Tips for Successfully Implementing a Hybrid Work Policy
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In a recent ThinkLab Clubhouse session, Sascha Wagner, president and CEO of Huntsman Architectural Group, shared this insightful remark about the future of remote work: “We believe in the power of place. This speaks to the idea that space can do more than fulfill functional needs—it helps convey values, bring people together, and empower a sense of cohesion and belonging. What’s more, space can actually become part of the cultural manifest of an organization. So, while the past year has shown us that we can positively embrace remote work, we are confident that group activities, visual and tactical work, and work that relies on an in-person sense of connection will continue to thrive in the built environment.”
His sentiments are supported by a recent study by PWC, which shares that by July 2021, “75 percent of executives anticipate that at least half of office employees will be working in the office.” So, if the future is hybrid work, what will that look like? And how do we balance human connection with function—or, perhaps more accurately, flexibility—that comes with hybrid work? We sat down with Betsy Bula, all-remote evangelist at GitLab, to discuss why hybrid work can be one of the most difficult working arrangements, and to uncover tips on how best to make the transition successful.
Recognize that a hybrid policy is the hardest.
While few companies plan to require all workers back in the office five days per week, and few are ready to continue a fully remote model forever, hybrid is actually the toughest model to balance. Bula shares that hybrid work is that in-between zone that often times blurs the lines and rules of traditional office decorum. It is very easy to prioritize those in the office—to give them more senior leadership exposure, allow them more opportunities for mentorship, and think of them first when you’re looking to handle an impromptu job request.
As she explains, “Hybrid work takes more intentionality to do it well. You must realize that you are responsible for managing different employee experiences, while being cognizant to avoid a two-tier environment where people in the office are considered a different class than people working remote.”
Intentionally define your culture.
Our industry does a great job of defining culture through physical space, but do we ever document our own business culture? According to Bula, combining documentation with intentionality is crucial to a successful approach. She agrees with Wagner that the office is a great place for bringing people together and speaks about the value of a project kickoff or other team bonding experience that unites everyone. Then, when the work is transitioned to a hybrid team, these steps from GitLab can help make it successful:
1. Define a culture that supports equality between remote and in-person work. One of the best ways to do this is to have senior management experience working in the remote model. Do they have communication barriers? What documentation isn’t clear? Are there any access issues?
2. Don’t try to replicate an in-person experience remotely. There are some things that just can’t be done remotely. Hosting meeting after meeting over Zoom is a recipe for Zoom fatigue. Instead, try to be strategic about meetings—if they are needed for hands-on, tactical teamwork, consider coming in to the office. If not, ask yourself if the meeting is really necessary.
3. Place an emphasis on team building. Even teams working 100 percent remotely need to come together to foster team camaraderie. GitLab suggests planning events such as coworking excursions, setting a travel budget for team members to visit one another, and even hosting local coworking days.
She concludes, “What a lot of people thought they experienced as remote work was really forced working from home due to a global pandemic. Companies that weren’t already working remotely had to transition to a remote work strategy overnight. And while society did an amazing job of adapting, the intentionality and process that takes time to develop wasn’t there. So, as leaders determine what the future of work looks like for their teams, the key to success will be creating, documenting, and iterating on these practices to determine what works best for their organization.”