August 5, 2021

5 Tips to Make Hybrid Work Better

The concept of working in a hybrid role, splitting your work week between the office and a remote location, is a popular topic of conversation these days. And it’s easy to see why. After most of the workforce was required to work from home during the pandemic, many found they enjoyed the benefits and quality of work-life. Some companies also see the value in a hybrid model to attract and retain the best people. With offices reopening, many are wondering how to make a hybrid work model not only successful, but better for individuals and organizations. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but we believe thoughtfully designed spaces, open communication and the right technology can help foster inclusive interactions for teams no matter where they are working.

Here are five tips to help make your hybrid work strategy successful

1. Set Expectations

Organizations and leaders will need to set hybrid work expectations and communicate the options people have based on job function, personal preferences, and feasibility. Not all work can be done remotely, and organizations may be challenged with people seeing themselves as “haves” or “have-nots” based on their ability to work in a hybrid model. Giving people choice, while also ensuring customer needs are met, will be a balancing act.

• Develop a system for communicating who will be working in person and who will be remote so teams can plan the best possible collaboration experience.
• Foster a culture of trust where employees feel comfortable working remotely while being held accountable for their performance and results.
• Define specific tasks that don’t require collaborating with others and can be done away from the office.

2. Keep Connections Strong

Maintaining strong culture, morale and camaraderie among team members is one of the biggest challenges with long-term hybrid working. When people feel connected to their peers and to the shared purpose of the organization, they are more likely to feel positively about their individual contribution.

• Ensure leaders are present and accessible. Whether working remotely or in the office, people want to have visibility with leaders for mentorship and career advancement opportunities.
• Strengthen bonds between team members by providing opportunities for them to get to know each other and problem solve together.
• Communicate customer requirements, business needs/goals and the ways people can make unique contributions toward a shared purpose.
• Encourage spontaneous dialogue through virtual tools, like MS Teams Chat, Donut, and Yammer, to keep hybrid teams connected.
• Take a few minutes at the start of every meeting to check in and build social capital. Make introductions as needed so everyone in the room and on video is familiar with each other.

3. Offer a Range of Spaces

To create the best possible hybrid work experience, organizations should consider offering a range of spaces and technology solutions to easily support different types of collaboration — from impromptu touchpoints to planned creative brainstorming sessions. Whether meeting in the open or within four walls, collaboration spaces should be adaptable and high-performing for teams of all sizes.

• Offer enclosed focus rooms, freestanding pods or shielded areas where individuals can take a video call while not disturbing others.
• Design spaces where all meeting participants can clearly see people and content. Flexible furniture and/or mobile devices let you move within the space or adjust remote participants’ views as needed, while also giving people control over how they use a space.

4. Create An Equal Meeting Experience

Whether you are meeting remotely or in-person, experiencing engaging interactions and accomplishing agenda goals is a priority for all.  To create an equal participation experience, intentional space planning and technology tools need to be considered.

• Support natural eye contact by placing the camera where you would expect a person’s eyes to fall – typically top center of the display.
• Consider an auto-tracking or auto-framing camera to help focus in on the person talking.
• Address task and ambient lighting to help people feel confident on camera. Warm, LED lights just above head height and off to the side are best for video.
• Consider the space’s size, boundaries, materials and the direction of microphones and speakers for the best audio on both ends.
• Arrange digital and analog content to ensure equal participation by separating people and content on the screen.
• Stop regularly to allow remote participants to give their input or ask questions.

5. Enable Simple and Seamless Technology Transitions

Switching between working remotely and in the office should be as seamless as possible. Workers are juggling multiple interfaces, displays and experiences so ensuring that everyone can easily connect their devices is essential.

• Allow employees to use their own device to connect to virtual collaboration via “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) instead of dedicated room systems.
• Ensure shared devices connect easily with personal devices and people can interact with both when necessary.
• Select technology tools that can all work together in a space and pair with a variety of devices and software solutions for a user-friendly experience.

Many companies and people have embraced hybrid working. To maintain productivity and company culture, organizations will need to develop and iterate strategies around their space and protocols. NBS offers services and solutions to help make your hybrid work approach better. Contact us today.