Change, whether voluntary or involuntary, is always fraught with challenges.
Businesses have had to reassess and implement long-term reforms as a result of the pandemic.
While details are still being worked out, hybrid working arrangements are becoming increasingly popular. We’ll look at six common barriers to implementing hybrid work and address them individually.
- On-site and off-site worker relations
Hybrid working may cause friction between office and home workers. To get the most out of a hybrid workplace, it should promote both autonomy and teamwork.
Solution: Working weeks can be divided into “in-office” and “out-of-office” periods, with the latter devoted to more independent work that doesn’t require as much face-to-face interaction.
- Meetings
If you’re down with point 1, you’ve already done this. Assuming your company takes a more flexible approach to the work-life balance, it’s important that all employees have equal access to meetings.
Solution: If at least one attendee works remotely, make video the norm. This method can be used for hybrid events to ensure no one is left behind.
- Rent and office space
A dedicated office with all of its benefits may seem unnecessary if your company wants to balance in-office and remote work. In order to go hybrid rather than fully remote, you’ll need office space.
Solution: Join forces with another company and use a coworking office space. This option is better if you want to keep your own offices but not rely on a large central office (typically in a city where the rent is expensive).
- Expenses
Managing employee expenses in remote and hybrid work environments is difficult. Remote workers should be compensated for their own internet and power usage.
Solution: All employees must be informed of the tradeoffs and/or changes to their benefits in advance (if your hybrid arrangement allows this). Reducing the pay of workers who work from home is ill advised.
- Collaboration and management
Managers and employees face challenges when dealing with remote workers. How can the former do their job well and give meaningful feedback and cooperation to the latter without direct contact?
Solution: Remote and independent workers require a trust-based management culture. It’s critical to stay in touch regularly. Good management tools are a huge asset.
- Employee satisfaction
Workplace culture and team spirit are very different perceptions for office workers and home workers. New employees may struggle to adapt to a remote or hybrid workplace.
Solution: Keep it balanced and offer options for all. Add in-person meetings to your hybrid events. Make sure your employees are pampered, even if they work from home. Finally, rethink your onboarding process for remote workers.
OVERCOMING WORKPLACE ISSUES IN THE NEW NORMAL
Having a hybrid work option is a popular choice for many organisations, so it’s only natural that they want to ensure a smooth rollout without losing employee experience. Practice these strategies in order to keep your company’s goals, solve hybrid work problems, and prevent proximity bias.