Following the financial crisis, it seems probable that some degree of home or remote working will become a more permanent component of our everyday working life. This may imply that if government rules are followed, many organizations may consider using hybrid teams in the foreseeable future. It is unavoidable that some organizations will defer to the discretion of each worker when determining whether or when to return to the workplace. Typical employers will handle this process individually, recognizing that some employees will be eager to return to the workplace. In contrast, others would be less so and managing the process accordingly.
Recognize and accept the difficulties.
Each of your workers is likely to have a distinct set of emotions and worries about returning to work, and all of them are legitimate. This is something that managers and people leaders should bear in mind when choosing how to reintroduce their workers to the workplace.
Consider holding one-on-one sessions with each of your workers to assess their feelings about the hybrid workplace model. Some workers may want to remain working from home forever, while others may be ready to return to the sense of normality of working in an office. The vast majority of people will most likely fall someplace in between these two extremes. Preferences of your workers must be taken into consideration to establish an atmosphere in which your people feel secure and respected and heard and understood throughout this transition time.
Using the same technologies that are already in use to handle hybrid teams
Just because your current digital tools have shown to be effective in managing in-office teams in the past does not imply that they will be effective in managing hybrid teams as well. You need solutions that can digitize team communication and collaboration while working with mixed teams to constantly keep team members connected and up to date with the latest developments within the group, regardless of where they are working from.
Establishing expectations and holding people accountable should begin as early as possible.
As early as possible, establish clear objectives and assign clear responsibility to all workers so that both home-based and office-based employees may collaborate effectively and understand who is responsible for what. As part of this, you could have daily or weekly meetings with your whole team to start each day or week on the right ankle. You can also discuss progress on essential projects with your entire team frequently to keep the momentum moving forward.
Develop a strong sense of belonging to your culture
Organizations that make it to the end of this epidemic owe a debt of gratitude to one set of people: the individuals who made it possible. Moreover, although leaders may be delaying a formal “thank you” to their workers until they are back in the office, they must not lose sight of the critical employees who may opt to continue working from their homes. As we begin to make the shift back to the office, workers need a feeling of comfort and compassion, whether they are working in person or remotely.