At the core of any healthy work culture is transparent and inspirational communication from leadership. Communication and clarity are even more critical when faced with the unfamiliar, and for your team emerging hybrid work, arrangements are just that – unknown.
In my work as a facilitator, just like yours as a business owner or manager, hybrid arrangements take more planning and troubleshooting than having everyone in the same place simultaneously. To create a healthy hybrid work environment, consider making clear the following areas:
- Create organizational norms. Build shared trust by ensuring expectations are clear. Leaders commit to following guidelines for things like in-office time, in-person and virtual meeting attendance, and participation.
- Provide tools and training. If you expect your team to be available, set up communication systems for the digital tools involved that support your team, whether remote or not.
- Encourage spontaneous connection. Encourage your leadership team and managers to make spontaneous connections with employees to harvest their feedback. Pretty soon, your employees will feel comfortable doing the same.
- Because I said so doesn’t cut it. Explain the why behind decisions you’re making.
- Listen: Be willing to test and adjust. Not at the expense of business priorities, instead, because it’s more likely you’ll accomplish them if your team is in it with you!
- Give feedback. Help individuals on your team manage the gap between the expectations you’ve set and where they are right now. Not knowing where you stand is no fun in the best of times, let alone when everyone is trying to figure this stuff out.
If you want to deeper, here are some sources you might find helpful: