How to lead in a hybrid workplace

The traditional 9 – 5 in-person office job is now largely obsolete, with data from the Australian HR Institute revealing that 97% of organisations are now offering some form of flexible work.

We asked Dr Belinda Allen, Lecturer in Management and Marketing at the University of Melbourne for her insights on how to make hybrid work for both managers and their teams.

We hear a lot about hybrid teams and hybrid employees, but what makes a successful hybrid manager?

I actually think it’s a very similar set of behaviours to what works well when managing ‘regular’ teams. So, for example, ensuring that you are accessible and communicating regularly with your team members. With hybrid employees that might mean being more explicit about your availability when you schedule regular catchups.

The incidental hallway or lunchroom chats that you can have with office-based team members aren’t going to happen so being more intentional about ensuring you are touching base regularly is important.

We also know that when people communicate virtually there can be a tendency to focus exclusively on task related issues. It’s important to guard against this in catchups with team members and take time to ask more general questions that aren’t strictly task related, which helps build stronger relationships with hybrid team members.

An argument against hybrid work is that it hampers innovation and creativity. Do you think there is truth to this, and how can leaders foster creativity in a hybrid workplace?

It’s yes and no in terms of whether hybrid work hampers innovation and creativity. Creativity and innovation don’t just automatically come from having people in the same room together. Research shows that the idea generation element of creativity can be enhanced when it’s done remotely.

Fortunately, now there are lots of online platforms which can facilitate team members independently brainstorming and then anonymously rating all the ideas generated. After this has occurred there is value in getting team members together to discuss in more details and strategise.

It’s important to limit "us and them" cultures between in-office and remote workers. What strategies can leaders use to counter this and build more unified teams?

The behaviours a leader role models are important. So, consistently treating everyone equally, regardless of where they are located will help to build an inclusive, unified team culture.

Periodically bringing people together for meaningful team building activities is also important because the more team members understand one another the more effectively they will work together.

As part of these team building sessions, you can discuss the culture you want to create. Consider the strengths of each team member and ways you see the team harnessing individual skill sets. This helps build a sense of collective identity and ensures divisive in versus out groups don’t develop.

Conducting regular pulse checks to see how the team is travelling in terms of cohesion and individual team member’s sense of belonging also has value. It’s far better to identify issues early on than only become aware once Grand Canyon sized chasms have opened between in-office and remote workers.

Continuing with the “us and them” theme, how can leaders ensure remote employees enjoy the same visibility and opportunities as their in-office colleagues?

It’s important for leaders to actively guard against proximity bias when considering team members for development opportunities or promotion and instead ensure they are creating uniform opportunities regardless of work location.

Leaders can role model inclusive behaviours by ensuring team members in the office don't dominate discussions during meetings. They should actively seek input from remote team members to create a more balanced and inclusive environment.

It’s vital leaders also provide adequate feedback, and that feedback is based on clear objectives and standards for success rather than mere presence in the office.

Indeed, presenteeism in the office shouldn’t be used to represent any form of performance measure. Hybrid work won’t have a negative effect on visibility or career development so long as leaders’ evaluations are based on the same criteria for both office-based and hybrid team members.

Trust is a big issue here. Are there strategies leaders can use to set goals and monitor the progress of staff on WFH days without turning to Orwellian Big-Brother spyware?

This is something leaders often query with me, wanting to know if team members are working when they say they are and not skiving off. My response to these sorts of questions is always you can’t, and you shouldn’t try to.

Leading from a place of distrust is a sure-fire way to create a toxic work environment. Regardless of where people are located, to be an effective leader it’s important to shift your approach from a focus on process to a focus on outcomes or results.

If you don’t think you can trust a team member to get the job done, that’s a performance issue and needs to be treated accordingly. But, not trusting your team can’t be your default position.

You can look at goal setting rather than micromanaging how teams get their work done. Key to this process is monitoring performance and providing feedback in ways that are transparent and not too heavy handed. Checking to see how team members are going and if they have the required resources is different to checking in to make sure they are being productive.

Many organisations now have mandatory office days. How do we make mandatory days more purpose driven and not just a tick box exercise?

Organisations need to shift their focus from mandating how often team members should be in the office to when being together adds value.

Too often I see organisations set arbitrary days when people are required to be in the office each week, but it’s better to think about what you are trying to achieve rather than where people are located. Changing your frame of thinking can enable you to make more meaningful decisions about what’s going to be the most effective location for your intended outcomes.

Things like individual procedural tasks and focused creative tasks, such as writing code or designing a presentation require little teamwork and don’t necessarily benefit from time spent in the office. And team-based tasks, such as regular review meetings or team information sharing can be accomplished remotely.

But collaborative creative tasks, like new product development, complex problem solving, or unstructured exploration have social dimensions that are an important and enhancing element. For these activities there is real value in everyone being in the same room together.

Quarterly in-office sprint days also work well.  Team members can connect face-to-face, develop relationships and grow their networks. Plus, you can also task your teams with addressing complex or nuanced problems so it’s worth them making the commute.

Finally, for managers who are new to leading hybrid teams, what would be your top tips for harmonious hybrid leadership?

There are three main tips I have. First, communicate openly and regularly with your entire team so that those team members in the office aren’t benefiting from greater access to information. Communication is a powerful tool leaders can use to set the tone and culture for the team and ensure regardless of location, team members feel included.

My second tip would be to have regular, explicit goal setting discussions with your team to ensure they are clear on what outcomes are important, so everyone is aligned. There’s extensive research demonstrating the power of goals in motivating teams, regardless of where team members are located so goal setting with your team is crucial.

My third and final tip would be to schedule regular, meaningful opportunities for team members to meet face-to-face. But be selective on choosing when to bring team members together and focus on where there are clear benefits to everyone being co-located.

The University of Melbourne offers custom training programs for organisations looking to grow workforce capabilities in a range of industries. Find out more.

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