The emergence of remote working has had a long-term impact on the workplace. With more than two-years into this new normal, hybrid arrangements have become more common.
We'll examine what the increase in hybrid working arrangements means for HR and operations, as well as how to best apply them for the greatest results.
1. Managerial communication
Executives must take the initiative in reaching out. To put it another way, you can't always count on employees to seek assistance when they need it, and a hybrid approach may make it easier for some employees to slide through the seams and gaps caused by a convoluted working paradigm.
2. Make the switch from a task-based to an outcome-based organizing principle
When you have direct and unrestricted control, a task-based organizing principle – that is, an approach to work organized around what tasks workers do and how they do them – works well. However, under hybrid models, staying on top of the staff, coordinating, and communicating becomes more difficult.
Instead, according to HR Executives, organizations should consider switching to an outcome-based organizational paradigm. This shifts the focus away from procedures (what workers do, when they do it, and how they do it) and toward outcomes (did they complete their work?). There are valid reasons to adopt task-based organizing principles (it may be required to keep performance on track depending on the worker or workforce), but in a hybrid working model, an outcome-focused approach may be more beneficial.
3. Allow statistics to inform your performance evaluations
After converting to outcome-focused approaches, many firms may want to reconsider how they evaluate performance and productivity.
According to Gartner, nearly two-thirds (64%) of managers believe office workers are more productive than remote workers, despite the fact that the opposite is typically true. Full-time remote employees are 5% more likely than office workers to be top performers. Workplace conditions should be ignored in performance evaluations, which should instead focus on the productivity and outcomes provided by employees.
4. Formalize hybrid workplace policies
Hybrid work arrangements have the potential to affect every aspect of an employee's experience. Only a few potential consequences are addressed in the three points. If hybrid working decisions are made haphazardly or piecemeal, your company faces a variety of issues, including uneven work outputs, charges of discriminatory behavior, and low employee morale. Create clear, written policies that specify who can work under what arrangements and under what circumstances to ensure consistency and equitability..
5. Simplify Workspace Transit
A major complaint from those in hybrid rolls is organization and downtime. Needi to move one’s workspace between locations raises legitimate new dynamics that impact productivity and organization. Many turn to buying mirroring workstation setups to limit the downtime and stress which in turns magnifies office management costs. Products that simplify the shuffle of hybrid-life help minimize these frustration. Worky The Home Office is the only mobile workspace solution that supports that goal by providing 15 key workspace solutions in a convenient case that breaks down and sets up within seconds.
Learn more about how Worky The Home Office can help support hybrid performance. Visit workylife.com.