March 27, 2023
Written by UJJI Team
A recent survey, Increasing Digital Agility, in March 2021, states that 57% of workers anticipate spending ten days or fewer in the office each month. In addition, 98% of respondents think distant attendees will be present at future meetings. Moreover, 97% of the staff members said they want changes made to the workplace before they return to work.
Now it's time for us to change our approach to managing hybrid teams and workplaces. Moving forward, you will learn more about hybrid teams, how to build and manage them successfully, and more!
• What Are Hybrid Teams?
• How To Successfully Build And Manage Hybrid Teams?
• Benefits of Hybrid Teams
• Conclusion
A hybrid team is a flexible working arrangement that consists of two distinct employee types: those who work from home and those who work in an office. You can choose where you want to work in a hybrid workplace.
The idea of hybrid teams, which include in-house and remote workers, was well-liked before the epidemic, and it has now become the norm. As a result, it is obvious that leading hybrid teams is the way of the future, so mastering this skill is essential.
It makes it easier to know what to anticipate and creates a productive environment when explicit rules of interaction are established upfront. For instance, as a team member, you must be aware of the questions that require a team meeting and those that you can answer via email or instant chat.
You must be disciplined about checking in, even numerous times daily, especially when your staff works remotely. For the majority of collaborative teams, daily stand-up meetings are essential, but when teams are not co-located, they become even more crucial. Whatever approach you go with (Kanban, Scrum, etc.), be sure to stick with it and be explicit and consistent about the daily routines of your team.
Making the appropriate setup and tool investments for each team member's circumstance is necessary. These can include improved Wi-Fi, headsets, and webcams for distant workers. It is also crucial to take each team's particular requirements into account.
Teams that work closely together, such as those focused on product development or user experience (UX), must find innovative ways to ensure everyone can participate in the fluid, strategic discourse necessary for advancement. You might already have two cameras set up for this. The other frame frames your whiteboard so you can easily show your evolving ideas or solution diagrams.
You must have discovered how quickly remote workers can become "lost" in a meeting when in-office team members are having off-topic discussions. For those present, a meeting buzzing with concurrent conversations may feel productive and collaborative, but those participating by phone or video chat may need help.
You must be careful to practise good meeting facilitation in a hybrid team. It entails going above and beyond conventional best practises, like adhering to an agenda and ensuring that the following actions are properly summarised.
The person(s) on the phone or in a video chat is typically the hybrid meeting facilitator(s), as they are naturally constrained by being unable to see the entire room and cannot quickly interject into the discourse. A good facilitator will manage side discussions, recap and reiterate the in-office exchanges, and purposefully make room for remote team members' contributions.
Communication is crucial, especially when teams are dispersed. You must ensure remote workers are aware of meaningful in-office conversations in addition to daily check-ins. The capacity to solve problems as they arise is unquestionably one advantage of teams working together in the same office.
According to a JLL study, 69% of employees believe solving work-related problems in person instead of remotely is easier. Brainstorming sessions naturally occur at the water cooler or lunch, and ideas can be shared by simply speaking up in a team setting. Sadly, distant team members miss out on these chances to contribute, which frequently causes irritation or a sense of loneliness.
Every useful ad-hoc interaction must be summarised in the team chat according to an important rule of engagement you may establish for hybrid teams. Then, important decisions are taken after including the distant team members in the collaboration.
Finally, close attention to team culture is essential while leading hybrid teams. Despite the popularity of remote team-building events like Zoom happy hours in 2020, I advise integrating culture-building into planned team get-togethers rather than introducing new ones.
Even a little personal catch-up on a Monday morning team call can go a long way, especially for remote workers who cannot have that kind of talk on the elevator ride to the office. Make it a point to communicate with each team member frequently (by video or in person, depending on their location).
Always inquire how you can help them overcome any obstacles throughout those interactions. Employee engagement and job satisfaction can vary greatly, especially when remote workers are involved. Therefore, avoiding assuming anything or waiting too long to check in with each person is crucial.
The majority of people make their selections on what will allow them to live joyfully, efficiently, and comfortably. Hence, having the option to work on-site or remotely empowers many employees.
The impact a hybrid model will have on the business culture executives have fought so hard to establish locally has them quite worried. For example, a quarter of CEOs think that employees must show up to work every day to maintain a positive corporate culture. But this is just not true.
When lowering your operational costs, a hybrid team is far superior to a traditional team. The explanation is straightforward: Each team member functions independently. Hence, you no longer need to operate your business with desks, computers, printers, etc.
A hybrid workplace is a great place to try a different working method. It will only assist us in finding new solutions to problems and maintain our readiness for any upcoming difficulties.
Overall, managing a hybrid team entails striking a balance between on-site and remote employees while paving the way for more crucial teamwork.
If given the right technology, strong communication skills, information-sharing techniques, clearly defined roles and tasks, and, most crucially, a consistent support system, a hybrid team can perform in amazing ways.
