of professionals, their work can be done remotely, and most of the time is telecommuting.buffer The state of remote work in 2022 It was found that people overwhelmingly recommend working from home and hope this trend continues.
Not all companies support this shift. Leaders at Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and other major firms have shown that remote workforces don’t work for them, and it’s short-sighted because at this point, there’s no turning back.
As a result, many businesses are adopting meet-in-the-middle solutions by Mixed work mode. Savvy entrepreneurial leaders would wisely take note.
Gallup’s Labour situation According to the report, 54% of respondents said ideally they would like to split their time between working from home and in office. However, there are downsides to the hybrid model, especially if the team you manage isn’t always in-house.
First, it can be difficult to align with direct reports when they are not present. The occasional Slack ping is not the same as the occasional lounge interaction.Talking through a screen is more comfortable for some people than others, plus power, status, and language dynamics can create communication barriers personally.
Additionally, hybrid models are not always suitable for departmental workflows, as some workers need to perform their jobs on-site. This can create friction between these employees and colleagues who often skip expensive, time-consuming commutes.
How do you ensure that you get all the benefits of hybrid work—such as higher employee satisfaction and productivity—while mitigating the downsides?
Related: The Most Important Mixed Work Model Mistakes To Avoid
Pay attention to communication
Isolation (i.e. different departments working independently) can be a serious problem for mixed work teams, individuals and companies – it can even lead to The demise of WeWork. Silos can be created Discord Productivity, Morale, Creativity and Customer Experience.
To fix this, make sure your department has the technology tools needed to collaborate. For example, you can move your team to a project management platform to centralize knowledge sharing, planning, and scheduling. Note that you need to use the platform yourself to ensure your employees are willing to use it.
Resist micromanagement
According to a recent survey by GoodHire, only 22% of American workers Feel like their boss trusts them to get their job done when they’re out of the office. This lack of confidence can negatively impact morale, productivity, and lead to employee turnover. In other words, make sure you treat your direct reports like an adult.
Unless there is a major problem with an employee’s job, assume your team members are doing their job, whether they’re in the hall or on the couch at home. Let them know they can come to you with questions.
Related: Welcome to the Age of Hybrid Work
Treat it as a work in progress
Don’t expect everything to be perfect from the start, even a company like Apple is forced to reconsider their hybrid work policy Due to the resurgence of COVID-19 and employee concerns. If you’re open to tweaking from the start, it will be much easier to correct course if something goes wrong with your team.
The post-pandemic workplace will not look the same across many industries due to the still-widespread hybrid model. Instead of resisting the change, lean toward it. With a little effort, you’ll find the right balance for an intuitive, effective, and enjoyable experience for you and your employees.
Related: How to Manage a Happy and Healthy Mixed Workforce
