At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic many companies converted to remote work. Now that people are getting vaccinated and life is returning to normal, businesses are no longer limited to remote work. While some companies continue to work from home and others are fully returning to offices, some are adopting a system of hybrid-remote work.
Hybrid meeting can mean a few different things. For some companies it means their whole team goes into the office only once or twice a week and the rest of the week they work remotely. For others it may mean half of the team goes in one day a week while the other half goes on a different day. Whatever the case, we hope to walk you through a few tips to effectively transition to a hybrid remote workplace.
Set Expectations
Making sure everyone is on the same page is essential when transitioning to hybrid work. Each employee needs to understand what day they are expected to be in the office. The COVID protocols that you will be enforcing need to be communicated so that employees can plan for it. If you expect them to wear masks, they need to plan to bring one. Returning to work is a great time to emphasize your company culture. Because culture is felt more when working in-person than remote, this is something to keep an eye on.
Coordinate Meetings Wisely
With different employees going into the office on different days, it is important to plan your meetings accordingly. No one likes meetings that are half zoom, half face-to-face. Eliminate the need for this by coordinating face-to-face meetings with people who will be in the office on the same day. For meetings that consist of people that don’t share in-person days, plan meetings on days when they are all remote. Planning meetings wisely can help employees make the most of their time in-person while remaining productive remotely too.
Clarify Your Communication Channels
Choose a communication channel that works for you. If your company has been around for a while, you likely have an established communication channel already. That may include email, Slack, or Microsoft Teams. The trick to effective hybrid work is maintaining the practices that make remote work successful. Continue to communicate with your team the same way you have been. Use Slack or other channels to plan your in-person meetings.
Use an Office Hoteling Software
Using a hoteling software makes coordinating with your team even easier. This service treats work desks like hotel rooms, allowing you to reserve them for your employees. Some hoteling software options integrate with Slack and other communication tools to facilitate the scheduling of in-person meetings. They can easily help you identify who is going into the office on which days. A good hoteling software will even help with health check-ups to verify employees are not spreading COVID-19 or other illnesses.
Check in with Employees Individually
Returning to in-person work is a great excuse to check in with employees. You can pull team members aside individually and see how they are doing. Check in on their comfort with tasks, how they feel about their performance, and more. Above all, reassure them that they are valued in the company. Remote work has been hard on all of us. Transitioning to hybrid work is a perfect time to reinstate a caring company culture.
Hybrid work can be fun and exciting. You get all the benefits of remote work and the benefits of working in person. Make sure you take the right steps for it to be enjoyable for your whole company.
