Five Tips: Thriving in a Hybrid Work Environment
Here we are, more than a few years into the Great Hybrid Working Experiment. You would think we’d have it all figured out by now, but unsurprisingly – since this experiment involves people who are each having a unique, distinct experience – it’s no wonder that companies are still figuring out the optimal balance for hybrid work. And many who thought they had figured it out are tweaking hybrid options, looking to have more folks physically in the office, and re-thinking what they put in place in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Whatever your current work configuration, it’s likely that many of us will at least occasionally work in a hybrid model going forward. Here are five steps you can take to ensure that you, your team and your colleagues thrive while working in a hybrid environment:
- Be intentional with team interactions and make the most of in-person opportunities. Set up a day when your entire team can be in the office together and collectively see the maximum number of colleagues you continually work with. Schedule your one-on-one meetings for that day and be available to chat and grab coffee with colleagues. And remember that small actions can have a big impact: For example, take a different route to the coffee area so you can greet people in person.
- Be proactive! Lead the way and be the colleague you want to see in the virtual meeting – open a meeting by asking how everyone is; consider an ‘off-work topic’ question as a quick icebreaker; and try not to multi-task during the meeting.
- Go overboard to show respect for others’ time. Make sure your tech capabilities are working, have a meeting agenda, make sure all attendees get an opportunity to contribute, and do everything you can to attend the meetings that you’ve scheduled.
- Stay in touch – and not just once a day. My former team had an ongoing Teams chat where we’d all chime in anytime we wanted to. We would talk about work, of course, but also what we were having for lunch, interesting reading, the weather and all the other small details of life and work.
- Be kind and show appreciation. We’re all still navigating this new world and trying to get everything done in our work and personal lives can be daunting. Be kind when things go wrong – because they will! And take a minute to tell the people you are with – virtually or in person – how much you appreciate them.
We all have ownership for making hybrid work a success and using these tips can help you make the most of it. And you might even enjoy it!
