What do You Need Most to be Successful in a Hybrid Work Environment? - Online Income Generation, Income Growth Strategies, Freelancing Income  
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Many renowned surveys have revealed that the majority of employees prefer a permanently blended work environment – or at the very least more flexible workplaces. This has been a long-term trend; the pandemic has simply hastened it.

Employees benefit from hybrid workplaces because they blend in-person employment with telecommuting. This transition raises several challenges for organizations about how to manage the new hybrid workplace. Many executives are uncomfortable with managing a distributed team of employees engaged in multiple work modes, such as in-office, hybrid, remote, and outside sales.

If you’re a leader in a hybrid organization, you likely see both the benefits and the challenges. On one hand, you’re able to give your employees the flexibility they want, potentially enhancing overall productivity and increasing retention in a tight job market. On the other hand, you’re tasked with fostering sustainable communication, employee engagement, collaboration and culture growth in an unmapped context.

To make your hybrid employee work environment a long-term success, you’ll need strategies for:

  • Making your team more cohesive
  • Leveling the playing field across remote, hybrid and full-time office dwellers
  • Elevating the engagement and productivity of your team

Here are 10 tips you can use today to build a successful hybrid work environment.

1. Know Yourself

Because not every employer is shifting to a hybrid work environment, you may be tempted to take the first hybrid offer that comes your way. While you may be a fantastic culture fit for the company and the role, or it’s your current employer making the offer, that doesn’t mean the hybrid schedule is a fantastic fit for you.

FlexJobs Career Coach Cidnye Work advises anyone considering a hybrid schedule to reflect on when they’ve been the most productive at work and how they achieved that productivity. “Write these things down and come up with a strategic and intentional plan for navigating a hybrid situation successfully.”

Knowing how, when, and why you are a successful employee will help you better choose which hybrid work environment is right for you.

2. Prepare for Tech Issues

While you won’t necessarily need to be your own tech team, you’ll likely need to know the basics of how to troubleshoot minor tech issues. When working remotely in a hybrid arrangement prepare to run into a few roadblocks, such as internet or computer issues.

Make sure you have a backup plan in the event your tech goes haywire, such as a portable hotspot, extra laptop battery, or local coffee shop with good WiFi.

3. Use the Cloud

Consider moving as much of your work as possible to the cloud. You may not be the only person working a hybrid schedule, which means it’s possible you and your teammates are rarely—if ever—in the office at the same time. Putting everything in the cloud means every team member has access to the project, knows what updates have happened, and can see what remains to be done.

The other reason to transfer your work to the cloud is that it gives you access to your files no matter where you are. For example, cloud documents are accessible from your work computer and your home computer. Even if you have a laptop that goes with you to and from the office, you never know when it might break down or get left behind. Cloud access ensures you can keep working despite potential hiccups.

4. Be Reachable and Communicative

Thriving in a hybrid work environment involves communication and being reachable. Communication tools are a critical element of success for remote workers, and how you use these tools and communicate with others will impact your success as a hybrid worker.

Read Also: What is a Hybrid Job at Amazon?

For example, during your in-office days, consider posting project updates in the project management tool instead of dropping by a team member’s desk to share the information. This way, everyone has the same information shared with them in the same manner regardless if they are in the office or working remotely.

The same goes with keeping in touch. Using a messaging system and setting regular times to catch up will keep others updated and everyone moving in the same direction. It’s also great to know each other, too!

5. Share a Calendar

Even if you’re the only person working a hybrid schedule, create a shared calendar so everyone knows what days you’re in the office and what days you’re working from home. This will help everyone stay clear about who is supposed to be where and on what days, which will cut down on confusion and scheduling snafus.

6. Create a Hybrid Workday Routine

Having a daily routine for work is often a crucial part of success no matter where you work. A daily workday routine also helps get your brain into work mode, signaling it’s time to get things done and help you stay on task.

The thing about a hybrid work environment, though, is that your routine is going to change based on what day it is. Some days will be your “going into the office routine” and other days will be your “working remotely routine,” but the two routines likely won’t be the same.

For example, on your in-office days, you may get up at a specific time so you can shower, exercise, and eat breakfast before you start your commute. On your work-from-home days, while you may still shower, exercise, and eat breakfast before work, your commute isn’t nearly as long. What to do with all that extra time before you officially clock in?

What you do with that time is up to you. Whether you choose to work, meditate, or take an extra-long walk with the dog, try to keep the routine the same every time. This will help you get your mind into “work mode,” helping you start your day on time and stay focused throughout.

7. Include Breaks

As you create your work routine, don’t forget to schedule breaks.

It’s easy to dive into your tasks and plow through them, in part because you’re at home and away from the interruptions and distractions that sometimes happen in the office. However, you’re also away from the casual, unscheduled breaks that happen when you go to refill your coffee and end up chatting with a coworker about weekend plans.

These unscheduled breaks help you be a productive employee by giving your brain much-needed rest. So, include a few breaks during your day so you don’t work too much and decrease your productivity. Walk around the block, meet a friend for coffee, or even schedule a casual chat with your in-office counterparts.

8. Set Boundaries

Along those same lines, don’t forget to establish and stick to boundaries.

When you work in a fully remote environment, it’s important to set start and end times to your workday. These times help maintain the boundary between work time and personal time—something that can be hard to do when you work and play in the same space.

In a hybrid work environment, it could be tricky to keep those boundaries intact, especially as you and your employer test the hybrid work waters.

For example, on your remote days, you may be tempted to start earlier and end later just to prove that you are productive at home. On the flip side, you may feel a need to come in early and work late on your in-office days for extra face time or to prove how dedicated you are to the job.

The problem, though, is that you could find yourself working long hours every day, and that could, in turn, lead to burnout.

Establishing and sticking to boundaries around your workday will help you stay balanced, focused, and productive. If you’re worried about how things might look, keep track of your wins and everything you’re accomplishing as a hybrid worker. By focusing on your results, you’ll be able to demonstrate that you’re a productive and devoted employee no matter where you are.

9. Consider Ergonomics

Because you’re only working from home a few days a week, you may think it’s not worth it to spend the money on setting up a home office. You might think that it’s fine to work at the kitchen table, or even on the couch.

However, even one to two days a week at an ergonomically incorrect workstation won’t do wonders for your physical health. Spring for a proper chair and desk. If that’s not in the budget, consider working somewhere that does have a good setup, like a coworking space or the library.

Your back (and arms and shoulders) will thank you!

10. Pack Your Patience

Finally, as Work points out, the hybrid work environment is new for many employers, and as companies try to figure out what it all means for them and for you, there are bound to be a few stumbles along the way. Being patient, flexible, and understanding will be paramount to your success in a hybrid work environment.

“There are likely going to be some changes in how things used to operate. For example, some companies may encourage hybrid employees to use a shared desk when they are in the office rather than having a private office. Navigating these changes can feel stressful and frustrating. But, try to keep an open and positive mindset while remaining flexible so that it doesn’t feel as overwhelming.”

What Skills do You Need For Hybrid Working?

Certain qualities are essential to flourish at the job of leadership, regardless of whether a manager works in a remote, hybrid, or other environment. However, if you’re in charge of a hybrid team, you’ll need some additional, specific skills to be a successful manager of a team that is sometimes on-site and sometimes off-site.

They prioritize flexibility, proactive communication, emotional intelligence, and inclusivity.

Flexibility

When it comes to managing hybrid teams, Andre Kazimierski, CEO of Improovy, believes that “flexibility is everything.” As an example, he explained that, ideally, you want all of your team members to be working on-site on the same days as each other, and remote on the same days, but there will likely be unavoidable circumstances in which team members may have to stay home on an on-site day. “Managers need to create a system that allows flexibility and supports those who have to work remotely on days where everyone else is in the office,” Kazimierski said.

Andriy Bogdanov, CEO and co-founder of Online Divorce agreed with the importance of hybrid managers offering flexibility and autonomy. “A great hybrid team manager provides some degree of autonomy to team members by enunciating expected outcomes and deadlines, delegating tasks, and agreeing on common metrics for evaluation,” Bogdanov said. “I encourage my company’s team managers to give employees enough elbow room for self-management and accountability.”

Proactive Communication

Wesley Nelson has experience as a manager in an office-only environment, a hybrid work environment, and now, as a director of Hepper.com, an all-remote team. When Nelson’s team first transitioned to hybrid, he found that the most important skill was proactive communication. “In a hybrid environment, it’s more important than ever that everyone feels heard, given they cannot always be seen,” Nelson said. He added that members of your team—particularly the more introverted employees—may feel it’s harder to reach out to you than it was when you shared the same room.

To address this reality, the director believes it’s important to do daily check-ins at the start of the day, and roundups at the end of the day, to ensure the quieter members of the team are getting the contact they require. “Gone are the days when an employee could catch the boss by the water cooler,” Nelson said. “We all have to be more proactive in communication for both personal and professional life within our evolving environments.”

Emotional Intelligence

Jon Buchan is CEO of Charm Offensive, which employs a hybrid workforce. Buchan flagged emotional intelligence (EQ) as a highly relevant skill for hybrid team managers. “In the wake of the pandemic, people have been emotional and vulnerable,” Buchan said, noting that there has been a “visible shift” in behaviors and preferences.

“Workers are no longer motivated by the same set of factors as they were before the pandemic,” the CEO said. With this in mind, Buchan said it’s important to have a strong affinity for employees’ emotions. “With emotional intelligence, you can quickly spot their pain points and instill them with a sense that you have their backs,” he said. It’s all about sketching a better human bond with your employees, and possessing emotional intelligence is a big part of it.”

Managing a hybrid team requires additional competencies and considerations compared to traditional, in-house team management. By developing the skills of flexibility, proactive communication, emotional intelligence, and inclusion, you can become a standout hybrid team manager.

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