Hybrid work presents the best of two worlds, working both remotely and several days per week in the office. Research shows that employees are, for the most part, experiencing the hybrid work model in a positive light. They are able to work from home with a flexible work schedule whilst sill benefiting from the benefits of in-office collaborations.
According to Forbes, the hybrid works schedule permits managers to maintain flexibility and see staff productivity and efficiency increase with staff dissatisfaction decreasing.
Trello expands on the hybrid work schedule by pointing out the broad spectrum within it since some companies may choose to be more office focused whilst others may focus more heavily on remote work. The beauty of hybrid work is in its flexibility and adaptability per company.
Hybrid Work Schedule
The hybrid work schedule is a model which allows employees to alternate between working remotely and in the office. According to Asana, the hybrid work schedule allows managers to tailor their expectations and staff work schedules to the needs of each employee. This leads to improved staff satisfaction, productivity, company culture and many more benefits.
Types of Hybrid Work Schedules
Within the hybrid work schedule, Asana expands on the cohort style of hybrid work which has several popular forms within it;
One of the cohort models is the 3:2 Model which allows employees to work three days at home and two days in office. Unfortunately, this model is expensive since company’s need to maintain their office space thus are unable to downsize.
Asana goes on to explain that another model is the bottom-up model in which employees choose the amount of days at home and in-office. This allows the team to work out what schedule works best for them as a team. This has many similarities to the “Pick and Choose” model listed in Trello’s blog A Manager’s Guide For Creating a Hybrid Work Schedule. The downside is that various teams will have various schedules thus slightly harder to get relevant teams together for any crucial meetings.
Other examples of hybrid work schedules include half and half in which employees spend half of their time in the office and the other half at home.
How to Manage Hybrid Work Schedules
As more managers find themselves in the hybrid work model, managing their teams takes on a similar form to that of remote teams; however, a couple of differences do remain.
#1 Have clear expectations
When it comes to managing your hybrid team’s work schedule, setting clear expectations is paramount. Without clear expectations of deadlines, quality of work, efficiency, etc…, staff can easily find themselves working blind. This, in turn, causes frustration and tensions between management and staff. To mitigate these tensions, let your employees know what is expected of them, when meetings are likely to occur, the days and hours they are to be in the office, and the method for communication between managers and staff as well as the various teams involved.
#2 Know which tasks are for office vs remote
Look carefully at each task your team will be tackling. Ask yourself which tasks can be accomplished remotely and which ones would be best fulfilled at the office. This will help you to assign the correct task to, not only the right person, but also the right location with access to the best tools for the job.
For those companies who favor a more remote approach, ensuring that remote tasks are done remotely and not in the office will help streamline the work load whilst maintaining job satisfaction. This may mean that the bulk of the work is done remotely with staff coming into the office for only meetings, collaborations, and brainstorming sessions.
#3 Maintain employee inclusivity
The saying “out of sight, out of mind” maybe cliche unless you are dealing with remote or hybrid teams; then, the reality of this saying becomes an often glaring reality. According to Forbes, about 42% of managers forget about their staff who work remotely, even within a hybrid schedule, and 67% of managers view remote workers as more expendable. The result is employees often been excluded from critical discussions regarding directives, project updates or changes, not to mention being passed over for high profile projects due to lack of visibility.
Within the hybrid work schedule, managers need to let go of the more traditional/ ways of management and ensure that all work tasks/projects are assigned to team members based on skill and merit.
#4 Explore setting up a rota system
Trello recommends managers setup a rota system for employees to see each member of their team within six days. This helps to ensure each team member feels a sense of belonging and has also been able to connect with each other in a way that Zoom or Teams meetings cannot provide.
#5 Be open to feedback and make necessary changes
Being open to feedback and changes provides managers with the opportunity to grow with their teams as they work together to find which style of hybrid work matches each team and the business as a whole. Allow your employees opportunities to provide healthy feedback regarding their experience of the hybrid work schedule. Find out what works vs what doesn’t? Listen to ideas for improvement and work with your team to find the schedule that best suits them and the company as a whole.