Making hybrid working work

“We’re switching to a hybrid model of working.”  How often have you heard people say that recently? Now we’re pleased if not thrilled, but our advice is - you will need a lot more than a statement to make it work. A policy statement is a start as its permission to go. However, after you get the green light, you need to find your way; you need to experiment and try new approaches, to learn and adapt when you find something doesn't work. Working out what behaviours, practices and norms will make it work for your team.

Creating hybrid working practices

We are at a moment in time where we have an opportunity to replace out of date working patterns and processes with new ones. And design a workplace more suited to collaboration, inclusivity and true teamwork. But we still need processes (stay with me here). Processes are not a bad thing as when done right, they provide a shared rhythm around which everyone can add their own needs.

At the end of 2020 we talked to 38 leaders and teams across many sectors, as part of our Back-to-work-post-Covid research to see what businesses needed now as they returned to 'work' (although in reality, the office may be a better choice of words here as it's not like anyone stopped working).

Link to blog post on seven themes

That research was invaluable in helping us understand the deep challenges organisations have faced. From those hours of interviews, we managed to pick out seven key themes we saw running across all areas. One of which was that teams experienced more autonomy through hybrid working and they liked it. They had more freedom to innovate and make their own decisions. Yet at the same time, they were also finding it harder to get consensus and movement on more strategic longer-term people and process changes. Such strategic decisions often require multiple parts of the system, currently working separately, to work together. And one of those areas was how to create long-lasting change in many of the work practices that they have seen change.

So, how can they do that and how can they make hybrid working work well? We’ve reached the starting point now with permission for a hybrid work policy - tick (and let’s not underestimate what an achievement that is) but now we have to bring that to life and integrate it into the fundamentals of daily work. That will require new mindsets and ways of thinking about work, performance and collaboration - followed by some new processes, practices and ways of working to make that work. 

Let's start with new mindsets

Now that we’ve got the hybrid-working policy we need the right mindsets that allow teams to experiment and learn to find out what works for them. Many teams are going to be switching from the old automatic mental model of the boss knowing the answers, to a model where teams approach design in a more equal and collaborative way. 

To get there though teams need to be wary of the action-bias trap. Of needing to get on and start doing without thinking first.

The best way to create new mindsets is to start with conversations that allow teams to question old assumptions and ways of working. Looking back at what worked, what didn't and what actually needs to change. Asking questions like 'what problem are we solving here?', 'what outcome are we after?' and 'what needs to be done?' Taking time to run retrospectives of what to stop, start and continue. 

These discussions should create a shared mindset where people (and especially bosses) can say they don’t have all the answers, freeing them up to ask curious questions, listening to what worked and didn't for others and suggesting experiments to try things out - that might not work. That's a very different mindset to the old 'hero model' where a select few had all the answers. The needed mindset to underpin effective design conversations around hybrid working is one of experimentation and discovery. Not one that falls back on what has worked in the past. So once we've created the right mental conditions for change - then we need some processes. 

New patterns for hybrid working

Humans LOVE patterns. Humans have to have A SYSTEM. We need order and hybrid working is going to be no exception.

Everything we do works to patterns and the order that creates. Without a pattern, without order, there’s a huge impact on the people involved, on their wellbeing, group dynamics and efficiency.

Previously at work, we had formal and informal structures to the day that were centred around a building - such as going into the building, coffee breaks, and lunchtime. We also had meeting structures (not always good - in fact rarely so), a decision structure and a communication style. We knew where we were and what we had to do all of which was building based. But many of these processes are ready for a rethink if we're to keep hold of that increased autonomy we saw teams embracing.

• Meetings need more opportunity for supportive challenge, where people can ask, ‘Why am I here, does this make sense?’
• Decision making needs to create space for more equal contributions allowing teams to benefit from much more diversity of thought.
• We need better processes for wellbeing and taking care of each other at work, recognising the work-life boundaries are not so clear when we no longer walk out of a building.

And we need to re-write these processes for a collaborative world of work. Creating a different model of trust between leaders and employees will enhance collaboration and diversity of input. Therefore, our routines need to be based around something other than location.

Replacing our building-based processes

We have lost many workplace patterns now the building has all but gone. But patterns (processes) don’t need to be building based.

Research has shown, for example, that virtual teams can form tighter identities than office-based ones even though they may have never met. But certain factors have to be in place.

Teams need an online space that acts as their home and has all of the strong ceremonies and team cues to create a bond. There the language and social norms create a shared identity, together with patterns and behavioural norms which demonstrate - the way we do things around here. That can be virtual. There is plenty of research showing how well it can work. Social media posts and the influence they have to illustrate how patterns, ceremonies and ties can form online.

Start with conversations

Although a shift to new ways of working sounds like something we’d all surely wish for, to achieve it is psychologically harder than you think. As subconsciously we’re all getting pulled back to the norms we know from the past and look to the boss for all the answers. That’s how humans work. We have patterns and behavioural blueprints we can’t just switch off. And they are going to be deeply ingrained. But when you think about it - how unfair is it to expect any single person to have all the answers? So let's use a group approach to this and unleash the power of teams. 

Team away-days, re-connect days (or whatever we should call them now) are something that should be a big part of the hybrid working solution. Where there are clear contact days where people DO come together for a really clear and precise reason - to collaborate and solve problems together. 

These days are marked out placeholders to bring teams together to have conversations about how they now want to work together. And one of the first reasons to do that should be to talk about the innovative, inclusive and collaborative behaviours they will need in a hybrid world of work. 

How we can help

We are big believers in days that allow teams to get together and talk about who they want to be as a team before the automatic routines kick back in. Getting teams together to not only reconnect but also talk about how they want to work going forward. Which can be so much richer with an external facilitator watching when the conversation slips off track or gets lost in old ways. 

If you'd like to find out more about how we can help your team with culture and behaviour change or an away day then take a look at the workshops page of our website. We'd love to talk more and hear about your team's journey towards new ways of working.