The Four Shared Keys to Success:
1- Transparent Communication
Communication poses challenges both in our personal and professional lives. It’s a complex issue that encompasses more than just words. Communication channels are important, as well as context (the place and time at which the message is received).
In person, it’s easy to communicate face-to-face when necessary, or informally (on a coffee break, for example). In these types of situations, we have access to cues that we don’t find in emails, such as posture, tone of voice, and non-verbal cues.
- To ensure success in hybrid mode, clear communication channels are important. These include cell phones, instant messaging systems, regular video conferences, and frequent emails to keep the team informed.
2- Adaptability and Flexibility
Adaptability is an invaluable skill resulting from numerous organizational, technological, and cultural changes of the past few decades.
Flexibility enables employees to manage their schedules and change locations depending on their tasks and familial responsibilities, which contributes to their satisfaction at work.
On the employer’s end, clear policies must be established to ensure team cohesion, project progress, and company profitability.
- As a result, adaptability and flexibility are among the pillars of success when it comes to hybrid work. The increased satisfaction of employees in this mode incentivizes them to stay with the company, which alleviates pressure on employers to fill empty positions and train staff (with all the associated costs).
3- Investing in Technology
Hybrid work requires financial investment from the employer. They must provide employees with reliable digital tools that facilitate effective collaboration all while ensuring data security. These include video conferencing software, file-sharing platforms, and instant messaging applications, among others.
The employer should also invest in a good quality computer and a smartphone, as well as a high-speed internet connection, if the company does not provide these tools. In addition, they must learn to use them.
- The success of hybrid work depends on the effectiveness of technological tools that facilitate fluid communication, team performance, and project completion, no matter where everyone is working.
4- Prioritizing Well-Being
In 2024, the following buzzwords come up often: health, work-life balance, alone time, mental health, quality time with family or partners, etc.
For employers, their employees’ well-being directly impacts their ability to retain talent, which makes it a priority, in addition to salary conditions and benefits.
- Well-being is therefore a key to success in hybrid work mode, since it is a priority both for employees and employers.
The Fifth Distinct Key to Success in Hybrid Work Mode
- A) Employers: Constant Evaluations
If anyone thinks that remote work has made tasks easier for organizations, they are wrong. On the contrary, this new way of working has destabilized managers, making it difficult for them to take their employees’ pulse since they aren’t in the office as often.
To compensate, employers must organize meetings more frequently to discuss any challenges that their teams might face, and to maintain relationships of trust and collaboration. This is achieved through assessments, establishing goals, listening, and recognizing good work.
- Frequent evaluations must compensate for infrequent informal exchanges in hybrid mode. These enable both parties to resolve any discomfort and maximize work efficiency through minor adjustments. Goals are more achievable this way.
- B) Employees: Self-Discipline and Time Management
From an outside perspective, working at home might seem easy. We see an improved work-life balance and reduced commute time, as well as gas and lunch costs. It’s also easier to manage family logistics.
However, for many, getting to work, maintaining concentration, and not being disturbed by family is a daily challenge. For others, isolation and remote collaboration negatively affect their performance.
- To improve productivity, self-discipline is essential. For work periods outside the office, it’s important to establish a morning routine, plan ahead, carve out dedicated time slots, and set up a workspace. Lastly, it’s a smart idea to invest in learning how to manage time effectively, no matter the position.
At Bedard Human Resources, we can help you define your hybrid work mode policies. Contact Stéphane Pépin for more information about our HR consulting services.
