6 Best Practices and 7 Free Tools For Managing A Hybrid Team

It might be a post-crisis effect of a pandemic or an increasing demand for healthier work/life balance, but the way we work is definitely changing. Spending 9 to 5 in an office was hardly the best choice for many, but the accepted working norms of pre-pandemic life didn't give workers much choice.

Luckily for many, Covid-19 showed that some jobs could be done just as well (if not better) from home, and there is no need to be in the office for fixed hours to deliver good results. In contrast, many other workers chose to return to the office, as they miss socializing at the office and appreciate the straightforward routine and structure of on-site working.

To satisfy both ends, forward-thinking companies had to accept flexible working alignments almost overnight and be ready to provide each worker with their preferred working model.?

A JLL's Global Research of November 2020 reveals half of the surveyed employees prefer hybrid work, while around 1/4 prefer work from the office.

Source: JLL- Reimagining Human Experience

What Is The Best Management Practice For All Types Of Workers?

Getting comfortable with hybrid team management is the new soft skill crucial for organizational success.?

Source: Accenture - The future of work: A hybrid work model

Beyond providing everyone with the necessary equipment and software, managers should ensure every team member feels comfortable, motivated, and productive, regardless of where they get the job done.

Having that said, the key challenges of hybrid team management include:

1. Organize the smooth collaboration between the team
2. Keep the same inclusion level for each team member

How Can Collab Fabrik’s Expertise Help You?

As a remote recruitment company for European organizations, Collab Fabrik is deeply into the pain points of remote employers and workers. Below, we’ve collected our best practices for hybrid team management based on the 2 intense years of remote hiring and tight collaborations with hybrid team managers.

Set A Clear Work Schedule and Availability Requirements

To ensure that the hybrid team is running smoothly, there should be strict rules covering each team member's working and availability hours. Regardless of the location, every employee should be available for quick chatting or troubleshooting within their time slot, so there are no bottlenecks in team collaboration.?

If your hybrid team includes freelancers whose work can't be regulated by a fixed schedule, make sure to agree on an acceptable response time that will be comfortable for other company members.

Ensure Employees Have The Necessary Equipment And Software For Collaboration

Thanks to technological advances, virtual collaboration can be as effective and productive as real-time interactions. Laptops with a high-speed internet connection, paired with quality cameras and headphones, are the must-haves for your remote workers to stay synched with your on-site team.?

On top of that, video conferencing and interactive digital whiteboarding tools are necessary for seamless brainstorming at a distance.?

Ensuring every team member is provided with access to necessary hardware and software will boost team collaboration and remove most obstacles to cooperating at a distance.?

Gather Around For Non-Working Socialization

Non-work-related socialization creates a strong sense of community and strengthens ties with the company, which is a base for employee retention.?

Therefore, hybrid team managers should develop social rituals that engage all team members, regardless of their physical presence. Many organizations implement a tactic to summarize any ad-hoc office conversation on Slack. This helps remote workers feel equally engaged and connected with the on-site team.?

Another effective method is uniting all the team members for a 2-3 days workation when the whole team travels to an out-of-office destination to work and socialize.?

Keep All Employees Aligned With The Company Vision

Working with the company’s strategic goals in mind is one of the crucial success factors, and not rarely do companies strive to make employees aligned with the company vision. This challenge is even real for remote workers, who can get easily distracted from the company’s big picture and focus their attention on submitting daily deliverables only.?

Integrating the OKR (Objectives and key results) system into the workflow can save the situation. This means every team should have an objective (a clearly defined goal) and 3–5 measurable success criteria used to track the achievement of the objective.?

Detect and Prevent Any Signs Of Burnouts

A hybrid team and flexible working hours are happiness factors for many employees, but they do not eliminate the risk of employee burnout. There still might be procedures in your organizational culture or workflow that make employees stressed out and unproductive.?

A team member becoming short-tempered and unmotivated is usually the first sign of burnout. And an all-time preventive tactic from this is giving employees room to share their feelings and provide the necessary support. In this regard, regular check-in and feedback sessions are one of the most effective tactics managers can implement.

Emphasize Inclusiveness And Equality In The Team

"Me vs. them" is a common issue that hybrid team managers face. This means remote workers might be perceived as "secondary employees" for companies and be skipped by on-site workers during some discussions and decision-making.

Establishing remote work as a primary option right from the start might be an effective approach to prevent the issue. New candidates and hired employees should be introduced to remote working as an equal alternative to an on-site one. Other than that, every company member's achievements should be equally appreciated and celebrated.?

Final Thoughts

Hybrid team management is not an easy road, but those who are flexible enough to handle this challenge and set smooth hybrid team management practices will be the most successful employers in the long run.?

If you’re just exploring this new normal and need professional assistance, contact Collab Fabrik for a free consultation.?