Navigating The Challenges Of Hybrid Work

Author
Dropthought
Published on:
Mon Oct 24 2022
Categories
Employee Experience

Hybrid work is becoming more and more popular among employees who want to achieve a good balance between their personal and professional lives. This type of work allows you to enjoy the benefits of working at home or in an office, while also giving you access to resources that are only available in one location or another.

Hybrid work can be beneficial for everyone: employees appreciate the ability to work from anywhere, managers get more flexibility in their schedules, and companies save money on overhead costs by not having to provide an office for every employee.

According to reports, “83% of workers would prefer a hybrid work model in the future”.

What does hybrid work mean?

Hybrid work is a combination of working in the office and working remotely. It’s also a combination of working on your own and working with others. Hybrid workers can work from home or outside of the office, but they still meet with their team members at regular intervals.

Navigate the top challenges of hybrid work

Also, companies face challenges while trying to move their employees into hybrid work models. This post will explore what those challenges are, and how they can be navigated successfully:-

Communication is key to the success of hybrid teams

It’s important to remember that communication is key to the success of the business but it can be a challenge for hybrid teams. Communication can take many forms, from daily contact with team members to regular team meetings or weekly one-on-one meetings.

Communication should be clear and concise so that everyone understands what needs to be done. It's important to remember that effective communication is important to lead a hybrid team, so don't shy away from using technology when it comes time to talk with someone remotely.

For example, Many companies have increased their reliance on productivity platforms like Zoom, Slack, and many others to have team building activities, training, and white-boarding sessions which have been traditionally in-person activities.

Maintain a designated place to work

While doing office work, you always need a quiet and designated workspace.

A designated space for working allows you to create an environment that is distraction-free so that when it's time to focus on your work, you have a quiet and comfortable space where you can work easily.

Take advantage of technology but don't overuse it

While technology is great for connecting with your team and staying in touch with clients, it can also be a distraction or can be a challenge in hybrid work. Make sure you use technology to get the job done but don’t let it take over your workday.

Technology is a tool—like any other, it can help or hurt depending on how you use it. So before you answer that email or check your social media accounts at work, ask yourself: “Does this need my attention right now?” If not, leave it for later.

Develop empathy and focus on inclusivity

In a hybrid work environment, everyone must understand each other's intentions behind their actions - something which can only happen if there's sufficient empathy between colleagues at all levels within a company or department (or across several departments).

Set & stick to boundaries

You've decided to work remotely, but what happens when you have a meeting or need to attend a conference? How do you manage your expectations with others so they understand why it's important for you to take time off? Here are some tips:

Set clear boundaries around both yourself and others' expectations of your time. If someone wants to meet up with you in person, then determine why it is important to have in person discussion and why it can't be done virtually.

Stay consistent! Once you've established those expectations, make sure they don't change over time. Sticking with these agreements will help ensure everyone knows where they stand—and will give them space if needed so that no one feels overwhelmed by being surrounded by constant communication all day long.

Take care of yourself

At the end of the day, taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do. This is especially true when you’re working in a hybrid environment. You're likely to be juggling multiple tasks and responsibilities at once, which means that you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed fairly often. If this happens, take some time out for yourself!

Try doing something relaxing like reading an article or watching a video on YouTube; just make sure it doesn't involve any work-related topics. Other good habits to develop include getting plenty of sleep and exercising regularly.

Conclusion

We know that hybrid work can be a challenge, but it’s one that we think is worth tackling. Effective communication, inclusivity, and empathy are all important parts of team success. And when you apply them consistently, you will see how much more productive your team can be.

If you want to know how your employees feel, Dropthought can help you to collect your employee’s feedback, create delightful experiences for them, and more.

Dropthought is a user-friendly, omnichannel, and real-time employee experience management platform. We empower companies in different verticals to create delightful experiences for employees across their employee journey. Get detailed analysis and insights from data to exactly know what your employees think and what actions you need to take to delight them.

If you are interested to learn more, simply click here.