The idea of using a hybrid work model is exciting for some as it offers employees more flexibility and a stronger work-life balance. However, the hybrid work model does come with its own risks and concerns. Without everyone together in the office, can you really ensure productivity? Will your company culture stay intact? While these things are still possible, how you implement them is going to look a little different from the traditional strategies.
An important part of company culture is fostering a sense of belonging. This can be tricky when the team is only partially in the office during the week. With employees spending more time at home, they end up becoming more disconnected from their team – sometimes even isolated. To combat this risk of detachment, leaders will need to be intentional in how they try to socially engage their employees. Simply setting up virtual hangouts with no agenda besides getting to know each other better as well as casual message channels (also known as the “virtual water cooler”) will be able to foster a sense of inclusion within your employees whether they are in office or working from home.
Many employers also want their work culture to encourage collaboration between employees and sometimes across departments. In fact, many offices have adapted to an open floor layout to further collaboration and productivity. However, with employees now working from home, the amount of physical collaboration that was once taking place suddenly decreases once a hybrid work model has been implemented. Even so, that does not mean it’s completely impossible to influence collaboration. It may not happen as organically as it would in the office, but it can still happen as long as leaders are intentional about fostering it. For example, virtual meetings can be revamped to make sure everyone, especially remote employees, is working together. Share an agenda with all attendees to ensure everyone is familiar with the discussion topics and can bring questions or suggestions to the meetings. You can also utilize breakout rooms to give your employees an opportunity to discuss and develop ideas amongst themselves. As for more quiet remote employees, remember to directly ask for their input to make sure everyone has a chance to be heard.
An important note about the hybrid work model is to be aware of “proximity bias”, which is when employees that physically go to work are more likely to be rewarded than those working remotely. Research from MIT Sloan explains how remote employees receive not only lower performance evaluations but also fewer promotions than those who go into the office more often. This is due to a gap in perceived effort since employers may not see all the energy that goes into work that was completed remotely. However, that doesn’t mean that the remote employees didn’t put significant effort into their work as well. Instead of evaluating employees based on the effort that you might witness more in the office, create new ways to measure productivity when done remotely to ensure all employees are evaluated and rewarded fairly.
While it’s possible to sustain your company culture within a hybrid model, the process will look different from what most companies are used to when using a traditional in-office model. More than anything, company leaders will have to be intentional in their efforts to keep the culture intact.
