The hybrid work model presents an opportunity to combine the best of remote and in-person work.

This model, fueled by the pandemic, appears to have broad, long-term appeal: In a March 2021 Accenture survey of more than 9,300 professionals around the world, 83 percent of respondents said they would prefer a hybrid work model in the future .

The hybrid work model brings flexibility to individuals and the organization as a whole. But “flexible” should not be misinterpreted as “improvised.” Talk to any leader who is building or managing a hybrid workplace, and they almost universally agree: hybrid success requires well-defined structures and strong management. 

Consistency and cohesion are key; Without both, you run the risk of essentially having two (or more) separate organizations – one that works on-premises and one that works elsewhere. In this content, we will give you 5 best practices for managing teams in the hybrid work model.

1. Create standardization of how work is done

Given that hybrid work is a new paradigm for many organizations and people, you will likely need to find new ways of doing things. There needs to be consistent processes and workflows across all work modes and locations.

Have a structure for completing tasks. Hybrid teams should have a kickoff call when starting new activities to ensure that all participants have the same level of understanding of the tasks at hand. Everyone should be aware of the overall priorities, as well as the mechanisms for identifying any issues that need to be addressed.

That's part of the appeal of the hybrid model: you can define your own best practices for getting things done, as long as they're aligned with your team.

2. Make work visible

Visibility is the antidote to distrust.

This doesn't mean managers suddenly need to control people virtually. Nor do they need to become micromanagers in hybrid environments. Instead, you need to ensure your team is aware of roles and responsibilities and has a way to see overall progress without feeling paranoid or generating toxicity.

Make work visible. This could be through activity tracking tools or regular team updates. With hybrid work, people are more likely to work asynchronously, so having an effective way for teammates to check the status of shared work is very valuable.

3. Adapt your onboarding process

While many organizations abruptly shifted to remote operations in 2020 out of necessity, the hybrid model is generally a long-term strategy. You must consider not only the people you have on your team today, but also the people who could join your team tomorrow.

Bringing new members into a hybrid team requires you to think about all the parts of the culture and workflow that might have been passed on without thinking if people were working together in an office.

If there is too much unwritten information needed to be successful, the new team member will, at best, progress more slowly or not find the new role fulfilling, while the rest of the team members will not reap the benefits of a new person to join. help with work.

A general principle: New hires should have fairly consistent onboarding experiences, regardless of their primary work location.

4. Have a plan for managing conflict

Any operating model can seem like the “right” model when things are going really well. The toughest tests come when you encounter friction.

To build a healthy hybrid work culture, you need to ensure that you are choosing the right time and place to manage and resolve direct disagreements and disputes. Conflict is inevitable (and beware the manager who thinks otherwise) – the most important thing is how you deal with it.

Here are two principles to keep in mind when dealing with conflict in your hybrid team. Firstly, private is better than public when it comes to mediating disagreements. A one-on-one or small group video call is almost invariably a wiser choice than an asynchronous message in a team-wide chat channel.

Second, more interaction (i.e., video calling or synchronous meeting) is better than less interaction (i.e., texting or emailing). Private conversations with greater interaction have two advantages: they allow us to perceive each other as complex, multidimensional people and build bonds.

5. Adjust your radar for employee burnout

Leaders must be aware of the signs of burnout in their employees. Those who work remotely can end up stressed, irritable and exhausted due to minimal interactions with their colleagues and abuse of the virtual environment.

And let's face it: almost everyone can and should be forgiven for feeling a little stressed, irritated, or exhausted after senior year. It has been very difficult and there are still many uncertainties ahead.

Therefore, leaders of hybrid teams must be aware of burnout – with people working on-site, remotely, or both – and how to combat it. In our latest content, we brought tips on what to do when your team goes through this situation. It is worth checking!

With this changing scenario, it is normal for everyone to go through an adaptation process, including managers. Do you feel prepared to lead in the hybrid work model? Tell us in the comments if these tips helped!