Can Hybrid/Remote Workforces Have an Engaged Culture?

I walked into a building last week and the office area was completely empty. It was like a ghost town. I asked my tour guide, "Where is everyone?" I figured there was an all-hands company meeting, or maybe it was break time...

She answered, "after Covid, we transitioned to a hybrid wok model and the entire office staff works from home."

As we entered the manufacturing production area, things were completely different...the lights were on, people were shuffling about, machines were running, and product was flowing. It was a busy place. I immediately thought to myself: I wonder how they create and maintain a good continuous improvement culture with this hybrid workforce model. After the tour, we had some great discussion about this topic and I thought I'd share the results.

This particular company had made the decision that combining the flexibility of remote work with the collaboration of in-office time, along with on-site production workers, the hybrid model offered the best of both worlds. However, creating a cohesive culture and driving employee engagement in this split environment has presented its own set of challenges.

For organizations committed to continuous improvement, leveraging Lean thinking and scientific thinking can be powerful tools for navigating the hybrid model. Lean emphasizes eliminating waste and maximizing value, while scientific thinking encourages experimentation, learning, and iteration to solve complex problems. Let's explore how to apply these principles to foster engagement and build a strong culture in hybrid teams.

The Challenges of a Hybrid Workforce

In a hybrid setup, employees alternate between working from home and coming into the office...and in some examples, production team members must be in the facility every day due to certain aspects of their work (i.e. running equipment located on-site), while office team members are able to work remote because of certain aspects of their work (i.e. some administrative work can be done from anywhere with the right tools). While this model offers flexibility, it also presents unique challenges:

1. Inconsistent Team Presence: With employees alternating between in-office and remote work, it can be difficult to maintain cohesion. Some team members may feel left out of important conversations, while others struggle to stay connected with remote colleagues.
2. Fragmented Communication: Hybrid teams often face communication barriers as some discussions happen face-to-face in the office, while others are conducted virtually. This can create gaps in information sharing and decision-making.
3. Uneven Access to Leadership: Employees who are in the office more frequently may have greater visibility with leadership, leading to perceived favoritism or unequal opportunities for development.
4. Maintaining a Unified Culture: With employees experiencing the company in different ways, maintaining a consistent culture that resonates with both in-office and remote workers can be challenging.

Applying Lean Thinking to Hybrid Workforces

Lean thinking focuses on maximizing value while reducing waste. In the context of a hybrid workforce, waste can take the form of poor communication, disengagement, or inefficiencies caused by disjointed work environments. Here’s how Lean principles can be applied to overcome these challenges:

1. Optimize Workflow through Visual Management Visual management is a cornerstone of Lean. For hybrid teams, utilizing digital dashboards or Kanban boards can create transparency and ensure everyone—whether remote or in the office—has a clear view of the team’s priorities and progress. Tools like Trello, Asana, or Monday.com allow teams to visualize workflows, set clear goals, and reduce confusion or duplication of work. This visual transparency helps keep remote and in-office employees aligned, creating a single source of truth for the team. One of my favorite companies, Menlo Innovations did a great job with this over the past few years as they have a hybrid workforce; they utilized software to mirror the physical visual management that exists in the office.
2. Standardize Communication Protocols In a hybrid environment, inconsistency in communication can lead to silos and missed opportunities. Applying a focus on standardization, companies should establish clear communication protocols that work across both remote and in-office contexts. For example, daily stand-up meetings with clear escalation or a tiered process can ensure that all team members, regardless of location, stay connected and aligned on key priorities. Use digital platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Slack to facilitate these brief touchpoints. I once worked with a team with multiple sites, on-site workers, and remote workers; we held our daily stand-up meeting with our on-site team with a zoom link, camera, mic and screen for those at other sites and/or remote. It was almost like we were in the same room!
3. Eliminate Waste in Meetings and Emails Hybrid teams can easily fall into the trap of excessive virtual meetings or long email chains, both of which can waste time and sap productivity. Lean’s principle of waste reduction encourages teams to optimize meeting schedules and content. For example, adopt the "5 Whys" technique during problem-solving discussions to quickly get to the root cause, reducing the need for lengthy back-and-forths. Keep meetings concise and focused, and limit emails to essential communication, ensuring that important decisions are communicated clearly and stored in shared repositories for easy access by all team members.
4. Embrace Kaizen for Continuous Improvement The Kaizen philosophy of continuous improvement encourages employees to regularly identify small, incremental changes that can improve processes. In a hybrid workforce, leaders can create a culture of scientific thinking by regularly soliciting feedback from both in-office and remote employees. Use A3 problem-solving or Kata Thinking to encourage employees to experiment with new ways of working, track the impact, and adjust processes to create better outcomes. This iterative approach ensures that the hybrid model is continually refined to better meet the needs of the team.

Driving Engagement through Scientific Thinking

Scientific thinking is a core element of Lean, promoting a cycle of hypothesis, experimentation, and learning. In the context of hybrid work, it can be a valuable approach for creating engagement and building culture.

1. Use PDCA Cycles for Engagement Initiatives The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle is a fundamental framework for continuous improvement. When introducing new engagement strategies for hybrid teams, apply PDCA to ensure success. For instance, when testing a new team-building activity or remote work policy, leaders can first Plan by gathering input and setting clear objectives, Do by implementing the initiative, Check the results by gathering feedback from employees, and Act by making adjustments based on what was learned. This scientific approach ensures that engagement efforts are data-driven and adaptive to the needs of the team.
2. Encourage Experimentation and Learning Hybrid environments are still evolving, and what works for one company may not work for another. By fostering a culture of experimentation, leaders can encourage teams to try new ways of collaborating and communicating. For example, experiment with different hybrid work schedules, team interaction formats, or reward programs to see what drives the highest levels of engagement. Encourage employees to share their findings in retrospective meetings, where the team collectively learns from successes and failures.
3. Create a Feedback Loop for Remote and In-Office Workers A strong feedback loop is essential to keeping remote and in-office employees engaged. To ensure everyone’s voice is heard, introduce structured ways for employees to give feedback on their experience, whether through surveys, suggestion boxes, or regular one-on-ones. Analyze this feedback using root cause analysis, identifying trends in engagement issues, and addressing them with targeted solutions.
4. Align Engagement Strategies with Purpose One key tenet of Lean is creating alignment between day-to-day work and the larger organizational purpose. Engagement initiatives should not be “one-size-fits-all” but should resonate with what motivates employees. Hybrid workers need to feel connected to the company’s mission. Leaders can hold regular "huddles" where the company’s purpose and vision are reinforced, ensuring that both in-office and remote workers understand how their contributions align with the company’s larger goals.
5. Leverage Cross-Functional Collaboration Hybrid teams can benefit from breaking down silos and fostering collaboration between departments. Lean Thinking encourages cross-functional teams to collaborate on solving complex problems, which can boost engagement and innovation. Use scientific thinking tools like the Fishbone Diagram (Ishikawa) to bring remote and in-office team members together to brainstorm solutions to organizational challenges. This kind of collaborative problem-solving strengthens culture and reinforces a continuous improvement mindset.

Creating a Unified Culture in a Hybrid Workforce

The hybrid work model brings flexibility, but it also requires intentional efforts to create a cohesive culture and drive engagement. By applying Lean thinking and scientific problem-solving techniques, companies can optimize workflows, improve communication, and build a culture of continuous improvement that thrives in a hybrid environment.

To build engagement and culture in a hybrid workforce:

1. Use visual management to create transparency in workflows.
2. Standardize communication protocols to ensure consistency.
3. Eliminate waste in meetings and emails by focusing on efficiency.
4. Embrace Kaizen for continuous improvement through experimentation.
5. Apply scientific thinking with PDCA cycles for engagement initiatives.

By adopting these strategies, organizations can foster a dynamic, engaged workforce where both remote and in-office employees feel valued, connected, and empowered to contribute to the company’s success.