Why We Need To Focus on Leadership in the Hybrid Environment

Discussions about hybrid work have been endless, and while many companies may finally be headed towards the initial steps of implementation, there are still some lingering questions. How many days will employees be required to come into the office? What will this new office look like? What safety precautions must we adhere to? 

The list of imminent concerns is extensive, and it represents a massive undertaking for not just the companies implementing a hybrid environment, but the leaders and managers required to mandate and enforce these new policies. 

We often talk about the actual set-up and application of a new hybrid environment or the impact it will have on employee productivity and collaboration, but the task of actively monitoring employee’s comfort levels, wellbeing, and satisfaction may be more difficult than ever. It puts individuals in leadership roles in a unique position, one that may encourage experimentation and even mistakes to establish an environment that suits everyone.

There’s even more pressure on managers to facilitate a seamless transition because if not executed properly, employees are willing to seek out new opportunities that will accommodate their needs. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that companies are currently having difficulties finding knowledge workers willing to come into an office for the full five days — with one executive noting that hybrid set-ups have almost become a requirement for attracting top talent. 

Finding The Right Balance

Once an official hybrid policy is established, it will also become exceedingly difficult to please everyone. After such a difficult year, most companies developed a more human-centered approach, positioning empathy as the leading factor in establishing successful employee relationships. But now, it would be difficult to cater to every individual’s distinct needs without some level of resistance. If one employee is requesting to be home for a required in-office day, should they be considered on a case by case basis? Will other employees deem this unfair? It’s these questions that require renewed attention and evaluation from managers if companies want to ensure a seamless hybrid adoption. 

However, many leaders are positioning the transition as a process of trial and error — with high stakes. Salesforce Chief People Officer Brent Hyder noted in the profile, “We’ll make a lot of little mistakes, I can promise you that,” he says. “My goal is not to wake up a year from now and find out we made a major mistake.” It’s this kind of sentiment that showcases the magnitude of these decisions. Leaders will undoubtedly be forced to make compromises, and enforce policies they may never have thought they would have to deal with, but successful managers will guide their employees effectively through clear policies and open communication. 

Guidelines For Success

It seems that clearly defined policies and procedures are critical to establishing a well-functioning and engaged workplace. It’s now more important than ever to focus on empowering employees in leadership positions to ensure they maintain the confidence and authority to make these critical moment-to-moment decisions. Microsoft outlines its own guidelines for managers, noting that they need the tools to shape their own team working model — this includes giving them the authority to submit work-from-home approvals beyond corporate policies and authorizing equipment purchases. Additionally, managers should instill new norms or procedures to re-engage employees after a year at home. By implementing new weekly check-ins or establishing a ‘No Meeting Friday,’ managers can work to regain some form of routine in their new hybrid environment.

Ultimately, it’s important to provide resources not just for employees to connect or adapt to the hybrid environment — managers also need effective training and support to instill confidence and ensure that they can effectively ease the transition for the rest of their employees. A successful hybrid implementation truly begins from the top-down, and companies should focus on equipping leaders with both the physical tools and soft skills to guide their employees through. Additionally, while we may have benefitted from a heightened focus on work/life balance and flexibility throughout the pandemic, it will be important for managers to maintain consistency in their hybrid approach. Leaders must communicate their expectations if their policies are flexible to avoid miscommunication and ensure fair accommodations. 

Photo by PEXELS