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Organizations are deciding in the post-pandemic era on new methods for managing a hybrid workplace between in-person and remote work. Many businesses that adopted remote work during the pandemic want to hang on to it for the sake of workplace flexibility and cutting operating costs. Here are essential tips for managing a mix of traditional and virtual workers.
1. Emphasize company culture in welcoming new employees
One of the most important steps to managing a hybrid workplace is to promote the concept of company culture from the start for new hires. Company team building requires informing employees about qualities that define the company's work environment and ethics. The staff will be more connected to your organizational goals if you reinforce the firm's vision of where it's going. IT managers and those working on securing work from home networks must reinforce the importance of, and embrace the cultural shift to the new hybrid workplace model.
2. Adopt more flexible meetings
Regular communication is a major building block toward a cohesive workforce that follows company standards. At the same time, too many meetings can be counter-productive with diminishing returns and cause workers to lose enthusiasm about their jobs. A better approach for the employer is to differentiate between important mandatory meetings and less important optional gatherings. Some companies might require workers to show up to the office for occasional important meetings then participate online in optional meetings that might include fun elements such as brainstorming.
3. Make remote or workplace plans transparent
If your company is planning to operate more remotely or go back to the traditional workplace model, let workers know what to expect in advance. Don't just surprise everyone with a sudden announcement that everyone's work description has changed overnight. Give employees a chance to decide what type of work environment they want to be a part of.
4. Avoid intensely monitoring employee productivity
The idea of employers spying on employees to gauge productivity is one of the reasons truckers and warehouse workers began quitting their jobs during the "great resignation." Since then employers have had to rethink the degree to which they monitor employee productivity with online tools. While employers expect employees to produce measurable results, employees increasingly don't want bosses looking over their shoulders, especially with digital monitoring technology. Developing workplace trust and loyalty can help overcome these concerns.
5. Promote work-life balance
Employers are becoming increasingly sympathetic to employee health and well-being, both of which are vital for boosting workplace productivity. The key is to promote a work-life balance ethic in which you make it clear to workers that you care about their livelihood as integral to their careers. You can promote work-life balance by devoting a room at the office to recreation and allowing workers flexibility with taking breaks. It's crucial to remind workers they need adequate sleep at night to avoid workplace fatigue and burnout.
Conclusion
Your style of managing a hybrid workplace depends on your company's vision. Both in-person and remote workers should be given more flexibility to complete assignments on their own time. You can maintain a more sustainable staff if you make work more of a pleasure rather than a pain. Hybrid workplace models are here to stay but need more personalization and customization to ensure workers enjoy being on your team.
