Mastering the Hybrid Workforce: Building a Dynamic Team in the Remote Era

Essential Strategies to Create a Flexible, Productive, and Engaged Hybrid Workplace

The hybrid workplace is not only the latest trend within the workplace environment but an unshakable truth that both small and large companies can no longer ignore. This reality came to fruition via the COVID-19 pandemic, which initially forced office workers to their remote outposts at home but eventually cooled and slowly brought some workers back to their central hub. But things changed in the attitude toward remote work as the obvious appeal and statistically proven productivity skyrocketed for those who thrived in their home workspace. The positive results were glaring, as were the benefits to the remote workers: lower commuting costs, a better work-life balance, and, of course, flexibility. The flexibility was attractive to many workers, leading to an influx of executives proposing what is now incredibly common in modern enterprises: the hybrid workplace model.

Most offices employ the hybrid model out of necessity and a sense of adaptability. It is rare in the year 2024 to find a newly established organization that has a completely in-person staff or a fully remote staff. The mix of these dynamics has presented HR managers and executive leaders with a unique challenge: how exactly to accommodate both in-person and remote workers in a way that will encourage a consistent and fluid flow.

The question is no longer whether or not to go hybrid. The true question is precisely which hybrid model to adopt. Finding a balance between giving employees complete autonomy and implementing structure can be tricky. This article will guide you along the smoothest course toward implementing the hybrid model that works best for your company, whether it be a smaller team from a larger organization or a small company just getting its feet wet.

There will undoubtedly be some challenges to the change; whether you’re changing from in-person or fully remote to hybrid, having a strategy in mind will aid your confidence and ability to support workers who may be initially resistant.

What to Consider When Strategizing

Before taking action, it’s essential to have a well-thought-out plan in place. While the plan doesn’t need to be flawless, its purpose is to provide a clear roadmap, offering stability when challenges inevitably arise. Flexibility is key, as being adaptable will work to your advantage. Remember, you’ll be engaging with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, with varying personalities, lifestyles, and confidence levels. Stay grounded, follow the guidance outlined here, and you’ll position yourself for success.

1. Define Your Objectives

At first glance, this seems like a straightforward question, but the answers are often more nuanced. What you’re really asking is: how can the hybrid workforce help you achieve both your personal and company goals? Additionally, what aspects of transitioning from a fully remote or fully in-office model are most appealing? To dig deeper, consider asking yourself more specific questions, such as:

What’s the Reason? Specify exactly why you are deciding to go hybrid. Do you want to improve employee productivity? Ensure employee work-life balance? Do you want to allow the benefits of remote work while incorporating the benefits of face-to-face communication at the same time? Whatever the reason may be, make it clear. The answer to this question is going to guide the rest of the decisions you make on this journey.
Why Now? Timing is key. So why do you think right now would be the best time to go hybrid? Is it because of changes in the workplace landscape? Or are you trying to improve employee satisfaction? Keep in mind why this concept is occurring to you now.

Risk of Not Going Hybrid

Take a moment to consider the potential outcomes if you choose not to adopt a hybrid model. Create an honest list of the pros and cons of maintaining your current structure.

By answering these questions for yourself, you can better anticipate and address any resistance from employees. Understanding and articulating the positive impact of the change will help you manage the transition more effectively and increase the likelihood of gaining employee support.

2. Space Requirements for Your Vision

Here is a list of more questions to consider when outlining the ideal concept for your hybrid environment:

What Is Your Goal? This question is very similar to a previous one that related to the potential accomplishments behind switching to hybrid. This question dives even deeper, asking you to ponder specific goals that connect to such a hybrid setup.
Why Now? Why not before? Why not later? Again, similar questions as previously posed. It’s crucial to understand this question so it can be easily communicated to employees before the change is implemented.
What Are the Risks? Could your team lose connection? Will they feel less engaged? Think hard about what could go wrong if you try to make this leap right now.

The next step is matching your space to your strategy, which was outlined in the questions posed above. Here are some things to consider:

Find a space that makes sense with your specific hybrid strategy. Think about size and location, of course, but also consider more flexible and collaborative workspaces that are unique in their layout to accommodate fluctuating employee numbers.
Decide on the office layout completely upfront. With this in place, you will not be swayed by differing opinions and change resistance.

3. Select Hybrid Communication Methods

Enabling effective and clean communication is a very common roadblock for businesses who have the desire to move not hybrid or remote work. Issues will inevitably crop up, but that’s why having a plan beforehand is crucial. Some common issues can be defined as communication siloing (when a group of individuals or departments in an organization share information and communication only among themselves but not with their counterparts within the same organization) misinterpretation, and delays in response times.

Here are some ways to avoid such nagging but necessary problems:

Talk to the Team: Employees tend to struggle with different areas of hybrid communication. A lack of feedback is the biggest issue for introverts, while extroverts struggle with an overwhelming amount of communication channels. These issues can be circumvented by asking hybrid employees directly what they prefer to ensure that you have clear and effective communication between teams. Maybe a combination of email, Zoom calls, and Slack messages? Asking is the only way to find out.
Test Them Out: Try some of the options that the team prefers and see what works best for your business type. Many platforms offer a free trial demo to figure out the basic features.
Set Boundaries: Not setting boundaries when it comes to communication can easily lead to employee burnout. Communicate clearly to the teams which hours each person is available, and encourage people to switch off once their day is over. Being too connected all the time can cause screen fatigue, and thus, hinder productivity.

4. Prioritize Hybrid Employee Engagement

A 2023 Hybrid Work Report conducted by Hubspot stated that 61% of employees feel more connected to their organization’s mission in relation to their intent to stay long-term. So in order to build a dedicated team of hybrid employees, you must prioritize engagement. There are multiple ways of doing this:

Host Team Building Events: Fostering a strong sense of culture is vital when it comes to team-building events, as it includes the entirety of the team. These events could include an away day (in person or visual) or attending an event as a team.
Recognize Achievements: Celebrating team members’ accompaniments makes them feel valued. It can be something small, like a direct email to someone to thank them, or something more tangible like a gift card for vacation day. This helps you engage with virtual employees and show that you recognize their hard work, even from a distance.
Provide Training and Professional Development: Providing training for hybrid teams is very different from in-person training. You may need to know how to facilitate virtual and in-person training with multiple screens and a variety of software. How do you plan for that? What skills and support do they need? What needs to happen to make sure this undertaking will be successful? Consider the best ways to offer these sessions to your hybrid employees to ensure that they are set up for success. Offering a day of in-house training with remote tasks to complete at home can be beneficial. Always consider their input when it comes to different learning styles.

5. Manage Your Expectations

Keeping everyone on the same page in a hybrid work environment is crucial for workflow. Setting up boundaries, teaching how the workplace functions, as well as how to collaborate will encourage productivity and workplace contentment. It also has the ability to build trust, and maintaining high levels of trust is a critical element for organizations as they manage hybrid and remote workers. Setting up reasonable expectations within yourself will help people believe in the chosen approach as resistance comes into play, a few weeks into change. Desire appears to be the biggest barrier to successfully implementing a hybrid workforce, according to the research.

Managing Hybrid Expectations

Set Clear Expectations: It’s crucial to establish clear, well-defined expectations around work hours, availability, communication protocols, and flexible work policies. Once these expectations are outlined, communicate them directly to your team. Ensure that everyone, regardless of learning style or preference, fully understands what is required of them.
Explain Boundaries: Clearly explain the rationale behind any boundaries you set, as well as the benefits of adhering to them. For instance, you might restrict communication during specific times to boost productivity. When employees understand that these measures are designed to enhance overall communication and efficiency, they are more likely to embrace the changes.
Consider Diverse Needs: Keep in mind that your team members may have different abilities and needs, such as those with physical challenges or ADHD. Some may prefer flexibility due to commuting difficulties, while others might thrive in a fully remote environment. Gathering feedback through surveys or focus groups can help you better understand and accommodate these differences, ensuring a more inclusive and effective hybrid model.

6. Create a Hybrid Culture

One of the main challenges that hybrid employees face is the loss of connection to a company’s culture. The solution to this is to create a hybrid work culture right off the bat. This solidifies each employee’s importance in the grand scope of the company’s mission and reminds the employees that a hybrid work environment is important. Doing so will once again, minimize resistance, boost motivation, and make it easier for team members to feel comfortable posing questions.

Here are some more specific tips:

Incorporate hybrid working into your company’s values: Keep the concept of hybrid and remote work at the core of your organization’s values. Think of the culture, who you are as a company, and how being a hybrid workforce paints a fluid and easy picture.
Make it easy for team members to work remotely: Give hybrid employees the skills and tools they need to work from home as easily and smoothly as you can. Make hybrid working the foundation of the company. Communicate with your employees and ensure they understand their role. By making working remotely so easy, you are showing your employees that going hybrid is a way of life.
Make sure everyone understands the hybrid work practices: Provide resources and communicate how the hybrid workplace functions. This will keep everyone in the loop, as change is always ongoing.

7. Plan Digital Infrastructure

A digital infrastructure is a delicate being. A 2024 Global Hybrid Work Study revealed that networking infrastructure is essential for a seamless working-from-home experience. But only 67.9% said their company had the right working infrastructure. How can you avoid this pitfall?

Good technology and upgraded IT support can easily improve hybrid work uses. It can open up a connection between those on screen vs those in person, and exemplify their skills with equal measure. Here are some more specific suggestions:

Review Current Tech: Are there any tools in your current setup that won’t work in a hybrid workflow? Does it need to be upgraded to better suit employees who work in the office, and at home? Reviewing all of your existing technology gives you a great place to start.
Identify Digital Needs: After reviewing the technology that you have, you can start to consider which kind you need for virtual person and/or hybrid workplaces. Look over what systems you need to complete work remotely, and which systems need to be improved in order to implement a more fluid hybrid model.
Talk to Hybrid Team Members: As mentioned many times here, communication amongst executives and employees is key to a successful company’s performance. So ask the ones that are hybrid what works and what doesn’t, gathering a large pool of viewpoints to cover all your corners.

Getting Everyone On Board

Change is difficult for many people. It is important to anticipate resistance from employees. Consider how to help them overcome their barriers through the strategic use of transparency. Think about how these changes may affect individuals’ workspaces, and maintain an open dialogue about personality differences and emotional desires.

Be sure to highlight the benefits of the change. That doesn’t mean that you don’t take into account a person’s emotional reaction to having their space altered. These reactions can lead to resistance to the change itself. Here are some tips on how to traverse these bumps in the road:

Communicate Why: As we’ve laid out, the why in relation to the workspace change is critical to getting everyone on board. Clearly explain the benefits of the changes, like a flexible layout leading to better collaboration.
Get Feedback: Run surveys or listening sessions to get direct opinions on the change. This will allow employees to voice what they need and in turn, feel valued.
Emphasize Flexibility and Teamwork: Harp on how the changes will render working together easier while offering more personal choice in how and where the work can be done.

Manage Change and Resistance to Change

Resistance to change is not only a psychological reaction but also physiological. To act in a new way requires more or different kinds of brain power. Certain employees can react more strongly than others when change is enacted. Expecting resistance to happen when change is implemented will make navigating it far easier.

Here are some ways that resistance to change can be managed:

Phase 1 – Prepare Approach: Actions center on early identification and anticipated points for remittances, and special tactics for addressing them. Risks are also identified through risk assessments during Phase 1.
Phase 2 – Manage Change: Resistance prevention action and activities are also included in Phase 2. Developing resistance response activities for persistent, pervasive remittances when they occur.
Phase 3 – Sustain Outcomes: Review performance to understand the initial progress and status of change management activities. Consists of accessing the performance of resistance management activities and documenting lessons learned for the future.

Some companies will choose to address the root of the problem by exploring various strategies to adapt to resistance as it emerges in the near future.

The Future is Now

A hybrid work environment can thrive seamlessly with a well-planned strategy. While some resistance to change is natural, you can successfully manage the transition by fostering open communication, supporting growth, and gathering feedback from employees who will benefit from a hybrid approach. The modern workplace has embraced hybrid models, and with the right approach, your company will be well-positioned to do the same.

By considering each employee’s individuality while encouraging collaboration aligned with your company’s mission and flexible values, you’ll pave the way for success.

Ready to take the next step in creating a thriving hybrid workplace? Book a tour of the Professional Centre today to explore how we can help support your modern, flexible work environment. Together, we can create a more dynamic and productive future.