What is going to bite you?

In a recent conversation, the person I was talking to was bemoaning the level of negativity in her workplace which characterises the ‘Office Politics’, she then added “But I’m only in one day a week now with hybrid working, so I can pretty much ignore it.”

When I thought about this afterwards, I concluded that yes, she is right, she can broadly avoid the issues and/or people in the office that are contributing to the negativity. However, I also thought about how she has not considered the potential negative outcomes that could result from this situation.

Hybrid working has many benefits for our lives, but if it means we are avoiding challenges and limiting our visibility and opportunities to collaborate then that is a danger that will bite eventually. Even more effort is required when we are in the office only some of the time or not at all.

In this article, I want to explore some of difficulties/time consuming activities that can be avoided when working more from home, and the danger of doing so:

1.????Not having difficult conversations

The issue with this is that feelings and problems rarely completely disappear unless they are dealt with, especially if a situation/behaviour is likely to reoccur. Not dealing with it can build resentment, defensiveness and ultimately a negative professional relationship.

This topic is a whole other article and will be at some point, but in the meantime - take time to think through the conversation you need to have, consider the other person’s perspective, listen and avoid presenting your views as facts would be my top tips.

2.????Not making time for the people you manage

If you don’t actively earmark time for your team, they are more likely to become a burden rather than an asset. Have you been cancelling catch up meetings as you are so busy? You need to focus on building these relationships. Particularly as we are currently in a candidate’s market in many sectors, so it is easy for people to move organisations, if they don’t feel valued and engaged with who they currently work for

Consider your team and think about the strength of the relationships and what you might need to focus on. Consider the day-to-day but also their career development so they know you have this in mind.

3.????Not managing upwards well

No matter what you think of your boss, make time for this relationship as it is pivotal to effective and productive day-to-day working. My recent article might help you consider more deeply how to do this.

4.????Not building strategic relationships

It’s easy to ignore the less ‘obvious’ relationships around you. Who might influence your career progression in the future? Who influences your everyday work? Who could you refer your clients to within your company or firm and vice versa?

When you are in the office full-time and attending events and other meetings, this happens a lot more easily, even though I would always say you need to create a plan. However, if you don’t see these people very often due to increased home working, you need to be even more intentional and make a plan.

Which of these is a risk for you? Even if not in the short-term, which could cause you career and day-to-day working issues? It is tempting to put things aside when you don’t have to encounter the outcomes as frequently but I would strongly suggest you think about what you need to make time for.

Do download my Nine Skills needed for success to help you think about what you need to consider.

As a quick update, my book to help you navigate your workplace challenges and get to where you want to, will be published on 29th November, I’ve changed the title and it will now be called ‘Getting On, Making work work’. Please message me if you’d like to be added to the list to receive more updates on it and to find out when pre-ordering is possible.

Have a great summer, I hope you can make some time for reflecting on your career and what might be next for you, whether it’s a role change or focusing on some development points.